Don't trust LEGO if you want to motorize the 10308 Holiday Main Street set

[@Al8lack]

I bought 2 copies of the passenger train (at a 25% discount from Amazon) and then built a dummy bogie for the second power car. It meant that I could use the hub, motor and light from that engine in my tram, and then still be able to run a complete passenger train simultaneously.

[@MateuszMarek]

I think Lego didn't intend to make the whole loop. It supposes to be just a line when going from left to right and back can be achieved moving forward and backward. Like modern trams where the direction of travel is switched by moving the driver from one side of the tram to another. The only issue is this model isn't a modern tram... but Lego likes to mix things from different decades.

[@ashngoyuchiha215]

True only if the app allows such function. The whole point of powerup is to have the set run automatically in the background, and not drive it back and forth on ur phone app manually

[@BestNameCouldThinkOf]

Vintage trams can also be driven from both ends

[@AdamLaMore]

@@kezif I was wondering the same thing. I don't have any experience with Lego train sets and was wondering if there were ways to build "bumpers" essentially to make the tram switch directions automatically.

[@djfreezzer2321]

​@@AdamLaMore i have train with light sensor below and programed it to stop and switch direction everytime the sensor see red brick on the track. And I have 2x4 red tiles on both ends of tracks. But I don't think it will be possible to fit sensor in this small tram

[@davinvr]

​@djfreezzer2321 I just fit one in. It's tight, but that's because of the cables. A bit more tinkering and it'll fit just fine

[@R0Sch88]

Good tips. It's always cheaper to buy whole sets, because LEGO is over-charging on their single parts. There are lots of resellers who made a business out of out-parting train sets and selling the motorization kits, tracks and engines / wagons separately.

[@classicallpvault8251]

Just buy from other manufacturers.

[@AceOfBlackjack]

@@classicallpvault8251 For lego? No way man, I can't find my old lego space men

[@johnorminski]

Instead of the Powered Up, I picked up a 9V motorized power truck and installed it in the trolley. Bought some 9V (older) track, built an Arduino DCC-EX system for a back and forth setup. Works great.

[@chipsnfishnl]

generally I prefer to use a motorized box car to push a train, meaning I don't have to motorize every locomotive. this generally works well... just not on a tram :)

[@michaelminton1224]

If you have a lot of old gray track from the 1980's trains like I do, it can also be used to run the trolley on it too. As you know, my Emerald Night train and the Mearsk train is currently running on those tracks too.

[@redenginner]

Yeah the rail gauge hasn’t changed since the 80s, just the electrification method. That being said you could probably squeeze a 9/12 volt motor under the trolley and it would look better then a big friggin battery box

[@scottthewaterwarrior]

@@redenginner The rail gauge has never changed actually, just the way they fit together starting with the 9V era. Well unless you count the release of that stupid UCS Hogwarts Express anyway.

[@danielsala81]

well, I actually used both the Winter Holiday train (set 10254) and the Winter Village Station (set 10259), both retired now, and they come with 16 curved rails and 4 straight rails and added this track pack and the switch tracks pack (with 4 extra curved rails) and i was able to create 2 full separate oval circuits with them. I also have the green express train (140$ from Bricklink instead of 240$) but it is not opened yet because we don't have space to put it if we build it, we wait until we get a house :). the light and train motor, i bought from bricklink and the hub from lego

[@coffeeinhandproductions3238]

Really smart option. Never would have considered buying a complete powered up train to get this set to work outside of tracking down everything separately from either Lego or Brinklink. Crazy how the recommended Hub on the site isn't even available on the official site to make this work. Thanks for the very solid price cutting recommendations. Definitely simplifies running the trolley a lot.

[@bartuguney3989]

THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WAS TALKİNG ABOUT !! Why isn't there any proper train theme? I wrote this a few months ago before you are meeting with lego designers to ask them that question but it didn't work out. There are so many train fans and there are so many things lego can do like old real trains, switches, bridges, accessories, electronic control systems and etc... But they don't even realize it.

