1985 -- Issue # 2, Part 3

"Spur II Nachrichten" 1985, No 2, pg. 22

Club Activities

As announced in issue No 1 of the "Spur II Nachrichten" the first club field day was a visit to the LGB manufacturing plant in Nuremberg.
The agenda:
Friday, Oct. 25th
Departure at 2.00 a.m.(!) from Much
Arrival at 7.00 a.m. in Nuremberg
Viewing of the plant
Discussion (w/ coffee and pretzels)
Afternoon: visiting the transportation museum in Nuremberg
Strolling the historic district
Dinner and 'Gemuetlichkeit' (good cheer)
Saturday, Oct. 26th
visiting the model train exhibition at the convention center
Departure around 13.00h ( 1.00 p.m.)

Those had to be definitely serious LGB'ers willing to leave from deep sleep in soft feather pillows to go see the cradle of their joint hobby ( trying to be poetic, here).
All in all 9 club members had registered for this trip with 2 members from the southern region meeting us right at the LGB plant.
The bigger group started on time; in a mini bus provided by the local cabinet maker Wolfgang Schurig. Thank you again, Mr. Schurig for your generous donation!
With a little detour to Bonn-Bad Godesberg where we picked up our last travel companion we traveled right on to Nuremberg - pausing only for gas and a smoke. Nuremberg is the seat of Ernst Paul Lehmann patent plant, Industrial Zone 2, Saganer St. 1-5.

Entering the complex was impressing already: several huge buildings to the left and right of Saganer St. connected by a covered bridge.
Mr. Steinl, Senior Export manager, was expecting us already and was our guide through the plant. (We started) at the injection moulding hall where plastic is heated under high pressure and injected into forms/molds. The molds then open and eject the molded part into a vat.
Bigger parts are picked up ghost-like by a robotic arm and stacked on to a pallet-- you couldn't be more precise with a compass and a straight-edged construction.
Here they make the boiler for the "Mallet" , over there the driver's cab for the "Stainz", further on they inject the spokes into the metal wheel for the "Mogul". Oh, how many parts could I use for my hobby tinkering had I just brought a wheel barrel and might do as I wished to...(Then we went on) to the mold design and construction - probably the most important department of the plant.
Even a layman will recognize the precision work done by highly trained professionals here.With reverence we picked up a car box of the new RhB passenger car 3067 ( scheduled delivery in 1986) and examined all sides. That was one terrific piece!. On we went passing a location where Mr. Steinl told us" Don't look"- of course we didn't listen. Since we got to see a new item which was yet to be presented at the next Toy Fair 1986. What it was? I don't tell.Just this much: it will be another highlight!

Next came the warehouse, distribution, administration and finally the conference room where coffee and fresh Nuremberg pretzels were waiting for us already. Mr. Rolf Richter , junior CEO, was there to answer all our questions. It was a great experience to get information first hand. Thank you again, Mr. Rolf Richter, having fulfilled our request for a specialty visit and spending all that time with us. We ended the visit with a group photo. Mr. Steinl is front center,  Dr. Wilkes who took the photo is of course missing in this. On we traveled to  the city center of Nuremberg where we had scheduled a visit to the transportation Museum.

After that we encountered good cheer while strolling through the historic district, visiting the model train store "Schweiger", had a coffee at the "Marktplatz" and bought some fresh gingerbread cookies for our loved ones at home at the Otto E. Schmidt store ( remember, the 'father' of the gingerbread train by LGB) and then had dinner together.

We went to bed pretty early that night since we started noticing getting up very early that same morning. The previously scheduled video about narrow gauge trains was canceled due to the hotel not having a video recorder though they did have a TV set in the breakfast room.

After an extended breakfast the  next morning we traveled on to the Nuremberg Convention Center where they had a model train expo within the "Consumenta" fair. Of course we favored the LGB and Magnus booths but also ventured to see other gauges.

