LEGO® Set Review: 6399 Airport Shuttle

6399

[6399 Set Photo] Airport Shuttle (us)
 La navette de l’aéroport (fr)
 International Shuttle (uk)
 Vliegveld-trein (nl)
Town System Banner Flight Banner
Town System / Flight

Ages 8-12 / 743 Pcs
28 page manual: 4 models; 11, 10, 11, 18 steps. ©1991
Price Range: $160.00-$180.00

Review Written: 24 September 1997 by Joseph Gonzalez
Special Features / Compatibility
  • Motors: 9v Monorail Motor
  • Monorail
    		• Extra Elements
  • 1 Grey 1x1 Tile
  • 1 Red 1x1 Tile
  • 1 Red 1x2 Brick
  • 1 Transparent-Yellow 1x1 Round Plate
    		• Decals:
    Scale: Mini-Figure Scale
    Errors: None
    Ratings: Set: Excellent Models: Excellent Playability: Very-Good
    Conclusion
    A great and integral part of a sprawling city layout. The number of bricks and Mini-Figures don’t mean you can only enjoy the set for its principal model, there are lots of possibilities here!

    Description

    This set comprises a two-car monorail unit that runs between a monorail depot and airport stop. Monorail cars include the conductor control pit (both facing out to travel in opposing directions) and passenger area. One car seats two passengers (this contains the battery box which takes up some room) and the other car seats three passengers with a small space for cargo behind the last seat.

    The airport station/stop is a partially sheltered platform with two waiting chairs and space for posting a route map or schedule. Two short stairways step down from the platform and beside each stairway is a small yellow ticket/pass dispenser (tickets are blue 1x1 tiles). To one side of the dispensers are two luggage lockers (another nice realistic touch). From this small terminal, passengers use a crosswalk to cross two traffic lanes where there are two more seats and a telephone booth.

    The monorail depot has an elevated waiting platform very similar to the airport stop with an arched roof and seats. This shelter is yellow while the airport stop is white. A long staircase leads down from the platform to another ticket dispenser and a fast food kiosk with two round tables. From the eating area across two streets again are more chairs. Lots of flowers, trees, yellow handrail/barriers and street lights accent the stations. The set includes nine MiniFigures including five casually attired town figures, a chef, two conductor types and a monorail attendant plus some suitcases and drinking glasses.

    Impression

    This is my first ever monorail system set, purchased shortly after my first 9-volt train set so there was some inevitable comparisons made . The first obvious difference would be that the monorail cars are only four studs wide while trains are 6 studs wide which allow for more sturdy constructions. However, I imagine that widening the monorail cars would only tax the 4.5 motor to run even slower than it already does. Battery operated sets of this nature obviously don’t allow you to regulate the speed, and allow you to change direction in only a limited way. Still, the monorail is an enjoyable variation on the train theme.

    Ratings

    Set Rating:Excellent

    The set has an incredible amount of red, yellow, black and white building bricks that come together to make an outstanding model. Lots of 1x4x2 windows, plates, slopes and inverted slopes make it a great set for adding to your pile of construction materials. The number and variation of Mini-Figures also make it a great addition to your town collection.

    Model Rating:Excellent

    Another high rating here for the attention to detail in the stations. Both passenger areas and conductor booths are easily accessed and the overall appearance of the cars and depots is very realistic. The ticket dispensers beg for a small turnstile as customers take a ticket.

    Playability Rating:Very-Good

    Playability is great in that the model sets up a place for the Mini-Figures to catch the monorail which takes them to the airport and saves them the trouble of looking for a parking spot. Commotion on the steep stairway or situations at the telephone booth are fun and easy to imagine.

    Likes/Dislikes

    I really like the monorail concept and it is executed well with this model. I would have liked some switching rails included with the set.

    Elements

    Aside from the specialty monorail elements (battery box, motor and track), there are the four- and six-stud-wide half-arch wall elements and two 4x4x3 transparent monorail canopies.

    Decals

    Station “T” Insignia, Airport Insignia and Hamburger Stand Marquee decals cover multiple bricks; Airport Shuttle Logo, Shuttle Route Map, and Shuttle Schedule stickers each cover one large brick or element. Small directional stickers cover individual 1x2 bricks.

    There are also preprinted bricks which include 1x2 control panel tiles, 1x2 black arrow on yellow tiles, and a telephone panel sloped brick.

    Of all the decals, I found the Route Map and Schedules to be the most attractive and useful, though I’m always hesitant to permanently attach decals to any bricks.

    Reviewer Information
    Reviewer Name Age (at review) E-Mail WWW Favorite Theme
    Joseph Gonzalez 32 HSADM2.jgonzale@email.state.ut.us --- Castle, with some dabbling in Space and Town.

    I collect sets to store individually, occasionally adding a set to the pile of bricks for my own creations. Collection has luckily been saved through the second of two dark ages and is added to from time to time with current sets or “discontinued” purchases.

    Detailed miniatures have always fascinated me and older town sets (of any size) almost always satisfy.

    Copyright

    This review is Copyright 1997, by the author as named above. The author grants publication rights for all uses, public and private, with the following exceptions: all information in the document must be published in full; any for-profit use requires express written permission by the author for publication in full or in part.
    This is a fan created web site. LEGO® is a registered trademark of The LEGO Group, which does not sponsor, authorize or endorse this site.
    All views expressed in the reviews on this site are those of the review author, and do not necessarily represent the views of Joshua Delahunty or the University of California.
    Set names and photos are copyrighted materials owned by The LEGO Group, used according to its Fair-Use Policy. Set photo scans courtesy of Pause Magazine.
     Background imagery supplied by and Copyright © Todd Lehman. Used with permission.
    3-D Element bitmaps supplied by and Copyright © James Jessiman. Used with permission.
    All product line and theme banner graphics hand-drawn (not scanned) and Copyright © 1996 Joshua Delahunty.

    Send comments on these pages to the editor at dulcaoin@alumni.cse.ucsc.edu.


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