| Our Last Flashback focused on one of the most | | | | crate – would not be permitted in a modern |
| famous LEGO locomotives from the early 1980s 12V | | | | LEGO-issued set. This technique, which appeared in a |
| system. This time I want to take a look at a set from | | | | number of earlier LEGO sets, was found to weaken |
| an even earlier era, the 165 Cargo Station. Released in | | | | or warp bricks over time and has earned a place on |
| 1978, the Cargo Station was one of the first buildings | | | | the list of "illegal" building techniques. For a set that |
| available for LEGO trains, at a time when trains ran on | | | | appears quite simple, the Cargo Station encompasses |
| blue tracks and bricks in the color gray werefairly | | | | a good degree of play value. It features a traveling |
| novel – and perhaps even controversial. | | | | crane with a functioning winch. The freight station has |
| In all, four different train-themed buildings were issued, | | | | two bays for cargo and plenty of crates. The crane |
| beginning with a train station in 1975 and followed by a | | | | straddles two train tracks, a feature unique to this |
| level crossing and fuel refinery in 1976. The Cargo | | | | crane set, making it possible to transfer cargo from |
| Station appears somewhat simplistic by modern | | | | one train to another or to the warehouse. Or, with one |
| standards, comprised mostly of basic brick and with | | | | set of tracks removed and replaced by a driveway, |
| only a few details. By the standards of 1978, however, | | | | the crane could be used to transfer goods from truck |
| it was a capable – and even ground breaking – | | | | to train and vice versa. |
| set. In the world of LEGO trains, this set came at the | | | | It is straightforward to build a replica of the Cargo |
| transition from the 1970s "LEGOLAND" sets to the | | | | Station, but it would be difficult to construct an exact |
| classic Town sets of the 1980s. The Cargo Station | | | | replica given what parts are available in the modern |
| was the first train-related building to include modern | | | | era. Despite the use of mostly basic bricks in the |
| minifigures as opposed to their predecessor, the | | | | design, a number of elements are no longer made, |
| "armless" figures. The Cargo Station also set the | | | | such as the rooftop antenna and the large 2 x 6 x 3 |
| stage for things to come by using a standard 32 x 32 | | | | window featured on the control tower of the station. |
| stud baseplate. | | | | Several other elements are much rarer now than in |
| FLASHBACK | | | | the 1970s, in particular the white hinged doors on the |
| The first train building to make use of the | | | | freight station and the wheels used on the crane. The |
| now-ubiquitous baseplate standard. The Cargo Station | | | | set included a decal sheet with decals for the crates |
| was also significant in being the first in a series of | | | | and the sign atop the station that read "Goods Station". |
| cargo loading stations for LEGOtrains. Each | | | | Thedecal sheet included this text in eight different |
| subsequent generation of LEGO trains has featured a | | | | languages! The 165 Cargo Station marked the end of |
| set of similar design. In 1986, the 7823 Container | | | | one era and the beginning of another. It was the first |
| Loading Crane was released for 12V trains, followed in | | | | LEGO train building to exhibit System-style design, and |
| 1995 by the 4555 Freight Loading Station. The latter | | | | it was an indication of things to come in the era of |
| set in particular appears to be a direct descendant of | | | | gray-railed 12V trains. It was also the first of several |
| the 165 Cargo Station, updated for the aesthetic | | | | cargo stations for LEGO trains. Historically, each |
| standards of System-era sets. Both 7823 and 4555 | | | | generation of trains has featured a cargo station of |
| included a freight wagon and container truck; these | | | | some sort. Currently,there are no structures for the |
| were omitted from the 165 Cargo Station. The late | | | | RC line of trains, and the line from LEGO City has |
| 1990s saw the trend toward juniorization take grasp in | | | | plenty of vehicles but is conspicuously short on cargo |
| the LEGO System offerings. Two other freight station | | | | buildings. Perhaps this oversight will be corrected when |
| sets were released during this era: the 4557 Freight | | | | the Power Functions trains are issued; only time will tell! |
| Loading Station in 1999 and the 4514 Cargo Crane in | | | | As always BrickTrainShop would like to remind you to |
| 2003. These sets were smaller in scale and included a | | | | keep your eye out for fraudulent Lego and fraudulent |
| truck but no rail car. Returning to the 165 Cargo Station, | | | | advertisements. Many look alike lego have surfaced |
| it is worth noting that the crane in this set was | | | | on the internet mostly made in china, one of the toy |
| designed to lift crates, not the larger intermodal shipping | | | | lines is called "enlighten" these blocks look like lego |
| containers that would appear in later sets. It is also | | | | and many ebay members are purchasing these knock |
| interesting that the small crates found in the Cargo | | | | offs and mixing them in with regular Lego and selling |
| Station from thirty years ago are not unlike the crates | | | | them by the pound. This amounts to Fraud, |
| now appearing inseveral sets from the 2008 lineup! | | | | Deception, Deceptive Advertising, etc. It is wrong and |
| The mechanism for grasping the crates – by | | | | a total Rip-Off!! Please be careful when making such |
| wedging a plate between the studs on top of each | | | | purchases especially if it sounds to good to be true. |