(Dear blog reader, please remember that this blog is a translation of the original blog by HJ Neumann at this link
http://www.lgb-much.de/gedanken_11_18.htm)It's a fact-- as a 'journalist" you are always 'on the job'. As, when you want to get a reprieve from work stress and from the volunteer work of editing and writing this blog by vacationing on the beautiful island of Sylt in the (German) North Sea. For ages there is a model train store in Westerland/Sylt which is famous and not just because of its almost permanent whistle smoke: The TVK store of Mr. Mackenthun on Dr.-Nicolas St. # 2. You can find his web page at www.sylt-tobacco.de -- just don't expect a current version.
Current however is the LGB size model of the legendary Borgward LT 4 Sylter Railcar which once came in a metal version by Scheba Co. The "Raab ModellBauStudio" Co is now presenting this (LGB size) model made from plastic in 3-D printing. One could already be admired at the store. Price will be approx. Euro 1900.00 ( roughly US$ 2,100.00, no shipping included) Check Gartenbahn Profi magazine 6/2018, pg 7.
Operating manual II
Operating manual
In recognition of "25 Years Maerklin Hungary" a boxcar is presented. LGB # 43264 displays a "German" and a "Hungarian" side, fashioned in matching national colors.Visually definitely more exciting than the specialty car "50 Years LGB" from 2018
German side
LGB box & boxcar rear end
Hungarian side
Personally I am still waiting for the LGB Bar Car "Apres-Ski-Bar" No 336611. There were already rumors of sightings at the assembly plant in Hungary in early May (2018)--remarkable that it hasn't been delivered by November. Maybe they were so busy doing Christmas production in July that they didn't find time for such important rolling stock.
By the way I just saw those unspeakable 50-years Anniversary cars offered in a package; 5 for E 375.00 which translates into E 75 per car. No Comment...
(Euro 375 = $ 425.00 ; E 75 = $ 85.00)
Since there have been no other important deliveries made out there, at least not for me I can turn to another subject : that of eBay. I check daily - if only for "general education" purposes. And here are my observations: the great thing is to find real rarities once in a while. Sometimes offered by collectors who lost interest in their earlier hobby or by offspring of departed collectors who like to make some money off their inheritance. One supplier writes that he only offers his stuff on eBay because his wife makes him to but at very high prices. Maybe as an alibi. He tries - but with very little interest for his offers. At least that way he can tell his wife he tried his best.
What they want to achieve when offering quite a lot of empty (LGB) boxes is beyond me. Everybody should know by now that a while later the article on sale without package will sell worse. Also, cataloges, brochures, flyers, operational manuals and other print stuff is offered for horrendous prices. Is anybody buying this? A manual for about Euro 25.00 (= US$ 28.50) or DM 50.00 converted.
(Y.T.: There are some Germans left, mostly 60 and older who still convert every Euro value into DM value. The currency change from DM to Euro happened in 2002 and about half of all Europeans are still pretty unhappy about loosing their national currency to the Euro, often blaming all sorts of today's problems on that incident/ monetary reform. YT could now go on for 536 pages to rant about policies in general and Europe/USA in ......oh-- I think my wife is calling me.....)
"Christmann Collector-Catalogs" which once were a trove of information but have lost their value in today's times of the Kompendium can only be used as door stoppers. But for Euro 60.99( plus shipping) (= US$ 69.55 + shipping) there are cheaper ways to do that.
Also strange and there fora while are sticker offers for cars and loco boxes. Asking price is Euro 2.30 (=$ 2.62) with shipping costs of Euro 4.65 (=$ 5.30). That's about Euro 7.00 just for a sticker. Where are they from? Of course somehow from the old LGB factory in Nuremberg. Well, those aberrations and confusions of the year of bankruptcy made for a lot of things to vanish if not to say "got filched".
Basically I like to think all (stuff) somehow somewhere reappears. The Anniversary Streetcar No 24355 is such a treasure trove: first offered in 2006 at the big LGB anniversary Party (125 years Ernst Paul Lehmann)** It was signed by Wolfgang Richter himself upon the immediate request by the buyer.
**(YT: The Ernst Paul Lehmann Co tin toys fabrication was established in 1881 in Brandenburg/ Prussia close to Berlin. EP Lehmann got his first patent that year being 25 yrs old. It was granted for a tin container with a patent lock.)
