Déjà vu
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
plus shipping and handling
blog about LGB trains, historic LGB locos, historic LGB events, LGB train collectibles
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
Container Car Rarity
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
Monday, August 26, 2019
Another PRR Train...
In 1983 LGB offered the # 20412PV train set including the 2060 Diesel loco and two container cars and more, see picture
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.
Please keep this in mind when reading the following article by HJ Neumann from Summer 1986:
 |
| Courtesy of trainz.com |
 |
| Courtesy of Grootspor.com |
"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.
Editor's Note: September is Klaus' Birthday month. Get 25% off all items available on this blog! Please scroll down for details.
Monday, July 22, 2019
The ONLY One of Its Kind -- From Klaus Private Collection LGB 4075 hand model
SOLD
1985 Original Piece of LGB History
US$ 145.00
plus shipping and handling
Klaus received this truly and genuine One-Of-A-Kind piece from Gunter Ruhland (Head Mold Master LGB) by the end of 1985.
LGB 4075 Hand Model is based on the LGB 3080 yellow "Denver AND Rio Grande Western" Passenger car, 4 axle truck with brakeman's platform. The # 3080 came out in 1981. By 1985 Wolfgang Richter knew the American business was going only one way: Up! So he tried to produce more rolling stock just for the US market. This one-of-a-kind hand model is the perfect example of this undertaking. After the success of the 3080 series (LGB 3080, 3080 E1, 30800, 30803, 30805, 30808GR, 3081-1, 3081-2 and many many more), Wolfgang was looking into something truly American, the caboose style.
To (short lived) life came this hand model, the car housing of the LGB 3080 was painted dark red, got a new name : "Denver, South Park & Pacific RR" and a cupola was added to the roof, as was a handrail and wooden(plastic) planks for the crew to walk on. Desperately needing photo footage for the new catalog they staged this caboose cabin on a 4-axle truck with platforms, photographed it, announced it in the 1985 catalog as "Lighting and workshop caboose", new item for the next year...... and that was it. It NEVER went into production.
Klaus received this truly and genuine One-Of-A-Kind piece from Gunter Ruhland by the end of 1985. Own this Original piece of LGB history for US$ 145.00
Instead in 1988 the LGB 4075 drovers caboose "Denver (and) Rio Grande Western" was manufactured
and sold in pretty good quantities (above 10,000 in varying color schemes). However the row of 9 identical windows was changed. And the dark red was changed into a bright red. The name "Denver, South Park (and) Pacific RR" was revived a bit later that year with the LGB 3181 passenger car, also in bright red with the same window arrangement as the LGB 4075 but not sporting a cupola.
Monday, June 24, 2019
Autographed Specialty Parts -- From Klaus' Private Collection
All through the 1980's and 1990' Klaus was a regular at LGB factory in Nuremberg. From redesigning the running characteristics of the Mogul to the designing the Duo-Coupler, from reworking loco chassis with Guenter Ruhland to developing and building the Sound Towers for LGB worldwide exhibitions, Klaus met with Gunter Ruhland, Klaus Baumann and Wolfgang Richter on a regular base.
And whenever he came into Guenter Ruhlands realm Guenter was always waiting to hand Klaus a little something special: a complicated part fresh out of injection molding,molding improvement they had worked on to better the characteristics in operation or assembly. Or just something special to hold on to as a memory for the hard work leading to those well known achievements.
F 7 side frames in silver
In 1996 LGB presented the Santa Fe F 7 A unit for the first time in its USA New Items brochure. It turned into a hit with US customers. If operated as a single F 7 A unit, as the F 7 A-B unit or the impressive F 7 A-B-A version, the bullet snout of the loco and the silver side frames for the motor blocks are just familiar standouts on this splendid locomotive. They are exposed to breaking or rough handling to some extent. But it is even more fun to have an extra pair - autographed at that - just for showing off...!!
LGB 43580 heavy duty transformer car or any 4058 type transformer car: they all displayed compressed air tanks at both ends of the transformer cars. Kids love to take them from the transformer cars and over time they might get lost...
From Klaus personal collection of injection molding rare parts here are the
Stainz roof for all types LGB 2017, 2020 and 2021 - extremely rare, very hard to find.
Bare roof autographed, US$ 25.00
also available unsigned
LGB Coca Cola Christmas Gondola # 45730 Gondola Structure Only - Test Print from 2004
380mm x 112mm x 73mm
Another example of Klaus' private collection samples, here a first print sample from the 2004/5 Coca Cola logo Christmas car which became the # 45730 4-axle truck Coca Cola Bear with Gnomy Stainz car. By the way, this is the last Coca Cola Gondola made by the old LGB Nuremberg since they went into bankruptcy shortly after.
