The LGB Collector - A Lifetime Story - Part 8

The following is a translation of "The LGB Collector", an article by H.-Jürgen Neumann from Spring 2006. Mr. Neumann published it in his own IIm-Online News web page. You can read the original article  at http://www.lgb-much.de/20406.pdf and use a Google translation or similar. To avoid mixing-ups in context with Yours Truly you will find "(HJN)", the abbreviation for H.-Jürgen Neumann,  in places were the original author refers to himself since the article is about his lifelong journey being a dyed-in-the-wool LGB fan.

Fine example of the work scope of the"Design Tuning" department. Matching the LGB car "VWSport" the Diesel loco was made by the department. Special limited edition of 3.

(....utilizing the LGB 'tuning department') I had a specialty loco made for me matching my VW-Sport freight car # 4090VW, based on the Diesel loco 2062 and thus had a beautiful complete trainset. Some of my color 'options' like the duo-colored, green/brown and the complete on brown Saxonian car LGB# 3050 were adopted into the LGB product line. The complete gray (car) is still a specialty in my Saxonian train(set).
Nowadays there a collectors who chose their special subject. "Coca-Cola' is one typical example and such cars were bought in addition by those who collect everything Coca-Cola not just model trains or LGB. It was the same for items with teddy bears regarding the Steiff collectors. Collected were: tank cars of every (labeling and color) description, beer cars as well as the various kinds of "Stainz" and her sisters. LGB fans who concentrated on a specific theme on their layout - I don't identify them as collectors. They rather operate  a layout modeled after the Swiss theme, Austrian or German State Railway. And last but not least, technical advance turned some older models into  " passé " models. On a fully digitized layout some of the old locomotives from 1968 don't even operate anymore. And digitizing them would inevitably damage their collectors value. Those who stocked up on green and red Crocodiles in the early years will discover upon trying to sell them today that they are compared to the newer ones with digital driving and sound decoders - and not necessarily to their advantage... This led to a considerable decrease in collecting. At least for driving stock manufactured in such big numbers that they are not considered a specialty in the collector's mind. But there are still exceptions; I am thinking of the LGB Club Rhein/Sieg special cars for their annual meetings with editions of 100 each. Also, editions of 1,000 worldwide are still considered low from a collector's standpoint. Surprisingly, lot size(s) don't always have a significant influence on the (collection) value. The LGB Anniversary Trainset 1981 edition was 20,000 and still increased in value sharply during the following years. Cars by Lütgenau or Roskothen with mini editions of 100 did not show any upward trend. Then again, they don't come on to the market, really.

Example of a STEIFF special train set in friendly yellow with 'limited' bears

 (To define )Collector's values isn't quite easy. There are collectors' catalogs of which the "Christmann Collector catalog" (out of print since 2008 or so, today's "manual" is the "Kompendium for LGB Collector and LGB Friends"  2012) ; but prices printed in there can only be reference points. First of all the condition of a loco is crucial; second someone missing a (loco) in his collection and really wants to have that will be more apt to pay a higher price. And on the seller's side one has to to go the extra mile and look for that person. Within the last years the auction-house eBay has establishes itself  in this area. It is really very interesting (to see)  what (kind of ) LGB driving stock is offered there. But, the condition is important and if that can be determined by looking at it - I dare to challenge that.

I can very well imagine that the thought of starting a 'historic" LGB collection will strongly increase over time. Like the LGB Friends of Much concentrate on the first 10 years of LGB, ranging from the Stainz to the Crocodile, packaging (was) in grey and yellow, brand new locos, blank (no sound) models, and the technical equipment of the first years make for a nice and manageable collection. Old packaging from the very beginning convey a fine sentiment of the dawn of LGB in the early years. The very first manual switches, aluminum tracks and other accessories from the beginnings are also part of this (collection to be). Add to that the literature of those early years. In Sinsheim, in 2006, we displayed  such a small collection in a glass cabinet and the brochures shown, those from the early years, were met with big enthusiasm. Complete this collection (to be) with the special collection of the 1977 and 1978 PRIMUS Series. The 4-axle American low sided gondola LGB # 4061 in green is a rarity -  collectors would give their eye teeth for it... ( Yours Truly could not find any note of that color scheme ever made by LGB/ may be from the tuning department. What I did find was the #4061 from 1991 special edition in dark red with a bottle of champagne as cargo given to very dear business friends, edition 100, and very rare.) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++to be continued+++++++++++++

The LGB Collector - A Life Time Story - Part 7

The following is a translation of "The LGB Collector", an article by H.-Jürgen Neumann from Spring 2006. Mr. Neumann published it in his own IIm-Online News web page. You can read the original article  at http://www.lgb-much.de/20406.pdf and use a Google translation or similar. To avoid mixing-ups in context with Yours Truly you will find "(HJN)", the abbreviation for H.-Jürgen Neumann,  in places were the original author refers to himself since the article is about his lifelong journey being a dyed-in-the-wool LGB fan.

