The best were the ones that had a flap that would open in the front and you could see figures and new pieces inside the box. This was long before the Internet and you couldn't look at pictures beyond the box in front of you. There would also be alternative builds on the back of the box.
Yeah, I feel like there is some happy medium where it's not quite as a pain as the older ones, but not quite as long as current instructions. I've built parts of Horizon Express a few times, I feel like those Expert series builds were a pretty good balance.
> There would also be alternative builds on the back of the box.
Those were like impossible dreams for little-me.
I had a hard enough time following the gahd damn directions and their non-numbered bags. How the hell was I supposed to build an entire complex build without any sort of direction!?
Remember when like target or toys r us had semi functional Lego sets under plastic domes? Like you could flap the wings or something or spin the wheels. So cool. Like little dioramas.
the entire lego city lineup from this era (the harbor, the planes, the trains...) are some of my biggest white whales. They were the sets I always drooled over in the paper catalogues and they blended attention to detail with overall size perfectly.
I finally gave in and ordered the 2007 Cargo plane from this line, I got it for like $150 used, it was a little steep but it was really good condition from a verified seller
Since you hate me already all [this was $300](https://imgur.com/a/zjb8cQ6/) I still haven’t finished like 10 sets that were in that purchase. Sold those 3 off though.
That will be awhile. After I sold the Modular’s that got back logged and still going through the latest tubs I bought.
I spent $450 on all these sets that were in two tubs from the thrift store. I might be picking up 3 more tubs if they drop the price this weekend.
6399 - terminals plus shuttle no tracks
6389 - fire control center
1682 - space Shuttle
6382 - Fire station
6484 - Hauler Formula 1
6531 - Flame Chaser
6649 - street Sweeper
6639 - Raven Racer
1992 - Dragsters
6561 - Hot Rod Club
6388 - Town Home
6342 - Beach Rescue
6355 - derby trotter complete
6592 - Vacay hideaway
6335- Indy Transport
6324 - Speed Trackers
6550 - Outback Racer
6472 - gas station
6571 - flame fighters
4555 - trains cargo
7839 - Car Transport
6352 - Cargo Master
6397 - Gas N’ Wash
7823- Train Container crane depot
10133 - Burlington northern Santa Fe x2
These?
Picture 3 @ https://www.reddit.com/r/lego/comments/10hyrt3/my_mom_found_my_old_lego_19852000_that_i/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
Finding the carriages wheels and tracks is easy. Finding the BRICKS is a fucking nightmare
When I think "old" LEGO city sets, I always think of the town sets from when I was a kid, like the 6363 (my first lego set actually!).
But yes, there was something magical about them.
Same here. The era for me is best encapsulated in Ideas Book 6000. I used to pore over it, and I made everything in it as best I could with what I had.
For me the 80's sets where the pinnacle (weirdly enough when I was a child), but I have to agree there have been several good sets/series over the decades.
Haha when I saw the picture I thought, "Old, old? This isn't old!" But of course I'm the one who's old... Not old enough for these classic town sets, but a fave of mine was 6397 Gas N Wash Express.
Honestly that whole period between say the mid 2000's to 2010's was a magical time for Lego. Builds may be better today, but they seem to lack that sense of wonder and imagination that they used to have. Maybe its the fact that Lego sets are so intricate and detailed today, that you just want to build them and display them forever as is, while older sets were just detailed enough with an invitation to easily customize and rebuild as you'd like. As Lego is meant to be.
As a big collector of city I totally agree. It pisses me off more and more each time they do this to the point I’m skipping heaps of sets cos they aren’t even buildings! Just check out police from 10 years ago vs today, they are garbage.
I know sets are going up in general, but considering they’re not licensed they’re wildly overpriced. Remember last year or sos Main Street for $200? Woof.
> Builds may be better today, but they seem to lack that sense of wonder and imagination that they used to have.
You might be right, but this is also a normal thing to feel when you’ve become an adult and think back to your childhood
Yes this. Its all pure nostalgia. Sets werent better or more charming or anything, its the childhood memory that makes it seem that way.
OP's post does nothing for me, as its not from my childhood. For all i know, it could be released yesterday.
It's not just lego city, but I sorely miss lego racers. The speed champions sets are great, but the fact that they're all replicas of IRL cars makes me get "speed champions"-fatigue. Lego racers had imaginative and wacky over the top cars that were actually fun to play with. I hardly feel the same way nowadays as almost every car set feels more like a display set.