Klaus will sign on request. US$ 75.00 -- SOLD
And whenever he came into Guenter Ruhlands realm Guenter was always waiting to hand Klaus a little something special: a complicated part fresh out of injection molding,molding improvement they had worked on to better the characteristics in operation or assembly. Or just something special to hold on to as a memory for the hard work leading to those well known achievements.
From Klaus' LGB Treasure Trove - autographed -
F 7 side frames in silver
In 1996 LGB presented the Santa Fe F 7 A unit for the first time in its USA New Items brochure. It turned into a hit with US customers. If operated as a single F 7 A unit, as the F 7 A-B unit or the impressive F 7 A-B-A version, the bullet snout of the loco and the silver side frames for the motor blocks are just familiar standouts on this splendid locomotive. They are exposed to breaking or rough handling to some extent. But it is even more fun to have an extra pair - autographed at that - just for showing off...!!
STILL AVAILABLE
F 7 pair of side frames for the F 7 gearbox unit, autographed
2 pairs $ 50.00
also available unsigned
also available unsigned
plus shipping and handling
Compressed air tanksLGB 43580 heavy duty transformer car or any 4058 type transformer car: they all displayed compressed air tanks at both ends of the transformer cars. Kids love to take them from the transformer cars and over time they might get lost...
From Klaus personal collection of injection molding rare parts here are the
STILL AVAILABLE
Compressed air tanks in silver, autographed
Compressed air tanks in silver, autographed
2 pairs $ 50.00
also available unsigned
also available unsigned
plus shipping and handling
Stainz roof for all types LGB 2017, 2020 and 2021 - extremely rare, very hard to find.
STILL AVAILABLE
Bare roof autographed, US$ 25.00
also available unsigned
plus shipping and handling
LGB Coca Cola Christmas Gondola # 45730 Gondola Structure Only - Test Print from 2004
380mm x 112mm x 73mm
Another example of Klaus' private collection samples, here a first print sample from the 2004/5 Coca Cola logo Christmas car which became the # 45730 4-axle truck Coca Cola Bear with Gnomy Stainz car. By the way, this is the last Coca Cola Gondola made by the old LGB Nuremberg since they went into bankruptcy shortly after.
Wednesday, June 19, 2019
Christmas In July --- Super Rare Christmas Car
From Klaus' Personal LGB Collection
Extremely Limited
1996 Christmas Car
with LGB Tie and LGB Scarf
plus shipping & handling
This extremely rare car features a silver roof and a white/blue passenger car compartment displaying "THE CHRISTMAS TRAIN" in golden letters, a snowed in Bavarian house surrounded by snow covered fir trees on blue background. Two candy cane sticks covered in Christmas greenery embellish the white window side bars. The platforms and chassis are in black. This Christmas Car is not cataloged.This rare limited edition 1996 Christmas Car had an edition volume of 50! This makes it hard to imagine any other complete set to be available out there. Klaus, being the consummate collector kept it pristine and complete. Therefore the tie and scarf have never been unpacked/touched! The original LGB box is slightly used.
Background information:
LGB started bestowing Christmas gifts to a very close circle of business friends early on as was tradition especially in Western Germany. This extremely private circle included only those who had everyday direct access to Wolfgang Richter, Klaus Baumann and Günter Ruhland. Even friends of Rolf Richter or Johannes Richter might have been given different gifts.
Klaus had become a very close ally to LGB. 1996 was the year that Klaus and Wolfgang Richter traveled the Cumbres and Toltec line together.(YT: The LGB Yarner blog will feature an article about that historic trip in the near future. For details about the C andT itself go to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumbres_and_Toltec_Scenic_Railroad and https://cumbrestoltec.com/)
Klaus and Wolfgang Richter met in Chama/NM for this trip and experienced the railroad for two days, traveling the tour the railroad offered back then. Or as Klaus recalls: " Then we stayed on the train and traveled along."
