Container Car Rarity

Déjà vu

Looks familiar? Well, here's the story: At the height of Massoth Electronics USA Jeff Schmaltz, who worked for NASA Goddard Space Flight Center was a wholehearted LGB fan. Jeff had also become a fan of Massoth Electronics products through Klaus and his company. Jeff, doing nothing just halfway set of to show his zeal. Together with his wife Sue they took an LGB # 41850 V 8 container car and created a cover/label that would show a Massoth Electronics image, hold well under outdoor operation and look good. They tinkered. They were successful.

Then they sent Klaus pictures of the finished product. Turned out, Jeff only made three containers with that label. Klaus took one of them. Here it is:

                                                                    SOLD

One of three existing

Massoth Electronics USA container car 

w/ metal wheels

US$ 125.00 SOLD

plus shipping and handling

Story update: Jeff retired from the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Then he retired from the LGB hobby. He sold his house and bought an RV. Currently, Jeff and his wife Sue are enjoying traveling the USA - calling Arizona and South Dakota their home state- alternating that is. We wish them safe travels! As for the other two Massoth container cars, Jeff told Klaus who has those.

Another PRR Train...

In 1983 LGB offered the  # 20412PV train set including the 2060 Diesel loco and two container cars and more, see picture

Courtesy of trainz.com

The edition volume of this train set was 1,000. At the same time LGB also published and offered the 20401 RZ also known as "The Red Train" with an edition volume of 15,000 (!) It was made from 1983-1985.

Courtesy of Grootspor.com

Please keep this in mind when reading the following article by HJ Neumann from Summer 1986:

"Again we have spotted something special for you in America: Two Pennsylvania Rail Road specialty trains in green and brown. 

This is how they came to be: Out of the so-called "Phillips Trains from 1983 a huge part had obviously been delivered into the USA. Alas, they didn't sell not even with a price of about US$ 150.00. At one dealer these trains were gathering dust on the shelves for more than two years. So last winter he had the idea to repaint and relabel them to better match them to the taste of the American LGB fan.

The results are great. Two trains present themselves in green and reddish

-dark brown color. Thanks to the also very pretty labeling on the locos (even though you could have done numbering here as well) they don't need to hide next to the regular specialty trains.

The paint is without fault - even though we recommend to avoid scratching or rough handling. The container cars are even painted on the inside - somebody made them with great difficulty!

Two beautiful trains which will clearly be of interest for the local LGB fan who operates a layout American style."

Editor's Note: September is Klaus' Birthday month. Get 25% off all items  available on this blog! Please scroll down for details.