[@pacerdawn5512]

One thing about motorizing the trolley, the roof has two 1x4 stacked plates on each end underneath to keep it in place. With the motor and wires in place, though, the roof on that ends sticks up because of the wires. My solution was simply to remove one of the 1x4 plates on that end. Now the roof sits flush and still stays on.

[@jedisith3864]

I follow you simply because you do the in depth checking into themes I only dabble in. Thanks to you I now have my first motorized Lego, 3 trains and as you correctly guided me I grabbed 2 actual train sets and the Hogwarts Express playset. Being able to run 2 at a time is awesome but I keep checking for a third power hub and it might just be time to get another train set instead lol

[@eugenioguido12]

Thanks for the tip! I just bought the set and I was buying what Lego suggests to motorize tram. Now I decides to buy city when I found an offer!

[@jacekpietrzak445]

It would be great if you could make this tram work like a real one. Go to one end of the track, wait, return, wait and repeat. That would be more similar to the way actual trams operate than running around in circle.

[@volt8ge]

You can with colored bricks on the track and a bit of programming

[@dylanfgarrison]

This is EXACTLY what I did for Xmas! I bought the passenger train and used all the parts to set up the trolly for Xmas. :).

[@stehlik]

Very useful video, I imagine. I love how in depth you go - thanks to that, somehow you manage to hold my attention even with things I’m not even considering (lack of room in this case).

[@bami2]

Honestly the whole way lego works with motorizing stuff now is just sad. In the 90s there was the 8720 "9V motor set", which included the battery box, a motor, cable, some power plates and a bunch of gears, belts and structural elements. And of course you could get motors and batteryboxes for relatively cheap straight off their supplementary packs order catalogue that came with pretty much every set. Now pretty much every set would then include a "+8720" couple of steps on the end of the instructions that allowed you to use the extra bits from 8720 to motorize a function. It's a straight-forward buy to get the motor set and suddenly almost every other technic set you had was expanded, all the parts were there and since they just had one motor pack, it was all universal. Now there's the different kind of hubs, different kind of motors, there is no motor add-on set and there are no extra instructions. Sure the old sets had like 6-7 steps to add motorization instead of the 50-60 they would take now, but the motor set was just such a fine product since it expanded your lego collection by so much and you could go back to sets you haven't made in years just to see how it works by adding a motor. Honestly they should just recreate that idea, take a dumb PU hub (without bluetooth like from the Osprey set), take a L or maybe even the simple M motor, bundle in some gears and belts and just keep using those parts to add extra instructions for new sets to include it. Do the same for trains and there, you just added tons of value for new sets that include a tiny bit of extra paper (or some more bits in the pdf).

[@brovideolol3488]

The fact that currently set 60337 - express passanger train is 90 euro instead of Lego's retail price of 160 is insane!

[@augsdoggs]

Once again, Racing Brick coming to us with very useful information. Great video!

[@SanderEvers]

I did the same thing, used a train motor, battery hub and tracks from other sets. (I even made a nice and large route trough my living room ;)) I did buy the lights separately, but they weren't really that expensive.

[@sarahlangdon7415]

Thank you so much for this video. Still applicable in 2024 - motor is out of stock so i was looking for alternative options and found your video. Got the passenger train on sale at walmart plus cashback from honey. So win! Thanks you again!

[@stevenprins1018]

I heave my copy motorized with circuit cubes, works nice!

[@jetfranson]

I came here to say the same thing. Had the track already, so a $39.95 USD motorization, with rechargeable BT hub, using Circuit Cubes was a no-brainer. The all-LEGO solution is ridiculously pricey.

[@zaphodbeeblebrox8184]

Great video as always. Superb job sir :)

[@kvanccebenoyan646]

I already have 10308 and 60337. I was planning to power up 10308 and looking for power up components. I also was not sure about whether 60337 motor parts were compatible with 10308 for motorization. Thank you and thanks to your video, I got all the answers. I won't waste money and use 60337 parts as you recommend.