Spare parts are abound plenty, too. Often accompanied by shipping costs of Euro 5.90 (= US$ 6.75) and just as often not matching the value of the small item. In general prices are high for LGB items. There is an alignment with new products. But sometimes I would have asked for a higher price.
And of course there is rubbish as well. DIY stuff from the hobby'crypt'. The builder had fun with it -- do you....Nice items by Magnus/Hoehne, Koslowski/Mesumo, Weber, Regner and similar are a reminder of Garden Railway-days-gone-by...
By the way I just saw those unspeakable 50-years Anniversary cars offered in a package; 5 for E 375.00 which translates into E 75 per car. No Comment...
(Euro 375 = $ 425.00 ; E 75 = $ 85.00)
Since there have been no other important deliveries made out there, at least not for me I can turn to another subject : that of eBay. I check daily - if only for "general education" purposes. And here are my observations: the great thing is to find real rarities once in a while. Sometimes offered by collectors who lost interest in their earlier hobby or by offspring of departed collectors who like to make some money off their inheritance. One supplier writes that he only offers his stuff on eBay because his wife makes him to but at very high prices. Maybe as an alibi. He tries - but with very little interest for his offers. At least that way he can tell his wife he tried his best.
What they want to achieve when offering quite a lot of empty (LGB) boxes is beyond me. Everybody should know by now that a while later the article on sale without package will sell worse. Also, cataloges, brochures, flyers, operational manuals and other print stuff is offered for horrendous prices. Is anybody buying this? A manual for about Euro 25.00 (= US$ 28.50) or DM 50.00 converted.
(Y.T.: There are some Germans left, mostly 60 and older who still convert every Euro value into DM value. The currency change from DM to Euro happened in 2002 and about half of all Europeans are still pretty unhappy about loosing their national currency to the Euro, often blaming all sorts of today's problems on that incident/ monetary reform. YT could now go on for 536 pages to rant about policies in general and Europe/USA in ......oh-- I think my wife is calling me.....)
"Christmann Collector-Catalogs" which once were a trove of information but have lost their value in today's times of the Kompendium can only be used as door stoppers. But for Euro 60.99( plus shipping) (= US$ 69.55 + shipping) there are cheaper ways to do that.
Also strange and there fora while are sticker offers for cars and loco boxes. Asking price is Euro 2.30 (=$ 2.62) with shipping costs of Euro 4.65 (=$ 5.30). That's about Euro 7.00 just for a sticker. Where are they from? Of course somehow from the old LGB factory in Nuremberg. Well, those aberrations and confusions of the year of bankruptcy made for a lot of things to vanish if not to say "got filched".
Basically I like to think all (stuff) somehow somewhere reappears. The Anniversary Streetcar No 24355 is such a treasure trove: first offered in 2006 at the big LGB anniversary Party (125 years Ernst Paul Lehmann)** It was signed by Wolfgang Richter himself upon the immediate request by the buyer.
**(YT: The Ernst Paul Lehmann Co tin toys fabrication was established in 1881 in Brandenburg/ Prussia close to Berlin. EP Lehmann got his first patent that year being 25 yrs old. It was granted for a tin container with a patent lock.)
Spare parts are abound plenty, too. Often accompanied by shipping costs of Euro 5.90 (= US$ 6.75) and just as often not matching the value of the small item. In general prices are high for LGB items. There is an alignment with new products. But sometimes I would have asked for a higher price.
And of course there is rubbish as well. DIY stuff from the hobby'crypt'. The builder had fun with it -- do you....Nice items by Magnus/Hoehne, Koslowski/Mesumo, Weber, Regner and similar are a reminder of Garden Railway-days-gone-by...
And last some 'news' from the 'old' LGB world: Rolf Grimm from Burgenthann -- former head of production plant and husband of Nelly Grimm - the heart and soul of the repair and spare parts department LGB - celebrated his 80th Birthday on Nov 04 2018. I was there and congratulated him. And we shared a lot of memories of those great days gone by.
Rolf and Nelly Grimm
Again heartfelt congratulations from this site and all the very best for the future, health and contentment...
Heartfelt greetings from Much
H-Juergen Neumann
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