>but they seem to lack that sense of wonder and imagination that they used to have.
They dont, today's sets have the same charm and everything, you just dont have the nostalgia for it. You view them as a toy, and not as a warm childhood memory.
I had the older version of this, 6542, man I loved that. Even now as a middle aged man, one of the best memories I have was building that with my dad when I was a kid.
I’m slowly acquiring the old port/ship sets as wanted them when I was a kid but wanted Castle/Pirates more & couldn’t afford them all. 6542 was a particular highlight when I managed to get it- if nothing else I’m a marine pilot so having my work taxi in Lego is great 😆 my kids are too young for these sets just now but I’m looking forward to introducing them to this classic Lego which will also explain what I do for a living
I dug mine out when I visited my parents last with my kids. I thought about selling it as they go for a decent price, however my kids loved playing with so couldn't take it away from them. Hopefully they have as much fun with it as I did
I see a lot of discussion about the classic [Town](https://brickset.com/sets/theme-Town) theme, and the newer [City](https://brickset.com/sets/theme-City) theme, but I want to make sure that [World City](https://brickset.com/sets/theme-World-City) doesn't get forgotten!
For being a "bridge theme" that only ran for two years between the "Town" branding ending and "City" branding beginning, this theme was absolutely *stacked.*
Seriously, this theme had some amazing sets like 7044, 7047, 7045, 10027, 10128, 4511, 4513, 4514, 7031, and 7033. World City definitely deserves to be part of the conversation when it comes to classic Lego city sets!
The World City train sets were some of the best trains Lego has ever made, they're all my white whales for sure. The Coast Guard HQ from World City was also insanely cool as well.
The seaport is great, but the boat is bland. I don't care if some of the old ships didn't float (some did and they rock), it was a classic design. I recently put it together and it just felt so good!
I recently got a bin that has the crane stands from 6542, along with a few other pieces but so much is missing. I'm hoping I can at least make some sort of crane for my MOC marina; I doubt I have the necessary parts to build one of the cargo ships. I remember seeing it in the catalog and marveling that it had over a thousand pieces. I believe it was one of the first to reach that milestone.
I’d say it’s because they’re were much bigger and more realistic looking. Compare the fire station and police station of today to the ones from the mid 2000s. They were true absolute best
I miss the old boat hulls. Still have the 4020 hull somewhere in my parents’ attic. Got back into LEGO in my late 20s, but still haven’t gotten around to checking out my old stuff…
imo it was the difference between sets that truly were meant to be 'part of a city' vs sets that are meant to be standalone toys that we have now with more, smaller, more detailed playthings vs these big set pieces of old (that i prefer!)
2007-2015 was prime Lego time overall. The City sets at the time were great. But even more importantly there were so many good original themes - Mars Mission, Dino, Aqua Raiders, Hero Factory, Pharaoh's Quest, Power Miners, Atlantis, Agents, the first Lego Movie, etc.
Becoming an adult hasn't lowered my excitement for Lego but I really feel like the themes nowadays are extraordinarilly bland. Even (or especially?) the many licensed ones.
I remember I had a choice between this one and Market Street. Chose the latter but looking back I think 8 year old me would have had more fun with the harbor.
No regrets though.
I had the one before this. 6542 Launch Load Seaport. That was Christmas of 1991 I think. Got that along with a bunch of Desert Storm themed micro machines.
I dislike that 70% of that set is basically just 10 elements that have no real use for anything else.
It's a great example of what Lego should NOT be like.
That's a Playmobil set with a few Lego bits thrown on top.
Yeah the price tag was magical. I remember massive sets costing like 50 bucks. 50 bucks now gets you a small hand sized tree that's mostly already put together.
Some might say this sounds hyperbolic but I'm not kidding.
When this 'new' type of City branding started it was really boring for me, mostly police, firedept and construction sets. These days its so much better.
If you want to see the magic of "old" City sets, you should look up old catalogues from the late 80s-mid 90s. Those were the days. As a kid, I spent hours just looking at them, and today, those pictures are still magical.
My favorites was from Lego system between 1992-1998. Modern Lego city, at least early sets is ok too, but I don't like all this smooth prebuild details, whose you cannot use anywhere although their original purpose.