[@poemes]

Love all your video’s

[@tomawest]

This is what I did. The kids wanted a train set for Christmas so used the bricks to build a second train with dummy bogie at the end. It caused so much confusion when the second train box just appeared about a week after Santa had arrived when they were ready to build the "rest of the train" 😂

[@adamb2619]

Best solution is the 9v track and motor. LEGO please bring that back

[@kaiyack]

This makes a lot of sense. Thank you!

[@TVARecordings]

I literally did get a Lego advert before this video lol

[@bossk11941]

Great advice. I’ve been looking for the hub since December when this came out. And I felt so dumb trying to figure out how to make a loop using the Lego suggested tracks. The hanks!

[@chrishudson25]

Hot take. Speed champions should start making some off-road/ suv makes like the Ram TRX/ Colorado Bison/ Cherokee trackhawk

[@08KoolBoy]

I totally agree. Would love some well detailed pickup sets that I can afford 😂

[@justincole1510]

Totally agree with that statement. I so want a Jeep Trackhawk and Gladiator in LEGO Speed Champions. LEGO definitely needs to expand on different type of cars.

[@RacingBrick]

Ram TRX FTW! Actually I'd love to see a Ram SRT-10 even more :)

[@chrishudson25]

@@RacingBrick funny. I actually know a guy who just sold his srt 10 in December😅😂

[@RacingBrick]

@@chrishudson25 you can't even see one here in Europe

[@JellyLancelot]

You had me at 'buy more lego'

[@INSIDEHARDWARE]

Hah. Love the tram going off track!

[@Timep3]

Thank you so much for this video you have saved me so much time and now I have an excuse to get a train set :)

[@arnold9526]

Thank you very much because I really wanna motorise this set

[@ricardoalmeida5285]

Thank you so much! You are the best!!! Love it, amazing idea!!! Works in portugal too 😂 because the prizes the train looks free

[@RCmies]

As someone who owns extra tracks, the old power functions hub, motors, and light piece, I would figure out a way to motorize it with the motor and some gears and axels. I'm not sure if there are Lego train wheels that attach to an axel piece, but if there are I assume it would be pretty straight forward.

[@BestNameCouldThinkOf]

Axles are put through the train motor with wheels on the ends so train wheels do fit axles

[@worldsheaviestjamband93]

Biggest problem I’ve had is that the hub hasn’t been in stock once on Lego (us) since November.

[@worldsheaviestjamband93]

Oh I see it was mentioned in the video. I thought about getting the other train set.

[@scottthewaterwarrior]

It's also $50, which is more then the old PF battery box, IR receiver, and train motor combined!

[@19marshall80]

It's because trams mainly follow a pathway and not a circuit :)

[@BigWillTheMill]

I did this - went with passenger train because of the light cable, but I did like the accessories with the other set.

[@fedos]

I lucked out on the hub. I looked and say the temporarily out of order, then did some research and found claims it had been retired. I came back a week later and they were in stock. Snagged that and the motor; accidentally ordered the color sensor instead of the lights, though. I didn't order tracks because I bought the old passenger train (the blue and orange one) several years and thought I'd just use the tracks from that, but I have no idea what happened to any of the parts from that set. I found one piece of curved track.

[@msbrickkitten6882]

Thanks for this vid! Great Advice! 🥰

[@imaginitivity7853]

Of all the things in the Legoverse that are worth buying Chinese copies of, rail track wins hands down. Trying to have any decent kind of layout using legit Lego is just too expensive

[@robertsullivan3877]

Here is what I did,and so far,everything is working well, I bought 3 of these sets. I attached all three together using other lego parts( not included), and the middle trolley is motorized.

[@thecianinator]

BrickLink is an official shop now that Lego owns it.

[@RacingBrick]

Well LEGO owns Bricklink as a company, but sellers are still independent and LEGO won't take any responsibility for them.

[@Elliottblancher]

I feel like the 9 volt lego track system would be best for this tram since the 9v system doesn't require a motor on the train

[@ShyGuyXXL]

What I noticed about the motorized tram is that it seems to be having a harder time driving around curves than other motorized trains. Maybe this is because only one of the axles is being used to actually propel the tram.

