“This item met expectations and was a wonderfully entertaining and engrossing project to undertake. Though the train looks daunting and wasn't an easy beginner project, the clear photographic directions make it a project anyone can tackle with some patience.The end result is truly beautiful and it is awesome to see it actually work!I highly recommend this as a gift or a personal project for any model hobbyist or anyone who loves to work with their hands!”
“This is a somewhat complex model kit. It is very well made. The parts are laser cut and precise. This is not for small kids! Some modeling experience is helpful, but patience and care are all that is really needed. The instruction book is in pictograph form, and sometimes is not immediately clear, but careful study usually clears up any confusion. The finished product is impressive, and it does run, but this is of little importance to me, this is not a toy. I enjoyed building this model locomotive, and look foreward to the next project, maybe the truck.”
“Engineering masterpiece. Very innovating and detailed. Challenging and time consuming; but worth it in the end. An Exacto knife, a pair of small pliers and patience come in handy. I use Vaseline, rather than wax, to lubricate moving parts - seems to work better than the wax; and easier to apply with a small stiff brush. Already own the Combine and the Truck, next up ??????”
“Yes ,it is an incredible model and incredible laser cut pieces to work with. There are some serious difficulties that some who are highly experienced can still face as you tear pieces out, attach in the right sequence, connect with the correct piece, insert the right length of toothpick (remember, no toothpick really have the identical diameter, each is slightly different and some of this has to be sanded or such to fit, otherwise, while putting the toothpick through so many of the pieces, you would break many toothpicks and will be redoing some of your parts over and over again) and hang the end of toothpicks on yet another small piece jammed in the body of your train, align the wheels that you built, and,.......more. Yes, someone suggested various tools, which the product does not seem to indicate that you need, but you NEED them. Some pieces are so fragile that as you are trying to separate from the board, you can break it. Exact knife is almost a must for most of the pieces you want to pop out. in order to be accurate and also safe. Yes, it is a wonderful model, innovative in any way, since before the laser cut technique this level of complexity was likely not possible. But if you are used to model building, you can follow the instructions, even if you could not read. I am done with the train part but not the tender yet. I received this on Christmas day and enjoyed building this immensely, (with some frustrations when pieces won't insert as it tell you, or the dimensions just so slightly off that you have to force some pieces to fit in). I am a train lover so this was a great gift. My husband did provide the additional tools (I had exacto knife already, but) to help me do this ever so accurately to ensure that everything is done according to the instructions and beyond. I look forward to reading other's post-experience posts. It is going to require patience, high level of care for your pieces....”
“I bought this for my 11 year old grandson, at his request. He is being very careful and doing all the work himself. He wanted it to be complex and difficult, and it is.”
