Collector News (1985)

First published in Sept. 1985 in No.1 “Spur II Nachrichten” by HJ Neumann

 (all text in Italic by Yours truly, interpreting historic circumstances)

Collector News

Preface

To all those LGB Friends who did not yet delve into the subject “Specialties” here are some explanatory notes:

Since 1981 (LGB) manufactured some specialty packages and some specialty cars which are actually deviations in color and labeling but definitely not new models.

To differentiate:

1. Export models matching the demand of the individual export destination
2. Advertisement models referring to certain companies or to a certain event.

During the first few years production volume was 100, meanwhile it increased to 1,000 (per series).

Below please find a list displaying the specialty items issued so far:

1. Specialty items with deviations in color and labeling

LGB No    Item                                                               Volume                       Issued

1981     Lehmann Anniversary Train                                     20,000                      1981

            Anniversary car 100 years Luetgenau                           100                      1981

20502   FHS Specialty Train Kit                                              1,000                      1982

1982     Anniversary car 101 Years Lehmann                            10,000                   1982

4002/69 FHS container car                                                          2,000                   1982

20512   Furka-Oberalp Specialty train pack                                2,000                     1983

20513   FHS Specialty Train Pack                                               1,000                    1983

20514   DHS Specialty Train Pack                                             1,000                      1983

4003D  DHS Container car                                                         1,000                      1983

4031     FHS boxcar                                                                     1,000                      1983

             Anniv. Car 1100 Year City of Duisburg                         100                         1983

20701   US Specialty Train “Little Billy”                                   2,000                        1983

20412PV  Phillipps Specialty Train Pack                                   1,000                       1983

20301 BZ The Blue Train                                                     20,000                            1983

1983   Anniversary Train 102 Years Lehmann                     10,000                            1983

            Brinkmann specialty car boxcar w/sticker                  1,000                             1983

           Florsheim specialty car Caboose w/sticker                  1,000                              1983

20401 RZ  The Red Train                                                      15,000                             1984

20520 MC Specialty Train Prinzgauer Bahn(Rail)                 1,000                             1984

20526 Gingerbread Specialty Train                                          1,000                            1984

20301BP US Specialty Train Buffalo Pass                              2,000                            1984

20301MF US Specialty Train Marshall Field                        1,000                              1984

4071   US Specialty Train Agency express                           2,000                               1984

4072  US Specialty Cra Coca-Cola                                       2,000                              1984

4003SR Container car “Spielzeug Ring”                             1,000                               1984

4033V    Vedes Boxcar                                                        1,000                              1984

1984       Anniversary car 103 Years Lehmann                  10,000                             1984

20528     Schweiger Specialty Train Kit                              1,000                              1985

20150   Anniversary Train 150 Years German Railroad   10,000                              1985

20532  Bundesgartenschau Express                                      600                                1985

1985     Anniversary car 104 Jahre Lehmann                    15,000                               1985

3150   Coat of Arms car                                                     10,000                               1985

2. Specialty Packs with deviating compilation

20501                                 Vedes                                                                              1982

20518 EK                       Einkaufsring                                                                        1984

20522                              FHS                                                                                    1984

20519                             Einkaufsgemeinschaft                                                          1984

3. Specialty Items initiated by private individuals

                      Cluss Brewery D                                             100                                 1984

4040W  Tank car, all white “USA”                                                                             1984

4070NC  US car Tiffany                                                                                              1984

LGB Collector’s Page

Philips Train

Image courtesy of Trainz.com—Image not identical to original article

Philips Company (as of 2018 Royal Philips/Netherlands) received a specialty train pack in the Fall of 1983, which was heading to the video departments of big Radio/TV retail stores. There customers interested in cameras could focus on LGB.

Of the –“ROM Train” – named after a character in the video game ‘ commander Rom’ – a LGB specialty item, 1,000 packages were supplied (to stores).

The package contains a Schoema Diesel loco (Philips loco1) and two 2-axle container cars. Base color is in darker blue while the cars display prints – white on red-purple background- “Viedeospiele von Philips” (video games by Philips) plus an image of ‘commander Rom’ ( see above).

Since the train was not meant to go into retail itself (merely a dealer prop), it poses one of the biggest rarities, in our opinion.

(Yours Truly: as of 2018, the train set is available for anywhere between US$ 345.00 to $525.00, mainly in Europe.)

 Current LGB Specialty Items

“Schweiger” Specialty Train (LGB No 20528)

Honoring the anniversary of 150 years of railroads the Schweiger Co, Nuremberg issued a specialty pack in January with an edition of 1,000. The train package which was sold out at Schweiger by June, contains a Stainz loco and two passenger cars in yellow paint finish and various labeling. The locomotives display an engraved serial number on golden font.

Please also note that the trains No 1 -60 contain a loco where the boiler is NOT painted golden but painted in black.

It is a very pretty train color-wise. One is obliged to think it’s stealing the show from the Lehmann Anniversary Train.

Bundesgartenschau Express—National Garden Show Express

On the occasion of the National Garden Show in Berlin (LGB) issued a specialty train edition of 600. According to Berlin sources a production fault decreased the usually manufactured 1,000 packs. (?) (This question mark was posted by H Neumann)

The train package contains 2 dark blue painted passenger cars labeled ‘Bundesgartenschau Express” and “Berlin, 1985” The as well included Stainz locomotive is unfortunately painted in (its) standard light-green. A dark blue paint would have been definitely fitting better, plus that would have created a true complete specialty train. Literally somebody was ruining a wonderful thing by scrimping on the finishes.

This small edition might in the end become a rarity.

Image courtesy of Trainz.com, image not identical to original magazine-image

 (YT: as of 2018 the train set # 20532 is available for US$ 300.00)