DUPLO trains have been part of the range since 1983, when push-along trains and DUPLO track first appeared. Electric trains followed in 1993, with a motor in the locomotive, and since then the line has come back every few years with a new design, a starter set and add-ons such as a station, a bridge, a tunnel and a level crossing. 10874 Steam Train from 2018 brought in coloured action bricks laid on the track, which make the engine stop, sound its horn, turn on its lights or change direction as it passes over them. The trains have also been a way to learn numbers, as in 10558 Number Train, and the 2025 trains are interactive too.
2013 LEGO Sets
2013 introduced Legends of Chima, a heavily promoted fantasy line positioned as Ninjago’s successor, complete with a companion TV series. Licensed debuts included Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Lone Ranger, and new DUPLO tie-ins for Jake and the Never Land Pirates and Mickey Mouse. Collectors pursued the ultra-rare Mr. Gold minifigure from Series 10, limited to just 5,000 worldwide. This year also marked LEGO’s shift from 4-digit to 5-digit set numbering as Monster Fighters, SpongeBob SquarePants, Cars, and Dino concluded.