Herr Hoehne, proprietor of the Magnus Co., instantly agreed to give us a tour of his plant and company as well. Maybe we will accept his kind offer thankfully by next year.

1985 -- Issue # 2, Part 2

First published in "Spur II Nachrichten" by HJ Neumann 1985, # 2, pg 14 

Current LGB Specialty Items

Coca-Cola Car

The car # 4072 got manufactured due to an order by American LGB importer Cimarron Ltd. and was shipped to the USA only, in a volume of 2,000 units. Even though the car was manufactured in 1984 it is (still) of interest (to us) since delivery to the United States dealers was delayed due to licensing problems with the Coca Cola labeling; then some time passed until the car found its way back to Germany.
The car box is red with white labeling, the roof including the vents are in silver - just like a coke can! All in all the car is a gem and its coloring makes for a fine standout in every US- freight train.
FYI I like to add that the Coca-Cola car will be just the first in a whole series of advertising cars by big companies. The hint is in the labeling on the box :CIM I/1985" Let's wait and see if there will be a "CIM II/1985"!
(Y.T.: Mr. Neumann was on to something. LGB couldn't wait to manufacture more of the same car and just change the labeling, manufacturing always the same volume of 3,000 units per car thus making it a 'limited edition'. In 1988/89 alone these cars were made and delivered: # 4073-CO3 Denver-Rio Grande Western, #4074-BO2 "Tiffany", # 4074-Z02 "Schlitz" and the extreme specialty # 4074 MD for McDonald's in Buena Park/CA which was shown either in Disney Park or Knott's Berry Farms at the McDonald's restaurant. Only 20(!) cars were manufactured, solely for McDonald's. All those cars were for the US market only. But with re-import they found their way back to Germany and started a US-car craze among German LGB collectors.)

Wuerttenberger Car

"Hobby Eberhardt" Co. in Heilbronn (near Stuttgart) known to collectors through the specialty beer car "Cluss" Brewery, including a beer bottle, came out with a limited low-volume-production of 100 each; the specialty car is dedicated to Wuerttemberger wines. On the silver colored car it reads " Connoisseurs drink Wuerttemberger), Oh well, this wine can use all the help it can get right now, why not even from an LGB specialty car?? 
(Y.T. In 1985 all of Germany and Austria was rocked and shocked by the Glycol wine scandal. Vintners in Austria had adulterated wine by adding glycol to make it sweeter while pretending to serve/sell aged wine. I quote Wikipedia here: " 

Many of these Austrian wines were exported to Germany, some of them in bulk to be bottled at large-scale German bottling facilities. At these facilities, some Austrian wines were illegally blended into German wines by the importers, resulting in diethylene glycol ending up in some bulk-bottled German wines as well.

The scandal was uncovered by German wine laboratories performing quality controls on wines sold in Germany, and immediately made headlines around the world. The affected wines were immediately withdrawn from the market. A number of people involved in the scandal were sentenced to prison or heavy fines in Austria and Germany.

The short-term effect of the scandal was a complete collapse of Austrian wine exports and a total loss of reputation of the entire Austrian wine industry, with significant adverse effects on the reputation of German wines as well. The long-term effect was that the Austrian wine industry focused their production on other wine types than previously, primarily dry white wines instead of sweet wines, and increasingly targeted a higher market segment, but it took the Austrian wine industry over a decade to recover. Much stricter wine laws were also enacted by Austria.)"

Thoughts --- November 2018

(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...

