RC Building Block Sets: JMBricklayer vs LEGO Technic
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If you want a building set that drives, JMBricklayer sells remote control trains and construction vehicles with the motor, battery and remote included, while LEGO's current motorized range is small: one CONTROL+ car leaving at the end of 2026, a motorized excavator and two Powered Up City trains. Here is what comes in each box and who should buy which.
If you want a building set that actually drives, the two brands answer differently. JMBricklayer sells remote control trains and construction vehicles with the motor, battery and remote in the box. LEGO's current motorized range is small: one CONTROL+ car that is expected to retire at the end of 2026, a motorized excavator, and two Powered Up City trains, with LEGO's hubs and motors otherwise sold separately. This guide shows what comes in each box, how the two control systems differ, and who should buy which.
What comes in the box
| JMBricklayer RC sets | LEGO motorized sets | |
|---|---|---|
| Motor | Included in its RC trains and construction vehicles | Included in the four sets below; otherwise sold separately |
| Control | A handset remote; the Mallard train listing adds phone app control over Bluetooth | The CONTROL+ app for the Porsche GT4; Powered Up control for the City trains |
| Power | The Mallard train listing describes a 7.4V rechargeable battery | LEGO battery boxes or hubs, by set |
| Subjects | Steam trains, excavators, bulldozers, loaders and other construction machines | A licensed race car, a licensed excavator, two City trains |
| Electronics work with the other brand | No | No |
LEGO's motorized sets on sale now
Most current LEGO Technic sets, including the big 1:8 supercars, are mechanical: their gearboxes and pistons move when you push the model or turn a knob. These are the current exceptions in our catalog:
The Porsche GT4 e-Performance, a remote-controlled race car run from the LEGO CONTROL+ app, which operates the steering and lights and shows live data. Expected to retire on December 31, 2026.
The Volvo EC500 Hybrid Excavator, with a motor and gearbox driving four functions including the boom, the arm and interchangeable hammer and shovel tools. Marked 18+.
The Police Train Heist, a Powered Up train with a working locomotive, three flatcars and an oval of track, marked 7+.
The Explorer Train, with a remote-controlled Powered Up locomotive, 30 pieces of track and a mountain tunnel, marked 7+.
To motorize other LEGO models, LEGO sells the Technic Hub, which connects over Bluetooth to the CONTROL+ and Powered Up apps, and motors such as the Technic Large Motor, which needs a Powered Up hub. LEGO also says the Vintage Steam Train can be motorized with a separately sold kit.
JMBricklayer's RC range
JMBricklayer, a brand of Shenzhen Aifu Network Technology in China, sells RC versions of the subjects LEGO motorizes least: steam trains and construction machines. Its RC excavator page lists a remote control unit in the box and marks the set for builders 14 and up. The Amazon listing for its Class A4 Pacific Mallard steam train describes a large motor, a 2.4GHz handset, phone app control over Bluetooth, lights, a smoke generator that runs on water and a 7.4V rechargeable battery, and claims a remote range of more than 65 feet. Those are the brand's own claims; we have not found independent tests of its RC electronics.
On the bricks themselves, the independent review we found reported that JMBricklayer pieces fit LEGO and held together, with long thin pieces more flexible than LEGO's. Our JMBricklayer vs LEGO comparison covers quality and instructions in more detail.
JMBricklayer RC steam trains on Amazon · JMBricklayer RC excavators and bulldozers on Amazon
The control systems do not mix
The bricks of both brands build together, but the electronics are separate systems. JMBricklayer's motors, battery boxes and remotes are its own, and LEGO's Powered Up motors need a LEGO Powered Up hub. If you want to motorize a model, choose one brand's power parts for it from the start.
Who should buy which
- An RC steam train for a shelf or a loop of track, with everything included: a JMBricklayer RC train.
- An RC construction machine on a budget: a JMBricklayer RC excavator, bulldozer or loader.
- A licensed RC car: the LEGO Porsche GT4 e-Performance, before its expected exit on December 31, 2026.
- A motorized LEGO display model for an adult: the Volvo EC500 Hybrid Excavator.
- A child's train set: the LEGO Police Train Heist or Explorer Train, marked 7+.
For more, see LEGO vs CaDA, Reobrix, MEGA and JMBricklayer, Best LEGO Technic Sets 2026 and our LEGO Technic 1:8 supercars ranked.
This comparison is research based: it draws on each brand's own product information, an independent review and our catalog, not on building or driving the sets ourselves.
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