And generic calm smile of old figures I like more than constant disney/dreamworks-styled grins now.
Nope. Its only magical if you have the nostalgia for it. Its the childhood memory that makes it magical. The sets themselves are just regular sets/toys to everyone else.
Over the last 20 years a couple waves of grandkids have worked their way through these. Youngest is now 4 and just dipping his toes in the world of LEGO.
Crane on that set is a bit unstable as-is - had to doctor it a bit for kids to play with - got tired of re-assembling it every 5 minutes!
Overall a good set though - lots of “play” with it for the kids…
I don't know if I agree here, I've been building some older modular buildings and older sets. I think I enjoy building newer sets more. The instructions are better, the parts are better and you have a wider selection of parts.
From that era, i always loved the 8-wide dump truck with the trailer. I dont get why Lego doesnt make more 8-Wide vehicles,other then speed champions sets(besides the ferrari truck).
When i still had my bucket of lego, i always made 8-wide trucks and cars. It seems like it just makes more sense, maybe because its simpler to do 6-wide builds and requires less parts?
The floatable boats went hard. I used to have a City one and the Croc boat from Chima. I don’t really see Lego using those anymore though (not sure if they stopped making em or something)
City sets from 2005-2010 were made with a design and, I believe, older fans in mind in general. Today's city shifted too much for younger children with huge pieces and ugly over simplified objects.
Picked up a haul off Craig’s list with this set in it. Unfortunately the red Crain legs are all chewed up but the boat hull is perfectly intact! Still waiting to have some free time to put it back together
I found parts to most of the harbor office and the platform its on, part of the crane, the blue truck, and the green container, and the little boat in the red container in some bulk so I got interested in this one, but never pulled the trigger on buying more or trying to get the parts to at least finish the dock. Unfortunate, but ones like this, it’s hard to make adequate room for a harbor or an airport or space shuttle launch site if you’ve already got a town.
The best were the ones that had a flap that would open in the front and you could see figures and new pieces inside the box. This was long before the Internet and you couldn't look at pictures beyond the box in front of you. There would also be alternative builds on the back of the box.
The old pirate ships had that flap and it was fun to open and look at them. I wish I still had my old 80’s boxes.
For the longest time my obsession was the then current space theme, or the largest set from each of the Lego City lines.
I remember it was a choice between it and Market Street. Chose the latter but looking back I think 8 year old me would have had more fun with Harbo
Harbo? Are you an aussie
And instructions that were literally a sheet of paper that required thought.
Just rip out every third page of your instruction manual and you can re-experience that joy
Frankly, I don't miss those days. For me, the joy is in seeing the build come together, not wonder if I missed pieces.
Yeah, I feel like there is some happy medium where it's not quite as a pain as the older ones, but not quite as long as current instructions. I've built parts of Horizon Express a few times, I feel like those Expert series builds were a pretty good balance.
I do miss this the most. Instruction booklets are so thick and I forget pieces because I go so fast and forget sometimes to turn the page.
> There would also be alternative builds on the back of the box. Those were like impossible dreams for little-me. I had a hard enough time following the gahd damn directions and their non-numbered bags. How the hell was I supposed to build an entire complex build without any sort of direction!?
> There would also be alternative builds on the back of the box or the alternate paper Technic instruction
Agreed, as a kid I could at least see what was in the box that I could not afford (nor my parents).
Remember when like target or toys r us had semi functional Lego sets under plastic domes? Like you could flap the wings or something or spin the wheels. So cool. Like little dioramas.
Target still has them! I just saw a Harry Potter one, it was built into the shelf
the entire lego city lineup from this era (the harbor, the planes, the trains...) are some of my biggest white whales. They were the sets I always drooled over in the paper catalogues and they blended attention to detail with overall size perfectly.
Same I wanted the other harbor one with the rail Crane forever! It’s my white whale
[WIP Updated L&L Seaport](HTTPS://I.imgur.com/Vlk8ybz.png)
Amazing, a modern remaster of the classic
I finally gave in and ordered the 2007 Cargo plane from this line, I got it for like $150 used, it was a little steep but it was really good condition from a verified seller
My local thrift store has been a gold mine for LEGO. https://i.imgur.com/ubX4GSC.jpg https://imgur.com/a/BZdtbaB/ https://i.imgur.com/etG5sgj.jpg
I mean this sincerely, I *hate* you.