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

From Klaus' Private Collection LGB 4058 w/Stein

 Limited Edition – Special Series-

LGB 4058 Depressed Center 8-axle Freight Car With Beer Stein  Load, 8 spoked metal wheels and 8 full metal wheels, G Scale

The LGB Kompendium 2012 lists this on page 717:

“4058 LGB: construction period: non cataloged special series 1994

8-axle (4 trucks) heavy load flat car with brakeman’s platform on both car ends. Description see 4058(previous page). Loaded with a ceramic Stein with pewter lid (gift from Lehmann Co for business friends)

Catalog:--

Edition: 100

Offered by Klaus for:

US $ 299.00 (plus sh&h) SOLD

This Christmas gift (notice the ‘Merry Christmas’  template inside the red LGB box next to a graphical winter scene with the front elevation of a golden Stainz) was given to Klaus in December 1994 by Wolfgang Richter and presented to him by Klaus Baumann (VP Sales LGB). Klaus then upgraded this specialty car by equipping the car with spoke and full metal wheels to improve running characteristics as well as enhance the overall impression of carrying this important, heavy load – especially when filled with fresh draft…


This LGB 4058 depressed car with Stein came in a limited series of 100, most of which were given to friends in Germany. Until today none of this limited edition has ever come onto the market  complete as this package- neither in auctions nor for sale. You may find the beer stein offered but you will not find this specialty made LGB 4058 Christmas edition w/Stein.

Length: 680mm

To the consummate LGB collector/fan:

It comes with documentation about the original flat car,

the story behind the Beer Stein and the gift, excerpts from the LGB compendium and the Certificate of Valuation and Authenticity.

Klaus will open his treasure trove of LGB collection again, soon!!

1985 Issue No. 2 -- Part 1

Issue # 2 Page 12 and 13, Spur II 1985

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.

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 2^nd 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”

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….

July 2018 Thoughts

July 2018 --- Thoughts

I can’t recall really how I got the idea to visit the modeltrain store of Dipl.-Ing. Ernst Peyker in Pörtschach am Wörthersee ( Civil engineer Ernst Peyker of Poertschach on Lake Woerth). Maybe it was this combination of LGB and vacation. Bottom line—I did it! During the Passover Holiday I was at the Lake Woerth (Austria)  , booked into the Hotel „Villa Rainer“ and toured the  local attractions, including the  wonderful hotel itself and their cuisine.
Passover Monday I had my GPS show me how to get to „Seeuferstraße 117“ in Pörtschach. I just wanted to have a look, after all it was a Holiday. But Mr. Peyker had already seen me and asked me in. Again, thank you.
What followed was a short meeting ( alas for almost an hour) and agreeing on an appointment a few days later. Imagine a property of about ½ an acre ( which is a lot around Lake Woerth, the average property size is 1/10 of an acre, if at all) with a nice big home on it, with a retail store, workshop and warehouse. And a lot (!) of ‘red boxes’ the type of boxes us “LGB’ers“dream about.... 

 

At the official visit I was granted insight into the huge LGB outdoor layout, looked inside  the house and got to see ‚inside’ this LGB specialist. I can say this: we found a lot of common grounds in our comprehensive talks….. 
Beginning of June the LGB New No 49180 was delivered: two Saxonian DR rolling cars, which surprisingly were announced as “Surprise New Item” at the “IMA” in Goeppingen in Fall of 2017 (IMA is the International Model Railway Convention which is held jointly with the Maerklin-Fair). Why they couldn’t wait until Summer 2018 to deliver this surprise or just incorporated it into the regular New Item program 2018 is beyond me. They have a small extra brochure which you can check out via this link
LGB flyer

I also want to show you some photos to compare this to the similar Magnus rolling car by Christian Hoehne, which was already available years ago.
LGB-rolling car:

 rolling car with narrow gauge tank car: 

  

Two coupled rolling cars with standard gauge box cars: 

 

Rolling cars by LGB and Magnus, size comparison: 
  

It’s quite visible that the LGB rolling cars (in contrast to their huge packaging) are too small. Sad though—because they are actually made quite well.

Newly delivered as well are the gold colored Anniversary Stainz No. 20216, the „Wolfgang Richter“-baggage car No. 32191 and the gondola „Wernesgrüner“ No. 32352.