[@laustpeternielsen-norman9569]

Thank you very much for the solution

[@patricktowns3791]

Great video!! I purchased the 42110 Land Rover Defender with the plan to motorize it. All together is was cheaper to purchase the 42109 App-Contoller Top Gear Rally Car to get the two motors and the hub than it was to purchase the hub and motors buy themselves. Lego individual parts are expensive. Just wish the PoweredUP App was a little more user friendly in programming.

[@SouRwy4501Productions]

I personally would have used power functions pieces, and hook up a Soundtraxx Blunami to control the tram motor, light, and sound.

[@bluesfier7758]

The reason the Hub isn't available is because everyone bought them out trying to motorize this very set. Just give them some time to make more.

[@schoppi112]

Thanks for your interesting videos! Lego is forcing us to buy or use the motor and RC equipment from other companies like CADA or Bluebrixx. In my case I am using on of the hubs I have still in stock, but for new customers it is a stupid situation.

[@KilerkRazorclaw]

Agreed, Lego is great, but their electronics are just WAY too pricey to even attempt. And some of the other makers electronic parts are of better quality too!

[@soundofspace8026]

i hope you do a video for the new orient express set as well

[@accuratebrickinnovations]

I have subscribed!! I love your channel.

[@jose75694]

Thank god I found this video, I've never built a Lego set in my life but I couldn't sleep in the nights thinking about trusting lego with the 10308 Holiday Main Street Set.

[@nayanp]

Hi, i really like your content, I was wondering, when are you going to be able to review the fire plane?

[@callumdebruyn5620]

Brick link is offically owned by Lego 😂

[@lisamarshall6001]

I bought 2 boxes of track and 1 of the switch plate box. I was able to make a complete circle with those 3 boxes.

[@MadMarcus66]

I bought the passenger train set today for 105 euro at Intertoys here in The Netherlands 😀

[@MrJuppia]

I wish I had seen this three months ago before I sourced all parts from secondary vendors

[@gfogerty54]

Hello my friend, my way to motorize the street car was in buying the RAEL 20001 Steam Train with lights sounds and steam parts , costs 54 € only, including rails, sound module, rechargeable battery box and remote control. The only disadvantage is that the train runs with one speed, but acceptable.

[@danielsala81]

that's a chinese knockoff of the official lego winter holiday train set, we don't buy and review any of those chinese clones set here.

[@gfogerty54]

@@danielsala81 I do not expect a review of this chinese set. Just wanted to suggest a cheaper way to motorize the tram as the power functions of Lego are far too expensive. By the way - I bought the original Lego winter train and do not use the chinese version.

[@Timanator]

What about the city passenger train? It is much cheaper with steel axled wheels?

[@ForestExplosive750]

RacingBrick if you ever see me here please do a LEGO Fire plane 42040 review!

[@tsmith731]

I have ordered individual lego blocks from Lego before and I waited over a month for them to even ship the order. I all ways use Bricklink.

[@legocreativegroup]

Thanks

[@coasterblocks3420]

If I motorise my tram, I’ll use a Circuit Cubes motor and battery. LEGO motors and hubs are unnecessarily large and heavy.

[@briqtastic]

I agree it's indeed misleading. It's also pretty expensive to motorize it if you do not have any other components...

[@M1longer]

Many Powered Up/ Control+ components are out of stock. I hope that it means that this system will go down shortly. Anything intruduced next can't be worse.

[@RacingBrick]

TLG: Hold my beer :D

[@M1longer]

@@RacingBrick Ypu know that everything I want is easier use and remotes.

[@theresaengel9118]

Trying finishing setting this set up. Wish I would of seen video sooner I purchased extra track. Too late to return. I have it all together so I guess I am missing how to power it up. I see people mentioning an app to run it. Where do I get it. Thanks

[@RacingBrick]

You need the Powered Up app

[@michaelp9061]

They should be included at least a full circle.