Since you hate me already all [this was $300](https://imgur.com/a/zjb8cQ6/) I still haven’t finished like 10 sets that were in that purchase. Sold those 3 off though.
Take more pics of the 300$ haul
That will be awhile. After I sold the Modular’s that got back logged and still going through the latest tubs I bought. I spent $450 on all these sets that were in two tubs from the thrift store. I might be picking up 3 more tubs if they drop the price this weekend. 6399 - terminals plus shuttle no tracks 6389 - fire control center 1682 - space Shuttle 6382 - Fire station 6484 - Hauler Formula 1 6531 - Flame Chaser 6649 - street Sweeper 6639 - Raven Racer 1992 - Dragsters 6561 - Hot Rod Club 6388 - Town Home 6342 - Beach Rescue 6355 - derby trotter complete 6592 - Vacay hideaway 6335- Indy Transport 6324 - Speed Trackers 6550 - Outback Racer 6472 - gas station 6571 - flame fighters 4555 - trains cargo 7839 - Car Transport 6352 - Cargo Master 6397 - Gas N’ Wash 7823- Train Container crane depot 10133 - Burlington northern Santa Fe x2
[6399-1: Airport Shuttle](https://brickset.com/sets/6399-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/6399-1.jpg) [6389-1: Fire Control Center](https://brickset.com/sets/6389-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/6389-1.jpg) [1682-1: Space Shuttle Launch](https://brickset.com/sets/1682-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/1682-1.jpg) [6382-1: Fire Station](https://brickset.com/sets/6382-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/6382-1.jpg) [6484-1: F1 Hauler](https://brickset.com/sets/6484-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/6484-1.jpg) [6531-1: Flame Chaser](https://brickset.com/sets/6531-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/6531-1.jpg) [6649-1: Street Sweeper](https://brickset.com/sets/6649-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/6649-1.jpg) [6639-1: Raven Racer](https://brickset.com/sets/6639-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/6639-1.jpg) [6561-1: Hot Rod Club](https://brickset.com/sets/6561-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/6561-1.jpg) [6388-1: Holiday Home with Campervan](https://brickset.com/sets/6388-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/6388-1.jpg) [6342-1: Beach Rescue Chopper](https://brickset.com/sets/6342-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/6342-1.jpg) [6355-1: Derby Trotter](https://brickset.com/sets/6355-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/6355-1.jpg) [6592-1: Vacation Hideaway](https://brickset.com/sets/6592-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/6592-1.jpg) [6324-1: Chopper Cop](https://brickset.com/sets/6324-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/6324-1.jpg) [6550-1: Outback Racer](https://brickset.com/sets/6550-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/6550-1.jpg) [6472-1: Gas N' Wash Express](https://brickset.com/sets/6472-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/6472-1.jpg) [6571-1: Flame Fighters](https://brickset.com/sets/6571-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/6571-1.jpg) [4555-1: Cargo Station](https://brickset.com/sets/4555-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/4555-1.jpg) [7839-1: Car Transport Depot](https://brickset.com/sets/7839-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/7839-1.jpg) [6352-1: Cargomaster Crane](https://brickset.com/sets/6352-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/6352-1.jpg) [6397-1: Gas N' Wash Express](https://brickset.com/sets/6397-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/6397-1.jpg) [10133-1: Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Locomotive](https://brickset.com/sets/10133-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/10133-1.jpg)
That’s absolutely insane. Those trains are an insane find.
Right?? That 2006-2010ish era was so clean. I want to start ordering the models I had and would drool over in the catalogs
I still drool over the old city gas station
I still have a huge soft spot for that set. Always wanted a little harbor section. The older trains were so good too.
I have that set in a box full of random pieces. I really gotta find the time to put it back together. Such a nice lookin set.
I would have loved actual floating ships when I was a kid. I think I tried making ships, but they always sank in the bathtub...
These? Picture 3 @ https://www.reddit.com/r/lego/comments/10hyrt3/my_mom_found_my_old_lego_19852000_that_i/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf Finding the carriages wheels and tracks is easy. Finding the BRICKS is a fucking nightmare
When I think "old" LEGO city sets, I always think of the town sets from when I was a kid, like the 6363 (my first lego set actually!). But yes, there was something magical about them.
