Last week we brought you our review of the new Cargo Train set no. 60198. This week we have our review on the second of the new Powered Up train sets, the Passenger Train set no. 60197.

The new Passenger and Cargo Train sets are our first introduction to the new Powered Up System, and also the first new City trains in a few years. Naturally, these new sets are of great interest to the LEGO train community. The Powered Up system in particular has been a very hot topic, and has many potential ramifications to how we build our trains going forward. However, we didn’t want to confuse the new system with the set, even though they come as a pair. We want to review the new trains on their own merit. We will have a more extensive review of the Powered Up system itself, and what it has to offer the more advanced builder, in an upcoming article.

For these reviews we are looking at the new train sets based on how good they are as actual train sets. A train set is really the gate way to the larger model train hobby. It’s where almost every LEGO train fan, and modeler starts. It may be a set received as a present under the Christmas tree or for a birthday, or a set purchased from a store to add to your growing AFOL collection. The train set is where most of us start our LEGO train hobby because all the basic building blocks to creating a running train are there in a single box, and will be the gateway for new builders in our hobby for the next several years. Let’s take a look now and see what the new Passenger Train set has to offer us.

What’s in the box?

First off let’s rundown what is included in this set:

• 1 sleek-looking electric passenger locomotive
• 1 cafe/snack car
• 1 coach car
• 4 straight track sections
• 16 curved track sections
• 1 trackside signal
• 1 passenger waiting platform
• 1 Powered Up controller
• 1 Powered Up receiver/battery box
• 1 Powered Up train motor

Price

The retail cost for the new passenger train is $159.99 / 129.99€ / £119.99 and contains 677 pieces, including 4 mini figures. The price is a bump up from the preceding 60051 High-Speed Passenger Train which cost $149.99 / 119.99€ / £109.99 for 610 pieces, including 3 mini figures. When looked at on a price per piece basis, the new passenger train comes out favorably compared to the older 60051 set, with both around the $0.23/$0.24 per piece mark. Of course this price per piece ratio is higher than the average LEGO set, but you have to consider that these train sets contain track, and electronics elements which contribute greatly to the overall cost. Considering that this set contains the new Powered Up system, I feel LEGO has to be commended for keeping the new set’s price within the range of the outgoing one. And the $159.99 price of the set is a pretty good deal when compared to similar sets in other model railroad scales.

The Locomotive

The locomotive in the new passenger set is a nice, sleek-looking model of an electric locomotive. The locomotive does not follow any true prototype, but the design is somewhat reminiscent of the Eurostar train. Though not an exact model by any means, you can see where the set designer may have pulled some inspiration from, particularly with the colors.

Speaking of colors, the locomotive uses a color scheme combining Light Bluish Gray, Dark Blue, and Bright Light Orange, with a White accent stripe. On paper this odd combo of dark blue and bright light orange doesn’t seem like it should work, but the final model pulls it off surprisingly well. The whole train caries this color scheme, and the vibrancy and variety is a welcome change from the 60051’s more muted colors. I really like the look. Then again I’m a fan anytime dark blue can be used so well in a model, so maybe I’m a little biased here. The color scheme is undeniably eye-catching though.

The locomotives nose piece is new, and while some may gripe at the use of a big single molded piece as opposed to a more brick-built solution, I think the nose piece works well. It creates a nice rounded aerodynamic shape that would be hard to brick build with out become to complicated for set in LEGO’s targeted 6-12 age range. The fit is really good, which has at times been a problem when LEGO has done such pieces.

The nose also includes space to install the new 88005 Powered Up LED Light. At the time of this writing I did not have the lights, but do have them on order and should have them soon. I expect though they will be very similar in function to the older 8870 Power Functions LED light, just with the new Powered Up plug attached.

The battery/receiver is neatly packaged inside the locomotive and can be accessed with the removal of just four 1×4 tiles. Part of the body of the locomotive is actually built onto the receiver/battery box, so when you pull out the battery, you are really pulling part of the locomotive body off. This sounds excessive, but it does make getting to the battery box much easier that previous LEGO train sets. It also provided the designer a nice opportunity to use some SNOT building techniques which is always welcome.

The locomotive can be activated (turned on) and paired with the remote by pressing down on part of the roof section. Conveniently there is a green sticker which is applied to the proper place to push, directly above the power button on the battery/receiver.

The remote and receiver are paired by holding the green buttons on each unit simultaneously, linking them directly. Left buttons control port A, and the right control port B on the box. The train has a total of 10 speed steps, but even running at step 3 is comfortable, and 5 is a good running speed for a high-speed train such as this, especially on the standard R40 curve radius included in the set. Those that enjoy crashes can jump it up to 10 if they want.

Overall, the locomotive is a pretty nice model. It captures the stylish, sleek look of modern-day high-speed passenger trains well. An uniformed engineer is included, It has enough detail to make it interesting, and an eye-catching color scheme. And it runs quite nicely.

Cafe/Snack Car

The first car in the train is the Cafe, or Snack Car. This car continues the color scheme from the locomotive. Inside you find a sales counter with attendant and various foods, and two wall mounted  tables for passengers to eat at. There are no seats in the car for passengers to sit down. Obviously this car is not a full service dining car.

The car follows the modern high-speed train aesthetic pretty well. There is little in the way of exterior ornaments; all the gear is hidden behind streamlined body work. I do wish that LEGO would have included actual doors in the car. This has been a problem with recent LEGO passenger trains. Including doors would have added to playability, and created a bit more visual interest to the exterior. As it is, though, the car isn’t bad, and one can always engineer their own doors if they want.

Coach Car

The final car in the train is the coach car. On the exterior, there is very little to distinguish the coach car from the cafe car, save for a few decals marking each car’s use.

Inside the coach car has seating for 4 figures as well as a center area for luggage storage. The new luggage piece included in the set is quite nice, and it’s great to have a little more variety added to the LEGO bag/luggage parts pallet. The car also includes a lone passenger, but you can always add more from your own collection.

Other than the lack of doors again, the car is nice enough. I wish there was a little more visual differences between the exterior of the cafe car and coach car. Of course modern high-speed trains are largely uniform in appearance, but there could have been a few small details worked in to make the two cars a little unique on the outside, such as different window placement. But that’s just more fodder for those who want to modify their set and make it their own.

Accessories

The two trackside accessories included in the set are a signal mast, and a passenger waiting platform. The signal mast is simple, but effective. The design would be quite easy to replicate in quantity to use around one’s layout.

The passenger waiting platform though is a bit weak in my opinion. The route sign is simple but nice, and the minifig waiting on the platform is another great addition, but beyond that, the platform itself is a bit too generic and simplified. It seems like an afterthought. Yet more encouragement maybe to modify the set to your liking.

Conclusion

Overall, I really like this set. Minor quibbles about doors, and small details not withstanding, I’ve become quite fond of it. I think it’s probably the nicest looking City passenger train that LEGO has released in quite a while. The color scheme works well and creates a vibrant look.

I also really like that this train contains one locomotive unit, and two cars. Previous sets had two loco units, one at each end of the train, but only one passenger car. This becomes an issue when buying a second set to expand you train. With the previous City passenger trains, when buying a second set with the intention of expanding your train, you only had one ready-made extra car from the deal, and then you had to scavenge parts from the two extra locomotive units, and your own collection to build another car. The result being two engines and 3 cars.

With this new set, if you purchase a second, you don’t need to do any modification. Just build the second loco, and set of cars, and then couple them to the back of the first train. You get a locomotive unit for each end, and four cars, with no waste. This train is set up nicely for this, and who doesn’t want a longer train? Even if your ambitions are not for a longer train, the stock set up isn’t bad. Sure it would look better with another locomotive unit on the other end, but then a car would have likely need to be cut to keep the set’s price point the same, and that wouldn’t look the best either.

The Powered UP system itself is pretty easy to set up and use. I like that a dedicated controller is provided. I prefer the more tactile feel and convenience of that over using the smart device app. The app though is not bad. It gets the job done. While some of the features are a bit gimmicky, it does add some fun to operations, and will likely be a hit with kids.

For home use, the Powered Up system is robust enough for most environments. The motor speed steps are nicely tuned. The passenger train will start moving slowly but steadily on step one, and will really fly at step 10. Signal range is good enough that unless you are running trains from room to room in a large house, you shouldn’t have any issues. However at a convention, with large numbers of Bluetooth signals in a confined area, the Powered Up system has obvious interference issues. This is certainly concerning, but for home use these interference issues should not be a problem.

I do have concerns about the expandability of the new Powered Up system. The new plug does not allow multiple motors to be stacked to one port, with is a hug draw back. But we’ll go into more depth with our thoughts on the new system in an upcoming BMR article. As it stands, the new system works quite well for the purpose of this set.

If you’re looking to get started in LEGO trains, or just want to add another nice train to your city, this new passenger train has a lot to offer. For the price, you get a nice looking high-speed passenger train that is set up well for expansion with a second set later down the road. The included figures are great, and the Powered Up system is easy to use. The track side accessories are a bit hit or miss, and there are some conspicuously absent details like doors on the passenger cars. But these items could all be seen as opportunities to break out the bricks, and start modifying, and building new items, to alter the set more to your individual liking, and that’s where the real fun can begin.