Nonetheless until just a few years ago some collectors bought at least one piece of each new item released and  procured every single specialty driving stock from the USA (that were made for the US market only). Precisely those last of the well-offs' and  aficionados were robbed of their pleasure by the "eXtra-Shop" as it regulated and limited exactly what these shoppers didn't put up with (in the first place).(Yours truly info: this ill-fated idea - eXtra-shop- was implemented in 2003 to prevent customers  from developing their own shopping habits and trying to fixate them to some dealers (in Germany and 5 other German speaking small countries around Germany) who had the 'distinction' to become an "eXtra-shop" dealer. They had to accept an LGB terminal in their shop that did NOT work with your regular PC system to communicate with LGB headquarters. Remember, in 2003 the internet was full-blown, amazon.com was attracting huge numbers of investors, and Facebook was just around the corner, everybody had email, and there was just no necessity to go to a brick-and-mortar-dealer to get what you wanted. Instead of embracing the new world, Rolf Richter chose -again- a step back in time, one that surely didn't serve him well at all. In the  2006 LGB catalog the "eXtra-shop" was listed as the 17th (!) subject on double-page even after 'railroads' and 'assortment policy'.)
This was actually the end of the 'collect-everything - collection'. In addition, the yearly quantity of  new items grew into infinite numbers and became unaffordable. This comes to show how important it is for long-term success to have a marketing strategy and marketing psychology, knowledge about your customers' wishes and their sensitivities; hence, the dramatic drop in sales for some model train manufacturers is mostly 'home-made'  within the last few years.

Top: Anniversary Train " 100 years of Lehmann" from 1981. Despite a big edition it was special. More cars were added on in the following years, see below.
Bottom: The anniversary cars "1,100 Years City of Duisburg" from 1983 displays advertising by Roskothen company on the other side of the car. Limited edition of 100 makes it a rarity in every LGB collection.

During the 'hot' years of collecting some  freeloaders tried to hop on the LGB train, as well. Big dealers had their "own" train manufactured at the LGB factory or "their trains" like "Schweiger" company in Nuremberg, or the Lütgenau company with their "Dortmunder Bier" beer train. It sure was triggered by the success of the LGB Anniversary Train of 1981 which was issued for the "100 Years Ernst Paul Lehmann". Already the optics prove that the "100 Years Lütgenau" anniversary car (LGB # 3007Lü) as well as the "1,100 Years City of Duisburg" by the Roskothen company were just trying to get a piece of that act. (By the way, edition of 100 cars each). And LGB itself hopped on that bandwagon -again- with their next four "Car of the Year" models to go with the Anniversary train.

Top: After the first Schweiger train was issued in 1985 (in yellow) on the occasion of "150 Years German Railroads" LGB# 20528 this set was issued in 1987 in red with a blue dining car (LGB# 20535). The loco was packaged with these three cars-without track or transformer.
Bottom: A year earlier, 1986, the Schweiger train came in green (LGB#20533) edition of 1,150 and 1,500 for the 1987 version.

Top:The add-on cars for the Lehmann anniversary train from 1981. The left car is from 1982 right from 1983. Edition 10,000 each while the anniversary train had 20,000 made.
Bottom: Add-on car to the 1981 Train set on the left from 1984 and on right the end car 1985. Edition for ea. car 10,000.

Private workshops manufactured quite a few number of novelties and oddities, container trains and -cars, hinged-lid cars with engravings, paint jobs and re-labeling (with some really professional outcomes) and other driving stock. While some got their blessings for their 'work' from LGB (like the Baumann of Neustadt /Aisch company and their re-painting-jobs) others drew the anger of LGB when repainting complete series of small electric locos. Not without reason regarding the harsh liability laws especially in the USA that had to be followed.

Top left: The Florsheim freight cars from 1982 with an edition of 500 for the US market, a grand rarity today. Top right: the specialty car "Stuttgarter Hofbräu" was a 'private initiative' and not made at LGB factory.
Bottom left: new in the LGB program: LGB delivered the basic package # 20531, the design for the container was up to private initiative. Shown here is a well done variation "Capri-Sonne" by the Schuhmann company (Capri Sonne was an orange based lemonade brand in Germany). Edition of 100. Bottom right: container car from the package of Breuninger company.

A novelty for the model train industry was the 'design-tuning-department', already mentioned earlier, which was established in 1995 at the LGB factory and was available for the creative LGB fan for roughly the next 5 years. It was based on the idea that you could create your customized model from an otherwise limited choice of LGB models, e.g. with a special labeling for a birthday, anniversary or other special events. I made quite some use of this myself even though it turned out to be quite pricey. Then again there was quite an effort to be made until the special edition was created resulting from the customer sending in his engine or car. It had to be dismantled and often the housing or body had to be replaced by a 'raw part'. After a short while you could have tuned any LGB- model. I had my OBB Diesel loco 2095 tuned to an" Orient Express" loco to  function as the 'tractor' for my before-mentioned train set # 20277 by replacing the smaller looking U-series.++++++++++++++++++ to be continued +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++