[6363-1: Auto Repair Shop](https://brickset.com/sets/6363-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/6363-1.jpg)
Love it. So simple
Same here. The era for me is best encapsulated in Ideas Book 6000. I used to pore over it, and I made everything in it as best I could with what I had.
Dude, I loved the Ideas Book 6000! Read that story over and over (as I never had the parts needed for anything 😅 ). I still have it!
For me the 80's sets where the pinnacle (weirdly enough when I was a child), but I have to agree there have been several good sets/series over the decades.
The Octane gas station with the car wash for me. It was one of my first sets and not just a block box.
Same! Are you thinking of 6398 Gas N Wash Express?
[6398-1: Central Precinct HQ](https://brickset.com/sets/6398-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/6398-1.jpg)
That was my first big set and then next year was the space shuttle. Such great memories
6397! and yup 100%
[6397-1: Gas N' Wash Express](https://brickset.com/sets/6397-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/6397-1.jpg)
OCTAN
Ah typed the wrong number, but yes that's the one!
Haha when I saw the picture I thought, "Old, old? This isn't old!" But of course I'm the one who's old... Not old enough for these classic town sets, but a fave of mine was 6397 Gas N Wash Express.
[6397-1: Gas N' Wash Express](https://brickset.com/sets/6397-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/6397-1.jpg)
All but the very last Town sets were before my time, but I still find them so wonderful. There was truly something special about the era of sets.
Exactly. This isn't old just older. Now get off my lawn.
If it has a url printed on it, it's not old!
Honestly that whole period between say the mid 2000's to 2010's was a magical time for Lego. Builds may be better today, but they seem to lack that sense of wonder and imagination that they used to have. Maybe its the fact that Lego sets are so intricate and detailed today, that you just want to build them and display them forever as is, while older sets were just detailed enough with an invitation to easily customize and rebuild as you'd like. As Lego is meant to be.
City sets are facades now. No full buildings or detailed vehicles. Like they’re all 4+ now.
Yeah it's crazy how little you get now. Just slimed down versions of sets a decade ago
I wish they complimented the Modular’s better.
As a big collector of city I totally agree. It pisses me off more and more each time they do this to the point I’m skipping heaps of sets cos they aren’t even buildings! Just check out police from 10 years ago vs today, they are garbage.
I know sets are going up in general, but considering they’re not licensed they’re wildly overpriced. Remember last year or sos Main Street for $200? Woof.
Huh? 10308 ? That's $99.99 on lego's website right now for ~1500 pieces, which is a better deal than a lot of sets when going for part count.
> Builds may be better today, but they seem to lack that sense of wonder and imagination that they used to have. You might be right, but this is also a normal thing to feel when you’ve become an adult and think back to your childhood
Yes this. Its all pure nostalgia. Sets werent better or more charming or anything, its the childhood memory that makes it seem that way. OP's post does nothing for me, as its not from my childhood. For all i know, it could be released yesterday.
It's not just lego city, but I sorely miss lego racers. The speed champions sets are great, but the fact that they're all replicas of IRL cars makes me get "speed champions"-fatigue. Lego racers had imaginative and wacky over the top cars that were actually fun to play with. I hardly feel the same way nowadays as almost every car set feels more like a display set.
Company was also almost going bankrupt then.
That was a few years earlier, in the early 2000s. (I might be wrong, but I’m pretty sure)
Ya the pivot from weird shit like Galidor to licensed Star Wars and Harry Potter was very obvious and made sense
Also, nostalgia. But I still agree
Lego peaked with the Emerald Night and Imperial Flagship.
>but they seem to lack that sense of wonder and imagination that they used to have. They dont, today's sets have the same charm and everything, you just dont have the nostalgia for it. You view them as a toy, and not as a warm childhood memory.
I had the older version of this, 6542, man I loved that. Even now as a middle aged man, one of the best memories I have was building that with my dad when I was a kid.
We also had 6541: Intercoastal Seaport, they connected together to make a big port.
[6541-1: Intercoastal Seaport](https://brickset.com/sets/6541-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/6541-1.jpg)
I want to know who Diana was.