[@billybob2025]

Nice, I got the passenger train from an ebay special in australia for $69, or approx 45 euro

[@Amoreternum]

Huh, I don't think most people prefer official stores, Bricklink has always been less of an alternative than the first to go to option tbh. Aside from that, third party options are far cheaper - Circuit Cubes cost a fracture of the Lego parts and since train builders rely on third party parts anyways, would have been worth mentioning I'd say.

[@RacingBrick]

There are dozens of other options to mention, could have been a 30 minute video as well. I wanted to focus on a solution that is available for everyone easily without any 3rd party involvement.

[@aalvinng]

I recognise that wrap on the rally car in the background! Is that a Forwart Sticker wrap?

[@RacingBrick]

Yes, it was made by him for my car

[@Isador]

the 9V System was way much better... OK no specified Tracklayout outside the premade radius but for brickbuild was it OK,,,

[@Bluey_1989]

Me who just got allot trains as a present in 2015/2016/2017 and 2018

[@balazsfeher7301]

Happy nameday! :) :P

[@RacingBrick]

Köszönöm, neked is! :)

[@USA068]

Oh yes. I am on Bricklink trying to MOC about 8 railroad cars, axles, wheels, holders, beams, bogies, ie the moving parts that roll. It's not at all a satisfactory experience. Track, and some tiles, plate, connecting parts. It's fees on top of fees, and then the parts are, which I calculated, 50% higher in price, than the list price after all the shipping, tax, processing. That is on $210 USD of lego becomes more than $315 USD after everything is added up from two suppliers, one in Netherlands and one very large seller in Czech Republic. I mean good new Lego, but. The added fees is and world shipping, its a broken system. We need a lego airplane to serve between the strategic continents, for the AFOL world.

[@streakybricks]

good day!

[@joevictor53]

Does anyone know if RacingBrick has ever done any Cobi sets? They have some nice European cars that are around Creator Expert/Icons size that I'd love to see him review and compare to the Lego ones

[@RacingBrick]

No he didn't try Cobi yet. He's not a fan of single-purpose special parts they use in most of their vehicles.

[@joevictor53]

@@RacingBrick ohhh okay. Fair enough. I understand that feeling. I was kinda bothered when Lego created a new curved piece for the back of their Creator Expert Porsche that seemed very specialised. I can see why people might not like it in Cobi sets too as they do it even more. Thanks for the reply

[@RacingBrick]

@@joevictor53 I think there are different levels. That piece from the Porsche could be used in a whole bunch of very different sets, like the Wakanda bust and other things. As someone who grew up in Eastern Europe I love the look of Cobi's Skoda, Barkas or Trabant models, but they look realistic because of some very specialized big pieces used on the front and rear of their cars that really can hardly be used on any other type of vehicle or build. For me they are somewhat closer in philosophy to Playmobil than to LEGO.

[@BlackringIII]

Yes, I haven't been able to pick up that hub new in so long! Really terrible support on their part!

[@Bigdog1787]

I'd go with none of the above suggestions and go with 9v track and motor. There is a maker/seller that produces that Lego stuff so you don't even need to buy the old official Lego stuff.

[@Bigdog1787]

@@deleaptealeaf8935 fx bricks they sell out of their straight track often, but when they come in stock you can get email notifications. Also their wheels are not listed as they redesigning them sounds like they should have restocks soon and their new wheels.

[@scottthewaterwarrior]

You can just put copper tape on the plastic track and it will run 9V just fine. A bit time consuming, but well worth it. Curves are a bit tricky though, did it with some third part R72 and R88 tracks and they work OK, but did a half circle test batch of standard LEGO R40 curves and they were a little bumpy with how much the tape bunched up.

[@guidobeulen]

The very fundamental rule of this solution is great. Fix Lego by buying more Lego ❤

[@mitch_sorenstein]

But what if I want to motorize the 10308 Holiday Main Street set AND trust Lego?

[@chipsnfishnl]

then you can get the train to move back and forth over a small part of track :)

[@snoopycharlie8718]

Can you just make a circle instead of any straights?

