LGB History -1968 and 1969 -- Part II

The following is a translation of an article/internet posting by IIm-online Nachrichten(News).  H.-Jürgen Neumann, the publisher of these News, gave Yours Truly permission for translation of these series of postings. In case you like to check the original German version please go to http://www.lgb-much.de/20306.pdf.

.....the axle bearings need a drop of oil once in a very long while. We can operate our LGB locos outdoors any time of the year - rain and snow doesn't harm them. We have to take them in overnight, though.
The chassis of the small loco (Stainz) was available as a spare part as well. We show you this now very rare part in the photo below The Heuler - motor alignment is clearly visible.

The first LGB product line displays three coaches and three freight cars in addition to the three small locos.
The coaches are the brown Bci 113 of the Lower Austrian Railway (LGB # 3000) and the green A 48 of the Salzkammergut local line (LGB # 3010). While the brown one displays timber plank a clerestory is the focal point of the LGB # 3010.

clockwise from top: LGB 3000, made 1968. LGB 3010, made 1968. LGB 3020, made 1968. LGB 3019, made 1969. LGB 3020, made 1969.

From top: LGB 4000, LGB 4001, LGB 4010,
 LGB 4011, LGB 4020, LGB 4021 - all made in 1968

Offered also is a baggage car LGB # 3020 as the green Pw 274 of the Pinzgau local line. As a 'workaround' until production was finalized on this item, LGB offered a compact freight car in green, LGB# 4030 that was sold as a baggage car. A sibling car was the LGB 3019, manufactured from 1969 on sporting a three-center curve roof following the Zillertal line archetype.
Regarding freight cars the product line included the platform car Prd 3351 of the Salzkammergut local line (LGB 4000, in black) and a color variation LGB 4001 in gray. Then they had the flat car (or gondola) Nwr 4101 of the Salzkammergut local line (LGB# 4010, brown) and the LGB 4011, the green sibling car. Sporting another a high toy value : the open freight car Ow 368 of the Härtsfeldbahn, LGB 4020,brown; and the LGB # 4021 in green.
Unlike these days the cars didn't display signage according to their archetypes. The coaches had the LGB logo on the side - LGB still needed to put its name on the map!
Then came the (first) boxcar the G 40 of the Salzkammergut local line (LGB 4030, brown) and the Gmag 501 of the Zillertal line in white for magnesium transports (LGB# 4031). Signage on the doors differed - Magnesia or Magnesium. The white box (car), by the way, easily turned yellow  under UV/ sun light influence and became unsightly. The one shown in the photo lived all its life in the LGB box and is still in "virgin" shape, innocent white.
The petrol tank car shown in the very first catalog wasn't delivered until 1969.

++++++++++++++++++ to be continued................................

LGB History - 1968 and 1969

The following is a translation of an article/internet posting by IIm-online Nachrichten(News).  H.-Jürgen Neumann, the publisher of these News, gave Yours Truly permission for translation of these series of postings. In case you like to check the original German version please go to http://www.lgb-much.de/20306.pdf.

"We never saw that before!" -- The Beginnings of the Lehmann Big Train in 1968

All started with the Stainz! To be exact there were 3 versions available in the beginning, in 1968. The "1", following the archetype 'Salzkammergut Lokalbahn' (LGB # 2010), the "2" (LGB # 2020) with the by now well known name "Stainz" of the 'Steiermärkischen Landesbahnen StLB (Styria State Rail, Austria) and then the "4" (LGB # 2040) which was offered as the Industrial loco of the Mining Works Siegerland,Germany. All started having a housing made from hard plastics in either black or imbued in color. originally the "1" had a green housing, the "2" a brown one and the "4" always had a black engineer housing. The respective numbering and the "LGB" on the sides or their design  were not only golden colored but were made from leaf gold being steamed onto the loco. For low-priced Starter Sets slimmed-down versions were already available; the loco had no real gold signage, no loco engineer and no lighting.

Left: LGB 2010, the No "1" w/boiler and instruments in black, green driver's cab,chassis in red, power pickup by Schnabel System (Heuler motor), Made in 1968. Right: No "4", LGB # 2040, boiler and instruments in black, driver's cab in black, chassis red power pickup by Schnabel System (Heuler motor), Made in 1968

Contrary to their sisters the "2", that is the "Stainz", came with a 'dumpling'-smoker. In the first edition of the LGB Depesche  (German version of the LGB Telegram) she was described  as follows:
"The LGB loco presented here has her great archetype in the Steiermärkische Landesbahn". She was built in 1892 as loco No 2 for the narrow gauge track Peding-Stainz and was delivered by Krauss-Linz with the manufacturer's no. 2774. It is a steam loco type Bn2t, axle series B. She can take 1.15 qbm water and 0.7 qbm coal. She weighs 12 tons. This small tender loco reaches a speed of 25km/hr (=15.9 mph). Her outstanding feature is the drey shaped funnel. The amiable LGB model of this small steam loco has been replicated with extraordinary many details. The large scale delivers the incentive here. Boiler, instruments and  driver's cab are made of  unbreakable plastic. Take this loco into your hands without fear, nothing will break off. All metal parts of the loco are  nickel-plated. 

LGB # 2020, the No"2". Characteristic funnel,boiler and instruments black, brown driver's cab, chassis in red, power pickup by Schnabel System (Heuler motor), Made in 1968

"The two axles are driven by an exchangeable DC motor with 14 Volts, with a completely maintenance free, capsuled gear drive. The four driving wheels are made of brass (turned) and hard chrome plated. Push rods and accurately replicated Stephenson-control are moving in sync.
Power pickup for the motor is carried out by the four wheels and fitted carbon brushes (Schnabel system). Two small loco lights, in front of the funnel and in the rear of the driver's cab glow correspondent  to the driving direction.
It is fail-safe to take the loco apart. After loosen some screws we can take the frame and power unit off the chassis. Now the carbon brushes and the motor can be exchanged easily. LGB locos require little maintenance. We just have to make sure to keep the tread area and the inner surface of the wheels clean and residue-free. ( Do not use sandpaper for this but a few drops of  lighter gas) "-Yours Truly advises : Do Not try this at home - Please let the professionals like Klaus give proper advice. Note that this description dates from 1968 where safety rules were pretty archaic... For Original Old Stainz locos to purchase or repair needs call Klaus at 770-886-6670
+++++++++++++++to be continued..............................................