I’ve put the Stainz next to the also golden colored one by Modell-Land and check this out: LGB became quite frugal: the connecting rods in grey plastic, roof not painted and no shadow lines, no white markings on the front nor rear bumpers. One cheap “frugal-edition’ at a high price and on their Anniversary? I don’t get it....
 

  
The baggage car was labeled in English only, showing„Freight Mail“ and „Railway Post Office“. I do understand that they didn’t want to have 2 different labeled cars in their program, - but they could have labeled both sides differently—as was done in the past on the 4-axle LGB tank car
I do like the gondola quite well -  especially since the lights at the bar can be switched on via the power pickup at the metal wheels. If it would be fitted with some pretty “Preiser” figurines it’ll make quite a statement.

   

 

I’ve told myself not to say anything about the high level of(sales)prices anymore. I think they are way to high , in general, alas nothing will change at Märklin in this regard. It is the literally vicious circle. Prices are increasing regularly which leads to fewer people being able to purchase LGB which leads to decreasing demand for LGB. At the same time the demand for used LGB items increases. That’s the way the cookie crumbles, my dear gentlemen from Goeppingen….

Subject Change:

The  supplemental book to the „LGB-Kompendium“, published by Meliset Kartenhaus-Verlag. A ‚must’ for all LGB-collectors („ 50 Years of LGB“)
  

 

Also interesting is  the special-catalog for  USA „US Models for 2018“, containing some models available only in USA, - even though they are just color and label versions. For instance a „Pink Train Starter Set“ Nr. 72306 (-check my September 2017- Thoughts). 20 years ago collectors might have gone crazy to re-import such a product. But nowadays.....

And then there is one more news: On June 28 , 2018 our web page “LGB Freunde Much” registered the 1 millionth  reader! Crazy! We started out on March 1, 20016 with news to the LGB’er- the year of LGB bankruptcy. We just wanted to to something being frustrated and sad back then. Well, maybe we should have asked for $ 1.00 from each reader 

In this regard – warmest wishes

H.-Jürgen Neumann
 

Collector News (1985)

First published in Sept. 1985 in No.1 “Spur II Nachrichten” by HJ Neumann

 (all text in Italic by Yours truly, interpreting historic circumstances)

Collector News

Preface

To all those LGB Friends who did not yet delve into the subject “Specialties” here are some explanatory notes:

Since 1981 (LGB) manufactured some specialty packages and some specialty cars which are actually deviations in color and labeling but definitely not new models.

To differentiate:

1. Export models matching the demand of the individual export destination
2. Advertisement models referring to certain companies or to a certain event.

During the first few years production volume was 100, meanwhile it increased to 1,000 (per series).

Below please find a list displaying the specialty items issued so far:

1. Specialty items with deviations in color and labeling

LGB No    Item                                                               Volume                       Issued

1981     Lehmann Anniversary Train                                     20,000                      1981

            Anniversary car 100 years Luetgenau                           100                      1981

20502   FHS Specialty Train Kit                                              1,000                      1982

1982     Anniversary car 101 Years Lehmann                            10,000                   1982

4002/69 FHS container car                                                          2,000                   1982

20512   Furka-Oberalp Specialty train pack                                2,000                     1983

20513   FHS Specialty Train Pack                                               1,000                    1983

20514   DHS Specialty Train Pack                                             1,000                      1983

4003D  DHS Container car                                                         1,000                      1983

4031     FHS boxcar                                                                     1,000                      1983

             Anniv. Car 1100 Year City of Duisburg                         100                         1983

20701   US Specialty Train “Little Billy”                                   2,000                        1983

20412PV  Phillipps Specialty Train Pack                                   1,000                       1983

20301 BZ The Blue Train                                                     20,000                            1983

1983   Anniversary Train 102 Years Lehmann                     10,000                            1983

            Brinkmann specialty car boxcar w/sticker                  1,000                             1983

