Issue # 2 Page 12 and 13, Spur II
1985
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| the original magazine cover |
YT: Please remember that this blog article is the translation of a magazine published 33 years ago by HJ Neumann. Our blog intends to juxtaposition HJ Neumanns 30-some year old articles about the LGB model train hobby with his newest/newer articles on current blog"LGB Much" IIm Online News".
Collectors News
In Issue No. 1 of “Spur II” we printed a list
of all specialty products manufactured so far, including their manufactured
volume. This was very well received since there seem to be more and more
collectors who look for Specialty Train Packages to complete their collection.
To figure out the so-called ‘collector’s value’ the manufactured volume plays a
significant if not the only role.
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| the original article on page 12 |
The most sought after and
most offered collector-item is still the Anniversary Train of 1981 even though
it was manufactured in relatively high volume of 20,000 (trains). Coming into
play are ( for one) the aura of the occasion, which is the 100 year anniversary of the
Lehmann Company, as well as the truly beautiful execution and coloring (of the
product).
Regarding the current
asking price of DM 1200.00 or even DM 1800.00 (Y.T.:in 1985 the equivalent of 3 weeks
pay for a shoe salesman or office clerk) [as seen in the classifieds of the big Model RR magazine] are
completely over-the-top.
Now, there might be a
difference in the asking price if you retrieve the anniversary train from a
collector or from somebody who bought it
long ago for the then price of DM 200.00 (in 1981 the
equivalent of 2 weeks of rent for a 2-br
apartment), and might have been
speculating already. Well, we do live in a free market [situation] and every
seller can ask for as much as he hopes to get. To all those who are still
wanting to buy the Anniversary train we suggest that DM 500.00 is a fair price.
For the seller this means a return on investment of 35% annually – a “dream
come true” for every company!
To comment on the value of
other specialty products is pretty hard since there is no market for that. The
number of serious LGB collectors is yet too low to create [enough] potential
demand. Actually a collector’s train with a [limited] edition of 1000 should be
20 times more valuable than e.g. the Anniversary Train!
Well, the 2nd
edition of the LGB Collectors Catalog from Christmann publishing will be
released in early 1986 and will include collectors’ items. (We’ll) Be anxious
to see how they solve the difficult task of realistic value determination!
Finally, we ‘d like to
point out several Specialty Train Sets that turned up in Southern
Germany in Fall. They feature the standard “Stainz” plus two container cars with
different labeling (up to 30 options). Please check our pics at “Current LGB
Specialty Items (Issue No.2, 1985, Page
14 – Spur II) Lehmann delivered the –grey-
containers and labeling was done locally [in Southern
Germany].
LGB Collector’s Page
“Gingerbread Train”
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| original page 13 |
At a volume of 1,000 the
E. Otto Schmidt Co., Nuremberg,
issued a specialty Train in the Fall of 1984; almost everyone knows E.Otto
Schmidt as maker of delicious gingerbread.
Dark brown just like fresh
gingerbread is the base color of locomotive and cars.
The 150-year anniversary of
railroad trains in Germany
was the occasion for this felicitous surprise. Each train package displays a
big round sticker with “Gingerbread Specialty Train, limited vol,No…”. Thus each train has its own serial number.
The train was sold out at
E.Otto Schmidt,Co by end of 1984. There are currently no plans for a repeat
action or anything similar.
(Letter within Gingerbread-train
package)
Dear Model Train Friend
You probably know this,
the German Railroad celebrates their 150th anniversary in Nuremberg. This is why we are surprising you
with this Specialty Train. The E.Otto Schmidt Co has taken advantage of the
German Railroad service for years. While the Schmidt gingerbread packages were
delivered by boxcars during the Reichsbahn **era, these days we are shipping in
modern containers daily throughout the Christmas Season. Containers are shipped
directly [from the manufacturing site] into many German cities carrying fresh
tasty morsels to be delivered to you doorstep by the Postmaster General. The
two cars [of the train set] are witness to that.
The original loco [this
trainset was modeled on] is still in use today. She is doing specialty and
hobby tours on the Murtal Railway in the Steiermark [in Austria].
This onetime edition is
limited and will gain in value.
We hope you will enjoy
this Anniversary Train. In case you want to expand your hobby model train
layout your local model train dealer will gladly be of service.
“Safe Travels”
E.Otto Schmidt
PS The big expo “ 150
Years German Railway” takes place from May 15 to August 18, 1985 in Nuremberg.
** Yours truly: The name
“150 Years/Anniversary German Railway is a bit of a reach historically as is
any reference to that event. As is in many countries history is bent as long as
it takes to make it fitting for what someone wants out of it. In this case here
is what happened in 1835: Under King Ludwig I (the First) of Bavaria a number of business men decided to
establish a Railroad Society in 1833 which then build the railway and the first
locomotive to run on this railway. It took its first run in 1835 and started
passenger service in December 1835 followed by the first “freight service” half
a year later when two barrels of beer were transported in a passenger car third
class. A many a kings, dukes, and barons later were opting for their own
railways, often with their own gauge width. And it wasn’t until 1871 when the
so-called German Reichsstaaten were established ( states that were still lead
by monarchs or similar aristocrats and had nothing in common with a Germany as
you know it today but more with a collection of neighboring fiefdoms that had
decided to not fight each other anymore, neither economically nor military
wise)-- and all had their own ‘countries’ railways. Operating only regionally
and still often with different gauges they were not united until 1924 into the
German Reichs-Railroads. After WWII modern railway organization replaced the
old system and was re-organized several times until public and private
railroads were combined into today’s “Deutsche Bahn AG” or German Train, Inc.”—
To celebrate 150 Year
Anniversary of something German is the same as if the USA would have
a 400 years anniversary of AMERICAN Plymouth Colony (MA)….then again, let’s see
what will happen in 2020….
Length: 680mm
To the consummate LGB collector/fan:
