Wednesday, February 20, 2019

Notes From Yours Truly

Yours Truly has been waiting for the International Toy Fair Nuremberg to happen and end. It did. Alas, Mr. Neumann has yet to put out his thoughts on this event, which we are sure will happen soon.
Meanwhile here are some of our notes.

This link will lead you to an amateur short film on YouTube 
short video from Toy Fair 2019

as if you would go through the hallways yourself. Quirky but interesting

This 2nd video from the Toy Fair 2019 is  more professional

Toy Fair Video by modellbahn-kramm

And here is the link to the new LGB catalog for new items for 2019
LGB new products catalog for 2019

The German version is showing prices in Euro which can be roughly translated into US$ plus 10%. ( Euro 299.00 translates to US$ 299 +10% = about $ 330.00) For the English version try this link 
LGB New Items English version 2019

Maerklin/LGB had a huge booth/stand at the Toy Fair. It was easily one of the biggest on the Fair. It seems funny that the faces look the same after almost 40 years, knowing that they have to be different persons. After all, they would be 80 years and older by now.... Goes to show that model railroading does attract a certain type - right?

Maerklin also sticks with the past; they always had a booth/stand that was shielded from the average Fair visitor. No views allowed into the stand. Secrets had to be shielded from evil eyes. Whether it was LGB or Maerklin back then, they both followed the German tradition of not letting the average person know how they indulged and pampered their invited dealers with food, treats, gifts and more. There were times when the stands equaled Fort Knox--- then again, that would explain the high product prices. Somebody has to pay for the enjoyed extravaganzas...

Well, the internet and new media changed all that within the last ten years. Piko doesn't even care about this motto anymore and published all their new items before the Nuremberg Toy Fair. Their stand shows their open concept politics: everybody can enter, visit and look.
Also new compared to 40 years ago is that the LGB New Item catalog shows prices. But that's it. No other news here. Prices are still high for the product but can the product deliver?

Go see for yourself. A  freight train starter set for US$ 770.00 is a bit steep in my opinion. But it is a digital set. As for the Coca Cola series in yellow: Yes , Coca Cola did have a yellow phase in the 1940's. But who can remember that and is it published/marketed well enough by LGB? Oh well--. If you ask any American what color he sees if he thinks Coca Cola I bet you the answer is "red".

It is nice to see that Maerklin/LGB did put out a lot of new - or shall I say "copied from existing molds and newly painted" items. 

Yours truly has no information when the new items will be available. But delivery problems don't seem to be as problematic anymore as they used to be 20 years ago. 

ESU had a very small booth at the Fair. But their internet website is fantastic. You get really all the information you are looking for from there. Don't try that with LGB and their decoders. Then again, why would you look at a Dodge Omni ( just made it to worst car of the year by Consumer Report) if you can get a 2019 Porsche hybrid...

Yours Truly

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