ROKR Model Car Kits Wooden 3D Puzzles Model Building Kits for Adults to Build-Educational Brain Teaser Assembly Model, Desk Decor/DIY Hobbies/Gifts for Teens&Kid (Prime Steam Express/12.1*2.7*3.3)

Great product. Expertly created and creative. It was fun to put together. Some of the instructions were a little unclear, but overall no issues. They provide many extra smaller parts for when you break one. Will definitely buy similar items in the future.

This is not an easy build. That is not meant as a negative; simply a caveat that it will certainly challenge even adult builders' skills. Too, some of the parts are quite small and difficult for an adult's hands to manipulate effectively. Small hand tools are might prove useful if you have them, and I emphasis small. Standard tools will be too large for easy use and there is a risk of damage to delicate parts. Even with small machine tools, care must be exercised to avoid damage. (first hand experience talking) Fortunately, there were spare parts included and for the very small pins, which were the most vulnerable to mishaps, it is relatively easy to fashion replacements from the abundant excess of the laser cut punch boards. (but it would be easier not to have to in the first place so beware) Again, not a negative, simply an observation and a heads up for builders.That being said, it was a VERY enjoyable experience and I was both pleased to get this as a gift and quite happy with the ultimate outcome. I would HIGHLY recommend this project. The detail involved was amazing. All aside, that the precision of the gears and the reciprocating wheel mechanisms were remarkable, everything from the coupler assembly, the rotating smoke stack, the cow catcher, down to the roof hatch articulation and even the step for the cab and the ground mount ladder; the detail was superb. A well designed product. Thank you.

I am overall very satisfied with this model. I bought it recognizing that the mechanical operation of the piece could be iffy even if I did my best. Multi-gear structures, especially with wooden cogs, can be a challenge to get all of the moving parts to mesh.This is one of ROKR's high difficulty pieces with a "5 star" difficulty. I agree with that assessment. Like any "punch out" model, whether plastic or wood, one always needs to be careful not to force pieces out of either sprues or cut wood. I did not break a single piece in this kit, taking them out of the wooden boards. I could see someone without patience and fine motor control pressing too hard where they shouldn't and breaking something. I did NOT feel like pieces were going to break if I was careful. It is also noteworthy that many pieces, especially fragile or easily-lost-tiny come with backups! This is important attenuation to what it is like to assemble a model. The manufacturers are thinking all the way through the process. Many of the pieces have a pretty tight fit, and you really need to be cautious about knowing how much to force or not force. Had I built this when I was a teen (in my 40s now) I probably would have been frustrated. That isn't a fault of ROKR.So, I built the model being as careful as I could following the directions. It took me about seven-ish hours. While all my gears are engaged properly, and I can get the gears to turn with my hand, my model will not just "go" by winding up the spring and letting it go. There is a significant friction point or two that I'm struggling to identify without taking the whole thing apart. I knew this was possible when I purchased it and I purchased it knowing that, at the very least, it would be (and is) a great display piece. That is really what I intended it to do anyway. I could go through a long trouble-shooting process to figure out where my friction points are, but I'd honestly rather just display it than do that. Disassembly, once you get past certain points, is a real chore. Best to be as careful as possible as you go. I get my satisfaction out of building and displaying. There are a lot of connections in this model, and the more complex a machine is, the more likely things can go wrong. So, if your primary goal of this is a motive toy without hefty trouble-shooting, you need to consider that before purchasing. A lot of the frustration you see in one-star comments is people who were likely not careful in punching out pieces, negligent of keeping track of things, or who haven't really thought through the trouble-shooting needed with machines. And these people are usually all-too-eager to blame the manufacturer for their own weaknesses.What else? The model has some nice touches, like laser-cut accent art in strategic places. There are also some fun additional moving parts: side doors, a trap door out the top of the cab, and the car connector. The steam release stack also spins. Completely unrealistic, but a fun touch!So, I certainly don't regret purchasing or putting it together. Yes, a gear friction problem, but that's pretty likely with any machine this complex and I blame myself more than the model.If you want a nice train display model and enjoy the challenge of carefully putting together 3D machine puzzles, you will enjoy this!

I have a number of ROKR 3D wooden puzzles and they are fun and challenging to complete. Be aware that Prime Steam Express is much smaller than most of the ROKR products. See the attach photo for a comparison between ROKR's full size LK701 locomotive on the right and this model on the left. If this is your first 3D model I would wait until you have tried one of the larger models. Although this is a great model when complete, IMHO it is not for a first time builder. Contains many small parts that WILL break even when careful. Fortunately many of these are duplicated, but it's still a good idea to have some tacky glue available in case you need it. Do I recommend it for an experience builder? YESTook be about 4 hours to complete taking my time and ensuring I was following the instructions correctly. It makes a very nice display piece, especially if you are into trains.