1996 was also the year LGB presented among others these new items: The Ruegen 99 4631 a 0-8-0 steam locomotive #28001. In co-operation with Aster the Shay Limited Edition in wooden box was presented but it took almost another year until dealers had her in store. Also offered: 21252 Forney which the brochure showed in a typical black grey hand model version. The actual version sold in 1997 presented herself in a colorful blue metallic boiler featuring a red cow catcher. Other new items presented: 23430 RhB electric loco Ge 4/4 II, 21620 Diesel loco, 25201 Stainz (Augsburger Puppenkiste edition) 21355 green-beige streetcar "Weimar" and the 21881 Uintah which was sold in in the USA since the end of 1995 but only offered to the German/European customers starting 1996/97 .
Klaus and Wolfgang Richter met in Chama/NM for this trip and experienced the railroad for two days, traveling the tour the railroad offered back then. Or as Klaus recalls: " Then we stayed on the train and traveled along."
1996 was also the year LGB presented among others these new items: The Ruegen 99 4631 a 0-8-0 steam locomotive #28001. In co-operation with Aster the Shay Limited Edition in wooden box was presented but it took almost another year until dealers had her in store. Also offered: 21252 Forney which the brochure showed in a typical black grey hand model version. The actual version sold in 1997 presented herself in a colorful blue metallic boiler featuring a red cow catcher. Other new items presented: 23430 RhB electric loco Ge 4/4 II, 21620 Diesel loco, 25201 Stainz (Augsburger Puppenkiste edition) 21355 green-beige streetcar "Weimar" and the 21881 Uintah which was sold in in the USA since the end of 1995 but only offered to the German/European customers starting 1996/97 .
Monday, May 20, 2019
Magnus Trains by Christian Hoehne
TrainCraft Trove answers the plea of one of our donors - please seehttps://www.gofundme.com/f/keep-the-lgb-traincraft-blogs-alive for more details - to report about Magnus, the German manufacturer of G-Scale metal trains and corresponding parts.
The following is a compilation of translations of the "Spur G News" web blog by LGB club Rhein-Sieg and "Spur II Nachrichten" by HJ Neumann.
Magnus was founded in 1976 by Christian Hoehne in Putzbrunn near Munich/Germany. Ever since then they grew steadily and well. Son Dominik accompanied his parents Rosi and Christian Hoehne from the time he was a toddler. The company truck was grey. Also grey were the precious metal crates and their contents. As soon as the truck doors and the crates opened the eyes of all LGB fans present started sparkling. Every year the perfect adventure (it was). Since these trains were made of metal! ( In German the word for train literally means Iron RailRoad - hence Magnus slogan was " Model Trains - made out- of iron).
The plain grey metal crates were piled up in the trailer truck, rigged and ready to go. Then the newest models were displayed and offered right on shelves on the truck! Magnus 'manufactured' models purely made by hand for LGB, like the Garratt 1 of the Schinzacher Nursery Railway made of all-metal. Even the steam loco RhB G 4/5 No 107 was completely handcrafted in pure perfection in Putzbrunn, Made in Germany. Mrs Rosi Hoehne managed the sales department and the men focused on manufacturing the train models.
Also made by Magnus - a real"Mom&Pop Shop" - were specialties and 'aging' of locos. Standard gauge operators are still gushing about the fantastic Big-Locos of the model series 50 or the model series 01 with 64 mm gauge width. Perfection to the last detail.
Water standpipes, railroad coach carrier trucks, complete workshops or wheel sets were manufactured for the enthusiastic G-scale model railroader.
Magnus closed shop for good in 2014.
The following is courtesy of FGB Berlin, a German LGB and G-Scale retailer with a very informative website (see https://www.fgb-galerie.de)
Exclusive,select models by Magnus for LGB
In 1976 Christian Hoehne established Magnus Co., 'manufacturing' handcrafted locos.
One of their first orders included exclusive handcrafted locomotives for LGB E.P.Lehmann Nuremberg.
Over the years 7 loco series were built listed consecutively.
Each loco series was limited to 100 locos
All locos were G-Scale models with very interesting wheel arrangement
LGB Annual-Loco-Series 1977 to 1983
Modell 1977 -
Class 24 der South African Railways
Modell 1978 -
Garratt Lokomotive der CFM (Caminhos De Ferro De Mocambique)
Modell 1979 -
Mallett der Bridal Will Lumbering Co.
Modell 1980 -
Kitson Meyer der Girardot Railway of Columbia
Modell 1981 -
2'D1' Kondens-Lokomotive der Argentinischen Staatsbahn
Modell 1982 -
Standard Lokomotive der Indischen Staatsbahn
Modell 1983 -
1'E Typ Decapod Lok der Tungpubahn in China
The following is a compilation of translations of the "Spur G News" web blog by LGB club Rhein-Sieg and "Spur II Nachrichten" by HJ Neumann.
