LEGO® Set Review: 4537 Twin Tank Transport

4537

[4537 Set Photo] Twin Tank Transport (us)
 Transport de réservoir jumelé (fr)
 Transportador de Doble Tanque (es)
 Octan Tankwagen (de)
Trains Banner 9v Banner
Trains / 9v

Ages 8-12 / 170 Pcs
15 page manual, 2 models; 15 page manual, 2 models. ©1993,1994
Price Range: USA $23.00 (S@H catalog)

Review Written: 10 July 1994 by Brian Kendig
Special Features / Compatibility
 Extra Elements Decals: Yes
Scale: Compatible with minifigs and 9V trains, but the train car is somewhat smaller than it would be in "real life".
Errors:

Ratings: Set: Very-Good Models: Very-Good Playability: Excellent

Description

Two vehicles:
  • A railroad car with two Octan tanks on it (about the size and weight of chicken eggs) and a fuel hose (woven string). The fuel hose can be wound up when not in use, and the nozzle can be clipped onto a holder.
  • A flatbed truck that can carry one cargo unit. It comes with a cargo pallet carrying six white/red/green fuel drums preprinted with the "Octan" name.

    Impression

    I got this set for the train car. There aren't many train cars to be found in the stores yet, but this one caught my eye, and it's a great addition to my railroad. The truck is a truck, nothing fancy, but the set designers certainly didn't skimp on it.

    Ratings

    Set Rating:Very-Good

    This adds some unusual pieces to your collection, such as a very small amount of green special pieces (nothing significant), the white angled pieces on the sides of the Octan tanks (like Castle parapet pieces), and the oddly-angled pieces on the tops and the bottoms of the tanks to make them shaped like eggs.

    Model Rating:Very-Good

    The tanker car is rather minimalist (just two eggs atop a train car chassis), but it's sturdy and it looks neat. The truck is also fairly simple but sturdy.

    Playability Rating:Excellent

    If you have the Load 'N Haul Railroad (#4563), then this set is a must-have, since it adds a great train car to your railroad, and it gives you another cargo unit and a truck that can carry the other cargo units around.

    Elements

  • Two black 2x2 angled bricks with gauges printed on them.
  • A fuel nozzle attached to a woven string, that can be wound up for storage.
  • Pieces to make two octagonal "eggs" (tanks) that are 2x2 at top and bottom and 4x4 in the middle.
  • A pair of train car bumpers, magnetic couplers, and train trucks (wheels for the train car).

    Decals

    Only one sticker spans more than one element: the "Octan" name atop the truck. There are two "Octan" labels on each fuel tank on the train car, as well as a <-O-> symbol on each side of the car. The "Octan" names on the small fuel drums are pre-printed on them.
    Reviewer Information
    Reviewer Name Age (at review) E-Mail WWW Favorite Theme
    Brian Kendig 23 bskendig@netcom.com --- Town

    I recently unearthed all my old Lego sets, twenty years' worth of them, after being out of the scene for several years (I don't know what ever possessed me). I found sixty-six instruction booklets intact, there were many pieces left over when I built all of them, and I estimate that I've got between eight and ten thousand pieces in all.

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