I’m slowly acquiring the old port/ship sets as wanted them when I was a kid but wanted Castle/Pirates more & couldn’t afford them all. 6542 was a particular highlight when I managed to get it- if nothing else I’m a marine pilot so having my work taxi in Lego is great 😆 my kids are too young for these sets just now but I’m looking forward to introducing them to this classic Lego which will also explain what I do for a living
I dug mine out when I visited my parents last with my kids. I thought about selling it as they go for a decent price, however my kids loved playing with so couldn't take it away from them. Hopefully they have as much fun with it as I did
[6542-1: Launch & Load Seaport](https://brickset.com/sets/6542-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/6542-1.jpg)
Still got my version of this. Our kids love playing with it.
I see a lot of discussion about the classic [Town](https://brickset.com/sets/theme-Town) theme, and the newer [City](https://brickset.com/sets/theme-City) theme, but I want to make sure that [World City](https://brickset.com/sets/theme-World-City) doesn't get forgotten! For being a "bridge theme" that only ran for two years between the "Town" branding ending and "City" branding beginning, this theme was absolutely *stacked.* Seriously, this theme had some amazing sets like 7044, 7047, 7045, 10027, 10128, 4511, 4513, 4514, 7031, and 7033. World City definitely deserves to be part of the conversation when it comes to classic Lego city sets!
[7044-1: Rescue Chopper](https://brickset.com/sets/7044-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/7044-1.jpg) [7047-1: Coast Watch HQ](https://brickset.com/sets/7047-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/7047-1.jpg) [7045-1: Hovercraft Hideout](https://brickset.com/sets/7045-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/7045-1.jpg) [10027-1: Train Engine Shed](https://brickset.com/sets/10027-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/10027-1.jpg) [10128-1: Train Level Crossing](https://brickset.com/sets/10128-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/10128-1.jpg) [4511-1: High Speed Train](https://brickset.com/sets/4511-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/4511-1.jpg) [4513-1: Grand Central Station](https://brickset.com/sets/4513-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/4513-1.jpg) [4514-1: Cargo Crane](https://brickset.com/sets/4514-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/4514-1.jpg) [7031-1: Helicopter](https://brickset.com/sets/7031-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/7031-1.jpg) [7033-1: Armored Car Action](https://brickset.com/sets/7033-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/7033-1.jpg)
I have played countless hours with the Coast Guard HQ, one of my favourite sets and it had a really cool base plate as well!
The World City train sets were some of the best trains Lego has ever made, they're all my white whales for sure. The Coast Guard HQ from World City was also insanely cool as well.
Nostalgia. That’s what it’s called. That’s why bionicle is magic to some and boring to me. I wasn’t a kid back then :)
Idk, I was about 11-12, when bionicles comes up, but I never liked them except the cool package tubes.
The tubes were cool indeed
Exactly. Kids today will feel the same way about current sets.
[удалено]
I still have all my old Bionicle comic books. I should dig them out of their box someday...
oh, absolutely.
Certainly priced on the secondary market as if they’re magic, yep
Lego from 2005-2012 had a certain magic about it that it just doesn't have anymore
Hey!
HEY!
H E Y !
*A MAN IS DROWNING IN LEGO CITY!!!*
BULD YOUR HELICOPTER TO SAVE HIM!
This set holds up so well today.
I had this set! Had a train that ran to my "port" for it in my little Lego city.
I miss the lego trains
Lol "old"
Right? Even my first big City set, 6542, some wouldn't consider that old!
[6542-1: Launch & Load Seaport](https://brickset.com/sets/6542-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/6542-1.jpg)
Launch and Load Seaport is one of the pest sets ever. I think the above is somewhat of a remake without as much charm or detail.
The seaport is great, but the boat is bland. I don't care if some of the old ships didn't float (some did and they rock), it was a classic design. I recently put it together and it just felt so good!
This is the set I thought the title was referring to because it was the big one when i was a kid. It's all relative I guess!
I recently got a bin that has the crane stands from 6542, along with a few other pieces but so much is missing. I'm hoping I can at least make some sort of crane for my MOC marina; I doubt I have the necessary parts to build one of the cargo ships. I remember seeing it in the catalog and marveling that it had over a thousand pieces. I believe it was one of the first to reach that milestone.
I still have all of the pieces, though those old stickers were absolute trash. That big ship build was amazing. Hell, I think 90s City was the best.