[@RacingBrick]

Sure you can, but that still requires 16 curve pieces

[@snoopycharlie8718]

@@RacingBrick Wow, that's such a poor set up from Lego.

[@scottthewaterwarrior]

@@snoopycharlie8718 They really need to sell curves and straights separately. Straights are the main thing I want actually, with just one or two train sets and a switch pack or two you end up with enough curves for most anything, but for the rare time someone needs just curves selling those separately would be good.

[@snoopycharlie8718]

@@scottthewaterwarrior I am shocked it's such an awkward purchasing system for a big company like Lego!

[@scottthewaterwarrior]

@@snoopycharlie8718 Well ironically enough, despite the company becoming famous for their "System" where everything can be interconnected, they seem to view trains as toys that are just one and done. You buy the train set, maybe one extra track pack if your kid begs you, and that's it. I mean, most people who buy LEGO trains probably are children who wouldn't have the interest/money to create a huge model train display, but they are still shooting themselves in the foot not even trying to appeal to the few that do.

[@glowytheglowbug]

i wonder how fast a lego train can go with buwizz? drag trains?

[@RacingBrick]

The tram can derail even with the stock setup, so yeah BuWizz can make it way too fast.

[@glowytheglowbug]

@@RacingBrick thats around turns though, i had similar problems i just made an incredibly low cog train and it was surprisingly stable

[@glowytheglowbug]

@@RacingBrick still, would be fun to see lego train drag races

[@scottthewaterwarrior]

@@glowytheglowbug Did that at a convention maybe 5 years ago, though it was a circular track with one train starting further back to make up for the smaller radius of the inner loop. No specially built racing locos though, and I think everyone was running either 9V or Power Functions. Took second place myself as my 8-wide switch locomotive couldn't run max speed on the curves.

[@glowytheglowbug]

@@scottthewaterwarrior interesting! you probably could hook up a buwizz motor to train wheels along with a buwizz with low centre of gravity you would be unstoppable lmao

[@Goddot]

If you're in Germany: buy the lidl train for 50€.

[@martinsonnleitner7911]

60337 is 111€ atm xD

[@scottthewaterwarrior]

This doesn't surprise me at all given how terrible LEGO is with trains. From buying many sets over the years, I already have enough curve tracks to last an eternity, yet you cannot buy a pack of just straight track from LEGO!

[@MikolajF]

i am so glad i am not into lego trains or i would be very pissed.

[@CICLIDOS_HUELVA]

En Amazon España 🇪🇸 117€ el tren alta velocidad

[@millipede070707]

3d print your own track people. The files are fee on the internet

[@danielsala81]

not everybody has a 3d printer + filament mate, so your solution is not really optimal for most people. It's easy for you to say do this, do that, but you don't know the income or the needs of everybody. For most people, a 3d printer is not necessary and optimal just for printing lego tracks.

[@millipede070707]

@@danielsala81 @danielsala192 No matter what your income is... I guarantee you it's going to be cheaper for you in the long run to buy a 3D printer and print your own unlimited supply of track with various different curve radiuses. If you can afford Lego products you can afford a 3d printer. It's actually the most cost effective and reasonable way to aquire track pieces..

[@tdeng-h8k]

in the end your still paying more money

[@LouieAldrich-k7i]

Sauer Branch

[@linketinie]

You forget import costs and those are not cheap as well

[@RacingBrick]

What import costs? If you don't have access to the separate items locally then you need to add import cost to everything, so all options will cost more

[@BenBradley-e8k]

Destiney Points

[@theviktorurbanek]

Respect thanks😅❤😅😂😅🎉😅🎉

[@MoreReneRebe]

as usual ridiculous sad Lego pricing, … :-/

[@NotfallsRene]

Good example why only fanboys buying LEGO ^^

[@ygrbooks]

I bought the CaDA power set with 3 motors, RC, rechargeable battery box and lights for less than €60. Anyone still buying the exorbitantly expensive Lego crap?

[@ElectricGlowSkull]

Lego Hub scam oof

[@StreamMovieYT]

Just buy lego copy tracks