Magnus was founded in 1976 by Christian Hoehne in Putzbrunn near Munich/Germany. Ever since then they grew steadily and well. Son Dominik accompanied his parents Rosi and Christian Hoehne from the time he was a toddler. The company truck was grey. Also grey were the precious metal crates and their contents. As soon as the truck doors and the crates opened the eyes of all LGB fans present started sparkling. Every year the perfect adventure (it was). Since these trains were made of metal! ( In German the word for train literally means Iron RailRoad - hence Magnus slogan was " Model Trains - made out- of iron).
The plain grey metal crates were piled up in the trailer truck, rigged and ready to go. Then the newest models were displayed and offered right on shelves on the truck! Magnus 'manufactured' models purely made by hand for LGB, like the Garratt 1 of the Schinzacher Nursery Railway made of all-metal. Even the steam loco RhB G 4/5 No 107 was completely handcrafted in pure perfection in Putzbrunn, Made in Germany. Mrs Rosi Hoehne managed the sales department and the men focused on manufacturing the train models.
Also made by Magnus - a real"Mom&Pop Shop" - were specialties and 'aging' of locos. Standard gauge operators are still gushing about the fantastic Big-Locos of the model series 50 or the model series 01 with 64 mm gauge width. Perfection to the last detail.
Water standpipes, railroad coach carrier trucks, complete workshops or wheel sets were manufactured for the enthusiastic G-scale model railroader.
Magnus closed shop for good in 2014.
The following is courtesy of FGB Berlin, a German LGB and G-Scale retailer with a very informative website (see https://www.fgb-galerie.de)
Exclusive,select models by Magnus for LGB
In 1976 Christian Hoehne established Magnus Co., 'manufacturing' handcrafted locos.
One of their first orders included exclusive handcrafted locomotives for LGB E.P.Lehmann Nuremberg.
Over the years 7 loco series were built listed consecutively.
Each loco series was limited to 100 locos
All locos were G-Scale models with very interesting wheel arrangement
LGB Annual-Loco-Series 1977 to 1983
Modell 1977 -
Class 24 der South African Railways
Modell 1978 -
Garratt Lokomotive der CFM (Caminhos De Ferro De Mocambique)
Modell 1979 -
Mallett der Bridal Will Lumbering Co.
Modell 1980 -
Kitson Meyer der Girardot Railway of Columbia
Modell 1981 -
2'D1' Kondens-Lokomotive der Argentinischen Staatsbahn
Modell 1982 -
Standard Lokomotive der Indischen Staatsbahn
Modell 1983 -
1'E Typ Decapod Lok der Tungpubahn in China
Tuesday, April 16, 2019
Yours Truly on the March 18 thoughts by HJ Neumann
Klaus' Plea: I want to keep you informed and entertained with our blogs without ads or the need for subscription.It takes great effort and time to entertain the blog sites. Please support us in our endeavor of keeping the blogs ads-free, the LGB history alive and promoting this delightful avocation by donating any amount you feel comfortable with. Send me a check or go to our Go-Fund-Me page at .https://www.gofundme.com/keep-the-lgb-traincraft-blogs-alive
THANK YOU for keeping the LGB hobby alive!! And God Bless!
Alright, YT has never done this before. But ......
First let me say YT really admires JH Neumann for his enthusiasm for the LGB Hobby and his lifelong commitment to LGB trains and the LGB fan community. YT also realizes that with advanced age the past often seems closer to your heart than the present. BUT....
Here is the link to the 2018 LGB catalog
LGB 2018
I think it is a very good and broad offer for the LGB fan. One of the best in recent years, actually. Coming back from extinction (no production from 2006-2009) is hard for a product that is slightly complicated to say the least. A regular LGB loco consists of up to 150 different parts or more. Handrails are not molded into the form but are a part by themselves. As are wheels, bumpers, domes, cabin doors, and so much more.
Just the motor block of your average LGB engine is a well-thought-out assembly of 15 to 40 parts (depending on type and model). All available as single spare parts. You know where this is going. Because this is exactly the reason that LGB trains are liked around the world with a following of fans and customers for more than 50 years and counting. And it is also a reason for delays in manufacturing, maintaining and reworking the molds for locos and cars.
We as TrainCraft by Klaus have it on our banner to keep the Original old LGB locos up and running and the history of the Old LGB alive. But without any new items to purchase there would be no new fans and customers. All of us old guys would just simply pass away one day without any future for the hobby.