           Florsheim specialty car Caboose w/sticker                  1,000                              1983

20401 RZ  The Red Train                                                      15,000                             1984

20520 MC Specialty Train Prinzgauer Bahn(Rail)                 1,000                             1984

20526 Gingerbread Specialty Train                                          1,000                            1984

20301BP US Specialty Train Buffalo Pass                              2,000                            1984

20301MF US Specialty Train Marshall Field                        1,000                              1984

4071   US Specialty Train Agency express                           2,000                               1984

4072  US Specialty Cra Coca-Cola                                       2,000                              1984

4003SR Container car “Spielzeug Ring”                             1,000                               1984

4033V    Vedes Boxcar                                                        1,000                              1984

1984       Anniversary car 103 Years Lehmann                  10,000                             1984

20528     Schweiger Specialty Train Kit                              1,000                              1985

20150   Anniversary Train 150 Years German Railroad   10,000                              1985

20532  Bundesgartenschau Express                                      600                                1985

1985     Anniversary car 104 Jahre Lehmann                    15,000                               1985

3150   Coat of Arms car                                                     10,000                               1985

2. Specialty Packs with deviating compilation

20501                                 Vedes                                                                              1982

20518 EK                       Einkaufsring                                                                        1984

20522                              FHS                                                                                    1984

20519                             Einkaufsgemeinschaft                                                          1984

3. Specialty Items initiated by private individuals

                      Cluss Brewery D                                             100                                 1984

4040W  Tank car, all white “USA”                                                                             1984

4070NC  US car Tiffany                                                                                              1984

LGB Collector’s Page

Philips Train

Image courtesy of Trainz.com—Image not identical to original article

Philips Company (as of 2018 Royal Philips/Netherlands) received a specialty train pack in the Fall of 1983, which was heading to the video departments of big Radio/TV retail stores. There customers interested in cameras could focus on LGB.

Of the –“ROM Train” – named after a character in the video game ‘ commander Rom’ – a LGB specialty item, 1,000 packages were supplied (to stores).

The package contains a Schoema Diesel loco (Philips loco1) and two 2-axle container cars. Base color is in darker blue while the cars display prints – white on red-purple background- “Viedeospiele von Philips” (video games by Philips) plus an image of ‘commander Rom’ ( see above).

Since the train was not meant to go into retail itself (merely a dealer prop), it poses one of the biggest rarities, in our opinion.

(Yours Truly: as of 2018, the train set is available for anywhere between US$ 345.00 to $525.00, mainly in Europe.)

 Current LGB Specialty Items

“Schweiger” Specialty Train (LGB No 20528)

Honoring the anniversary of 150 years of railroads the Schweiger Co, Nuremberg issued a specialty pack in January with an edition of 1,000. The train package which was sold out at Schweiger by June, contains a Stainz loco and two passenger cars in yellow paint finish and various labeling. The locomotives display an engraved serial number on golden font.

Please also note that the trains No 1 -60 contain a loco where the boiler is NOT painted golden but painted in black.

It is a very pretty train color-wise. One is obliged to think it’s stealing the show from the Lehmann Anniversary Train.

Bundesgartenschau Express—National Garden Show Express

On the occasion of the National Garden Show in Berlin (LGB) issued a specialty train edition of 600. According to Berlin sources a production fault decreased the usually manufactured 1,000 packs. (?) (This question mark was posted by H Neumann)

The train package contains 2 dark blue painted passenger cars labeled ‘Bundesgartenschau Express” and “Berlin, 1985” The as well included Stainz locomotive is unfortunately painted in (its) standard light-green. A dark blue paint would have been definitely fitting better, plus that would have created a true complete specialty train. Literally somebody was ruining a wonderful thing by scrimping on the finishes.

This small edition might in the end become a rarity.

Image courtesy of Trainz.com, image not identical to original magazine-image

 (YT: as of 2018 the train set # 20532 is available for US$ 300.00)