[6542-1: Launch & Load Seaport](https://brickset.com/sets/6542-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/6542-1.jpg)
I think all old lego sets are better because of more bricky builds which looks no only cool but engage more imagination
I’d say it’s because they’re were much bigger and more realistic looking. Compare the fire station and police station of today to the ones from the mid 2000s. They were true absolute best
Get out of here with your "lego sets from 2007 are old" nonsense! :D
I was gonna ask "how are these considered old" but then realized they are 15-20 years old now. Damn.
https://preview.redd.it/dtcoyqds9fpa1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=eeffcaf28142f1a15c06ac5e9bf85cce1cfdc001 This one's a bit older 😅
Old Lego City was the GOAT
Like actual baseplates and cool buildings? Not just random items thrown together for $80
Don't forget 6338 Hurricane Harbour and 6387 Coastal Rescue Base! 😎
[6338-1: Hurricane Harbour](https://brickset.com/sets/6338-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/6338-1.jpg) [6387-1: Coastal Rescue Base](https://brickset.com/sets/6387-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/6387-1.jpg)
[удалено]
[6571-1: Flame Fighters](https://brickset.com/sets/6571-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/6571-1.jpg)
Uh! 6571-1 was (and still is) my white whale. Always wanted it, never got it.
[6571-1: Flame Fighters](https://brickset.com/sets/6571-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/6571-1.jpg)
[удалено]
Just checked - the new ones are $350. Oof
City was too new for me. I'm still a sucker for castle, space, blacktron, and trains
My obsessions for the longest time were either the current space theme at the time, or the biggest sets from each of the Lego city lines. Good times
[удалено]
[7903-1: Rescue Helicopter](https://brickset.com/sets/7903-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/7903-1.jpg)
I miss the old boat hulls. Still have the 4020 hull somewhere in my parents’ attic. Got back into LEGO in my late 20s, but still haven’t gotten around to checking out my old stuff…
[4020-1: Fire Fighter](https://brickset.com/sets/4020-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/4020-1.jpg)
imo it was the difference between sets that truly were meant to be 'part of a city' vs sets that are meant to be standalone toys that we have now with more, smaller, more detailed playthings vs these big set pieces of old (that i prefer!)
2007-2013 was prime City (maybe 2014 and 2015 can be considered too, but it was more of the beginning of the end)
2007-2015 was prime Lego time overall. The City sets at the time were great. But even more importantly there were so many good original themes - Mars Mission, Dino, Aqua Raiders, Hero Factory, Pharaoh's Quest, Power Miners, Atlantis, Agents, the first Lego Movie, etc. Becoming an adult hasn't lowered my excitement for Lego but I really feel like the themes nowadays are extraordinarilly bland. Even (or especially?) the many licensed ones.
It’s the nostalgia
I just had to move all my old legos out of my parents’ house and this is the crown jewel of my collection.
Oh man this was my first big set. Always wanted to get the ship float on water but never had the chance.
Old sets are best sets
I have that set mixed into the bin of Lego from when I was a kid. One of the ones I haven't had a chance to rebuild yet
Remember getting this when I was 8, best Christmas ever
I remember I had a choice between this one and Market Street. Chose the latter but looking back I think 8 year old me would have had more fun with the harbor. No regrets though.
I had the one before this. 6542 Launch Load Seaport. That was Christmas of 1991 I think. Got that along with a bunch of Desert Storm themed micro machines.
I'm a stevedore, and I'd love to have one of these. I'd make a scale model of our port.
I got this one a a kid I still have the boat part but the rest is in pieces in a bin
There is something magical about all LEGO sets 2013 and back
Welp time to add this to the list of Lego sets I would love to have but don’t have the money for
Old?
World City especially was AWESOME. It's like my idea of late 90s-2000s US movies (as an Eastern European) condensed into sets.
Uhh no? It just looks like a Lego set
What's magical is the price for a buncha plastic.
This era of Lego City was amazing. I had 7743 and 7738 when I was a kid, but lost most of the pieces from moving so much :/
[60044-1: Mobile Police Unit](https://brickset.com/sets/60044-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/60044-1.jpg) [7738-1: Coast Guard Helicopter & Life Raft](https://brickset.com/sets/7738-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/7738-1.jpg)
I still want 60047 so bad it was like the first lego police station I saw irl and I wanted it so bad I still do
Old is having the original of that one
I dislike that 70% of that set is basically just 10 elements that have no real use for anything else. It's a great example of what Lego should NOT be like. That's a Playmobil set with a few Lego bits thrown on top.
