This is an article by HJ Neumann from his blog "IIm Online Nachrichten" that HJ Neumann wrote in September of 2006, just right after LGB declared bankruptcy. This is a pretty long article, no pictures. The bankruptcy fact ripped right into HJ Neumann's heart - having been a staunch, seriously devoted, lifelong fan of all things LGB. In this article HJ Neumann poured his heart out. YT wants to share his thoughts back then on the occurenec of the event 13 years ago this week.
This is Part 2
The next question that needs to be asked is: how to proceed? For now an insolvency counselor (similar to a bankruptcy judge in USA) has taken over the executive board.With that delivery to dealers will start again. It is the cardinal task of the insolvency counselor to secure daily business and continue until a buyer has been found. Or - if none is found- to sell off any assets left to satisfy creditors.
The damage that has been done to the brand "LGB" by that! What is going to happen to the employees? What's going to happen to the dealers, the suppliers and their employees? Who can be found to take over LGB? An investor alone will not do. There has to be a new leadership team. Just remember when POLA was taken over by FALLER. All hell broke lose inside the company and until today the brand didn't really recover. And LGB is somehow bound to stay at their manufacturing site Saganer Street. You can't just remove all the machinery and reassemble somewhere else...
Here's the opinion of one insider: exchange the complete top management. Then choose the best from the leftover employees, invite the 50 best (biggest in sales volume) dealers to Nuremberg and present them right then and there with a new product program and a new concept. Then start the whole business again, slowly but surely. With this simple concept may be an investor would be willing to supply the needed funds. But he needs to be found first...
LGB itself had this to say:
"The ERNST PAUL LEHMANN PATENT WORKS (EPL) in Nuremberg, manufacturer of the world-renowned Lehmann Big Train is part of the traditional Nuremberg toy industry. The family owned business celebrated its 125th anniversary in July of 2006. Since March 2005 LGB is in serious restructuring. Due to the ongoing negative development of sales within the model train industry the measures to control costs which had started in 2002 already had to be drastically intensified.The 150 employees supported the restructuring process by sacrificing their wages.Due to the close bond to the production location Nuremberg and the high standard of quality manufactured here EPL gave up manufacturing in the Czech Republic. Safeguarding the jobs in Nuremberg had priority. In spite of these positive parameters the creditors locked the bank accounts on 09/01/2006 and prohibited any product sales. Sales projections and supply-and delivery schedule are according to plan for the business year 2006. Also, the loss producing American subsidiary LGBoA was sold to an US entity with contractual agreements to proceed with the operative partnership long term. Despite of considerable liquidity flowing into the accounts due to the sale they stayed locked.
The banks kept pressuring the owners (of EPL) who had guaranteed the loans personally to a point where the owners decided to declare bankruptcy, as of today. Interested investors now have access to EPL. With this, the owners opine, the tradition of the 125 years old world renowned company can continue and the delivery of the New Items Program which is highly anticipated by customers is secured."
YT likes to stress that the article is the opinion of HJ Neumann and the last paragraph ("LGB itself had this to say:") is a statement by LGB itself. HJ Neumann is and was a very loyal LGB customer, editor and author of LGB Gauge II News and member of a local, very big LGB club. During his career as editor he did a lot of interviews with the LGB top management. However, some information was not available to him relating to LGB: Financial structuring of the company for instance, banking policies, bookkeeping practices, asset management, maybe shady transfers, things along that line. Please take this into consideration in regard to his opinion here.
As to the statement LGB gave in September 2006: YT is stunned that China activities weren't mentioned. LGB had transferred major portions of production since 2000 at least. Oh and please this one: on the day the employees accepted their wage sacrifices, Johannes Richter presented his just bought $ 100,000.00 car in LGB red to the stunned LGB workforce by doing doughnuts in the factory parking lot................
And last: Since 2011 and with SIMBA-DICKIE GROUP Germany taking over Marklin, LGB and others better times were ahead. Today LGB under the SIMBA-DICKIE leadership is a shining example of Gauge II model trains bringing back a lot of the old LGB glamour. The program is good, the locomotive-model variety serves the German market as well as the US market. Customers on both sides 'of the pond' are flocking back to LGB for years now and new dealer stores (some online) spring up in the USA to offer LGB again.
