Lego Train Set History

The history of the Lego train set can be segmented into four eras. The first is the Blue Era (1966-1979), named after the blue color of the rails. The first sets consisted of push trains, but Lego soon introduced a set operated by a 4.5-volt battery, carried by one of the railcars, that fed power to the locomotive.

During the Gray Era (1980-1990), the track color was changed to gray and the toy trains were made more realistic. New models featured longer carriage and wagon bodies, proper swivel bogies, and windows that could be opened and closed. In addition, the models included working lampposts, as well as lighted train sets.

The 9V Era (1990-2006) saw the introduction of new, more realistic tracks that provided nine-volt power directly from the rails, but the RC Era (2006-present) includes a line of remote-control trains. Lego is now making track entirely out of plastic, leaving behind the metal rails, and has released a new train motor that is powered by batteries and controlled by a handheld infrared device.