It takes a great effort to get a company back from the dead and a product running again. Money, knowledge and management are key factors. Now take a look at the 2018 LGB catalog. It's a download so it may take a while on your computer. But look. YT hasn't seen an offer that big since the early 1990's. And LGB was never cheap. Ever. Actually it is less expensive today than in its heyday. Considering costs of living back then and today.
And there are new and young(er) LGB fans again, today! Take a look at how many Garden Railway clubs and societies there were in the USA and Canada in 1990, 2012 and today in 2019 : it went from roughly 240 down to maybe 30 back up to 120 today. Yep! You didn't expect that, now, did you!! And each garden railway club has its own G Scale layout and trains operating on it. Younger people in growing numbers are joining the G Scale community and they come with their own taste in train(-set) types, color scheme and price range they are willing to spend. Not to mention that LGB has narrow gauge railroads at its heart and narrow gauge by defintion is a pretty limited affair. The number of original models than you can rebuilt in G scale is just not that big compared to regular gauge.
It has always been a master characteristic of LGB to announce a 100 and deliver max 30, meaning you get 30 percent of what they say they will have. At any time, under Wolfgang Richter and some say, even more under Rolf Richter, LGB announced 10 new items and then had 1 item in stores nine months later. and the rest took up to 2 years to be available for purchase. Bad management? I refer to my paragraph about the 150 different parts ... Klaus Baumann (VP Sales at the original LGB) told stories manifold about how they had to create so-called hand-models from wood, metal and some molded plastic so they could have a photo for the next catalog and say "NEW Items for ... A good example is right here
That's a Mogul. Held by Eberhard Richter jointly with his brother Wolfgang and Klaus Baumann. Alas, Eberhard died ( in a horse riding accident) before the Mogul went into series production. So what you see here is your typical 'hand model'.
Ability to actually deliver a new item to a dealer vs showing it in the catalog hasn't changed much over the last 50 years. A look at Only Trains, one of the best and fairest dealers in the USA for LGB and other G Scale Trains shows that out of 46 LGB locos (steam,Diesel and electric) 21 are available in stock, which is about 45%. That is pretty good.
A word about prices, German prices that is. Germany had a currency change in 2002, from DM to Euro as had all European Union countries with their currency. People liked it and hated it. Some compared it to a monetary reform. Life went on. We have the internet now. And Amazon.com. There is just something really wrong when someone compares apples to oranges. It's like comparing what you did at age 37 to what you do now at age 72..... It just doesn't work aside from inflation, general economic power, and assimilation of the former East Germany into what Germany is today. Yes, the Deutsch Mark was a hallmark of the reborn Western Germany (after WWII) signaling a wealthy-to-be society. But... go and see Germany today. With the Euro. It is a rich country. Beautiful. They reintegrated and rebuilt not only East Germany, they rebuilt every single building they still had (by 2003). And Germany's history goes back more than 2000 years. That's how long the territory of today's Germany is inhabited by people who built castles, villages, towns, roads, bridges, railways, churches and what not. Oh, and LGB trains! To hang on to a price scheme from 25 years ago from a completely different economy is just not right.
But... Yours Truly does opine on the quality of some of the passenger cars. Especially the Stainz train set cars and Steiermark railroad cars. Don't get me wrong. The Original is lovely. Check their Steiermark Train ( scroll down to the big pic and click on the arrows). Take a look at the lovely old fashioned passenger cars in original size. But the LGB models? Since day one they look as if someone melted down old plastic garden chairs and made those cars......alright, you can be mad at me now...
Klaus' Plea: I want to keep you informed and entertained with our blogs without ads or the need for subscription.It takes great effort and time to entertain the blog sites. Please support us in our endeavor of keeping the blogs ads-free, the LGB history alive and promoting this delightful avocation by donating any amount you feel comfortable with. Send me a check or go to our Go-Fund-Me page at .https://www.gofundme.com/keep-the-lgb-traincraft-blogs-alive
THANK YOU for keeping the LGB hobby alive!! And God Bless!
THANK YOU for keeping the LGB hobby alive!! And God Bless!
Your donation will help in our efforts to have a new blog at least every week!
Alright, YT has never done this before. But ......
First let me say YT really admires JH Neumann for his enthusiasm for the LGB Hobby and his lifelong commitment to LGB trains and the LGB fan community. YT also realizes that with advanced age the past often seems closer to your heart than the present. BUT....
