LEGO 1969 / Trains / 12V Sets

In 1969 LEGO released the 12 volt train sets as part of the Blue Era which was named because of the rail color. These 12V train sets used additional conductor rails mounted between the standard 4.5V rails and 12V motors contained in the same housings as the 4.5V motors, but with additional metal contacts attached to the bottom of the housings.

1969 LEGO Sets

By 1969, LEGO’s continued international expansion and rising sales had increased its workforce in Billund to 843 employees. This year, LEGO revisited the concept of preschool building blocks and developed the fully compatible DUPLO System. Aimed at children from infancy to six years old, DUPLO opened a new market for LEGO, expanding its product offerings beyond traditional construction toys. The name "DUPLO" was derived from the Latin word duplex, meaning "double," as DUPLO bricks were twice the size of standard LEGO bricks in all dimensions. While LEGO pioneered this new system, in the U.S., Samsonite had already entered this market with its Jumbo Bricks in previous years.