LEGO Ideas Train Bookends Pulls Into the Spotlight
Every so often, a LEGO Ideas submission breaks out of the crowd and gets the entire fan base buzzing. The latest? The LEGO Ideas Train Bookends project by Jimmi-DK, which breezed past the crucial 10,000 supporter mark and is now on track for LEGO’s official review. This train-themed build isn’t just another model—it cleverly combines play with practical home decor, and it’s stirring up a mix of nostalgia and novelty among collectors and train enthusiasts alike.
The concept is surprisingly simple but irresistible. The set uses 1,038 pieces to create two hefty bookends. But here’s the twist: each side has removable inserts that form a tunnel, giving the impression that a lively locomotive is barreling straight through a shelf lined with books, DVDs, or whatever else clutters your living room. It’s a design that tucks LEGO storytelling and the thrill of movement into something as everyday as organizing your media shelf.
From Fan Fantasy to LEGO Review Board
This isn’t just a one-off curiosity. Since its posting in 2021, LEGO fans have watched the Train Bookends campaign click its way slowly but surely toward 10,000—no small feat, considering the sheer number of worthy projects vying for attention every year. Supporters seemed especially drawn to the way the bookends make the train “move” through layers of stacked items, capturing a burst of motion without any motors or tech. Instead, it’s about clever brick engineering and the power of imagination.
What sets this project apart from your standard shelf decor is its interactivity. The bookends don’t force people to choose between fun display and actual usefulness—there’s plenty of both. Want to show off your train collection? The set invites you to display your favorite LEGO minifigs or play with the scene, then just snap everything back into its tidy place when you’re done. The illusion works whether you’re stacking up paperbacks, Blu-rays, or a mashup of both.
If LEGO gives this project the green light in their upcoming review, the Train Bookends could wind up joining the ranks of other fan-fueled success stories—from the medieval Blacksmith Shop to the Pop-Up Book or the iconic Tree House. Each of those started as an idea on the same platform and ended up flying off store shelves worldwide.
For now, all eyes move to the LEGO review board, where designers and marketers will pour over the Train Bookends project notes, weighing factors like playability, feasibility, and that all-important spark of creativity that keeps the brick business moving. Regardless of the outcome, Jimmi-DK’s build has already proven one thing: there’s still a deep love for the intersection between functional design and playful imagination—and LEGO fans never tire of seeing what comes next.