Here is the link to the 2018 LGB catalog
LGB 2018
I think it is a very good and broad offer for the LGB fan. One of the best in recent years, actually. Coming back from extinction (no production from 2006-2009) is hard for a product that is slightly complicated to say the least. A regular LGB loco consists of up to 150 different parts or more. Handrails are not molded into the form but are a part by themselves. As are wheels, bumpers, domes, cabin doors, and so much more.
Just the motor block of your average LGB engine is a well-thought-out assembly of 15 to 40 parts (depending on type and model). All available as single spare parts. You know where this is going. Because this is exactly the reason that LGB trains are liked around the world with a following of fans and customers for more than 50 years and counting. And it is also a reason for delays in manufacturing, maintaining and reworking the molds for locos and cars.
We as TrainCraft by Klaus have it on our banner to keep the Original old LGB locos up and running and the history of the Old LGB alive. But without any new items to purchase there would be no new fans and customers. All of us old guys would just simply pass away one day without any future for the hobby.
It takes a great effort to get a company back from the dead and a product running again. Money, knowledge and management are key factors. Now take a look at the 2018 LGB catalog. It's a download so it may take a while on your computer. But look. YT hasn't seen an offer that big since the early 1990's. And LGB was never cheap. Ever. Actually it is less expensive today than in its heyday. Considering costs of living back then and today.
And there are new and young(er) LGB fans again, today! Take a look at how many Garden Railway clubs and societies there were in the USA and Canada in 1990, 2012 and today in 2019 : it went from roughly 240 down to maybe 30 back up to 120 today. Yep! You didn't expect that, now, did you!! And each garden railway club has its own G Scale layout and trains operating on it. Younger people in growing numbers are joining the G Scale community and they come with their own taste in train(-set) types, color scheme and price range they are willing to spend. Not to mention that LGB has narrow gauge railroads at its heart and narrow gauge by defintion is a pretty limited affair. The number of original models than you can rebuilt in G scale is just not that big compared to regular gauge.
It has always been a master characteristic of LGB to announce a 100 and deliver max 30, meaning you get 30 percent of what they say they will have. At any time, under Wolfgang Richter and some say, even more under Rolf Richter, LGB announced 10 new items and then had 1 item in stores nine months later. and the rest took up to 2 years to be available for purchase. Bad management? I refer to my paragraph about the 150 different parts ... Klaus Baumann (VP Sales at the original LGB) told stories manifold about how they had to create so-called hand-models from wood, metal and some molded plastic so they could have a photo for the next catalog and say "NEW Items for ... A good example is right here
Ability to actually deliver a new item to a dealer vs showing it in the catalog hasn't changed much over the last 50 years. A look at Only Trains, one of the best and fairest dealers in the USA for LGB and other G Scale Trains shows that out of 46 LGB locos (steam,Diesel and electric) 21 are available in stock, which is about 45%. That is pretty good.
A word about prices, German prices that is. Germany had a currency change in 2002, from DM to Euro as had all European Union countries with their currency. People liked it and hated it. Some compared it to a monetary reform. Life went on. We have the internet now. And Amazon.com. There is just something really wrong when someone compares apples to oranges. It's like comparing what you did at age 37 to what you do now at age 72..... It just doesn't work aside from inflation, general economic power, and assimilation of the former East Germany into what Germany is today. Yes, the Deutsch Mark was a hallmark of the reborn Western Germany (after WWII) signaling a wealthy-to-be society. But... go and see Germany today. With the Euro. It is a rich country. Beautiful. They reintegrated and rebuilt not only East Germany, they rebuilt every single building they still had (by 2003). And Germany's history goes back more than 2000 years. That's how long the territory of today's Germany is inhabited by people who built castles, villages, towns, roads, bridges, railways, churches and what not. Oh, and LGB trains! To hang on to a price scheme from 25 years ago from a completely different economy is just not right.
 |
| Stainzer Flascherlzug |
Klaus' Plea: I want to keep you informed and entertained with our blogs without ads or the need for subscription.It takes great effort and time to entertain the blog sites. Please support us in our endeavor of keeping the blogs ads-free, the LGB history alive and promoting this delightful avocation by donating any amount you feel comfortable with. Send me a check or go to our Go-Fund-Me page at .https://www.gofundme.com/keep-the-lgb-traincraft-blogs-alive
THANK YOU for keeping the LGB hobby alive!! And God Bless!
Your donation will help in our efforts to have a new blog at least every week!
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