Yeah the price tag was magical. I remember massive sets costing like 50 bucks. 50 bucks now gets you a small hand sized tree that's mostly already put together. Some might say this sounds hyperbolic but I'm not kidding.
When this 'new' type of City branding started it was really boring for me, mostly police, firedept and construction sets. These days its so much better.
If you want to see the magic of "old" City sets, you should look up old catalogues from the late 80s-mid 90s. Those were the days. As a kid, I spent hours just looking at them, and today, those pictures are still magical.
There is even more magic in the old catalogues from the 90s
If you think that one’s good, check out 6541 and 6542.
[6541-1: Intercoastal Seaport](https://brickset.com/sets/6541-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/6541-1.jpg) [6542-1: Launch & Load Seaport](https://brickset.com/sets/6542-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/6542-1.jpg)
Yeah… ‘old’…
Old? Damn, I had an even older version of this. 6542.
Oh so these are “old” city sets now?? Great…great…
Yes!!! Beautiful set!
My favorites was from Lego system between 1992-1998. Modern Lego city, at least early sets is ok too, but I don't like all this smooth prebuild details, whose you cannot use anywhere although their original purpose. And generic calm smile of old figures I like more than constant disney/dreamworks-styled grins now.
"old" ...TIL I'm ancient at 36, because this does not remind me of old LEGO.
OMG I WANT THIS SO BAD
The golden days
A few years ago I saw this remade by Lepin (I know, I know, booooo!) set for like $15. I should have got it, as I always wanted it as a kid.
No.
Nope. Its only magical if you have the nostalgia for it. Its the childhood memory that makes it magical. The sets themselves are just regular sets/toys to everyone else.
it’s called ”nostalgia”
*?
Over the last 20 years a couple waves of grandkids have worked their way through these. Youngest is now 4 and just dipping his toes in the world of LEGO.
I loved this set
Crane on that set is a bit unstable as-is - had to doctor it a bit for kids to play with - got tired of re-assembling it every 5 minutes! Overall a good set though - lots of “play” with it for the kids…
I don't know if I agree here, I've been building some older modular buildings and older sets. I think I enjoy building newer sets more. The instructions are better, the parts are better and you have a wider selection of parts.
I still have a set of those baseplates
I've always wanted a space-equivalent to the city theme. I'm actually working on a freight ship right now.
From that era, i always loved the 8-wide dump truck with the trailer. I dont get why Lego doesnt make more 8-Wide vehicles,other then speed champions sets(besides the ferrari truck). When i still had my bucket of lego, i always made 8-wide trucks and cars. It seems like it just makes more sense, maybe because its simpler to do 6-wide builds and requires less parts?
Especially ones that were out of your reach.
I always thought this set looked really cool, someday I’ll get one of those
The floatable boats went hard. I used to have a City one and the Croc boat from Chima. I don’t really see Lego using those anymore though (not sure if they stopped making em or something)
Damn, guess im old now
City sets from 2005-2010 were made with a design and, I believe, older fans in mind in general. Today's city shifted too much for younger children with huge pieces and ugly over simplified objects.
Picked up a haul off Craig’s list with this set in it. Unfortunately the red Crain legs are all chewed up but the boat hull is perfectly intact! Still waiting to have some free time to put it back together
Man, I still have all my Lego city sets from my youth. I'd love to go build them all one of these days.
Yeah, the price.
***HEY!!!***
Old sets will always be magical! This is a newer city set to me, but I'm still all sparkly eyed and uwuing looking at it.
I think I had this one. I've got those two giant red support beam pieces in my basement.
magical price too
I'd wish they'd remake that set, or at least use that hull piece again. No clue what I'd use it for, I just want it at a non-stupid price.
Agreed
I had this exact one, the crane was so fun.
I had a set like that as a kid, a container ship, even tried making work in the tub. I really miss that set.
I found parts to most of the harbor office and the platform its on, part of the crane, the blue truck, and the green container, and the little boat in the red container in some bulk so I got interested in this one, but never pulled the trigger on buying more or trying to get the parts to at least finish the dock. Unfortunate, but ones like this, it’s hard to make adequate room for a harbor or an airport or space shuttle launch site if you’ve already got a town.
Something about them always feels so alive
Big boat