Sunday, September 22, 2019
E.P.L. in Bankruptcy ---Remembering 2006 - Part 1
This is an article by HJ Neumann from his blog "IIm Online Nachrichten" that HJ Neumann wrote in September of 2006, just right after LGB declared bankruptcy. This is a pretty long article, no pictures. The bankruptcy fact ripped right into HJ Neumann's heart - having been a staunch, seriously devoted, lifelong fan of all things LGB. In this article HJ Neumann poured his heart out. YT wants to share his thoughts back then with the occurrence 13 years ago this week.
On Monday September 18, 2006 it was announced that LGB Nuremberg had declared bankruptcy. LGB published their version of the news on the LGB web site.(YT: see original wording in Part 2)
As much as these news stir up emotions:insiders already knew for a long time that the policies management chose for the last years were doomed to fail. Lehmann (YT: the L in LGB) was "resistant to consulting" as a major LGB dealer once said. And he was right! Even though LGB had a many consultants within the last years who delivered their written expertise for a lot of money. But were those really heeded? There was no chance. Did they actually talk about the LGB product in these expert reports; there was no chance for that because they absolutely couldn't have a clue about that subject. And the product has always been the most important.What does the customer want and what may it cost so he can afford and buy it? That was the '$64,000.00 question' and for years they picked the wrong answers. They never asked their own people, not the salesmen in the field nor the LGB dealers big and small - they just got the crude facts slapped in their faces. In addition (LGB) constantly embarked on hiring the wrong people and thus couldn't even make up for their own incompetence.
"The pilot is disembarking" another author wrote when the former Vice President of Sales, Klaus Baumann, was retired. This statement was true as well. Especially in hard times which we are under for a while now it is important to have somebody who can steer the ship around the cliff. Not one qualified species was left at LGB in the end. And right off the bat the ship ran aground. She had been off course for a while already and the leakages below the waterline were explicitly apparent. But nobody wanted to notice. The captain had no certified license...
And then there was that eXtra huge whole in the hull. Well, it just sped up the process - it wasn't the cause. But it showed the arrogance , the overestimation of their own capabilities, the misjudgment of realities. Obviously nobody knew what the market really wanted. Definitely no Disney-, Coca-Cola, Peanuts- and other colorful, often ugly paint-splashes, and predominantly no mangled standard gauge locos. The customer wanted something completely different. But the panel that knew the market was no longer in demand nor consulted. Even though there had been a series of good new items for a few years - many a fans were staring in disbelief. Compare it to a pack of lions. When a new one enters the scene he thinks he needs to lock jaws with the others. Well if the CEO tolerates this then he has to accept responsibility for that later as well...
"Lifeblood was barely trickling" I wrote about this year's "LGB Summer Fest". But maybe that was nothing but tinted water...
A company that mainly consisted of a giant legal department could not function properly. Definitely not with hobby products for people who wanted to enjoy them. (LGB) put so much weight on pointless bits and pieces when it was too little, too late, already
The "LGB-family" hadn't been cultivated anymore for quite a while. They liked to take but never gave. The "LGB Depesche" (LGB Telegram in USA) used to be a connecting agent but now resembles a sales brochure. Flat and typical for everything else.
Old friends were spooked and scared away. Those who missed long accustomed-to Christmas cards were 'Bourgeois" or 'small minded'. They petty much had forgotten that these 'small minded' people had loyally supported and upheld (their LGB). And they saw the writing on the wall for a long time coming. And they were wondering why nobody at LGB did put on the emergency brakes. Instead big words and the big show ruled LGB as if nothing had happened. As if it isn't in the last minute of the eleventh hour..
Pretty fresh in our memories are the stories the LGBoA boss told on how they pampered their VIP customers and the success they had with that. How this all resulted in profits. Lehmann was never destitute for something like that. Their opinion was : They already make enough money with our products!"
Their cardboard boxes got thinner, the protecting cardboard wrapper was omitted. Labels were printed at the factory and in black+white. Thanks to China product quality decreased immensely but prices increased ever more. There was no way this would work out! The eXtra shop annoyed the customer base. Despite well meaning tips it wasn't stopped nor canceled. And nobody can comprehend a New-Item-program consisting only of color variations. What a blistering pace LGB displayed in their early years. Our articles about the LGB history are witness to that. We do remember quite well the statement by the senior CEO of LGB how "Out of each Dollar earned we have to reinvest 99 cents". That must have been ages ago; otherwise (LGB) should have had all those new items on offer with which the competition already had passed them by - and which are still missing in their offerings.
Now it is too late! Singular measures like re-importing US-specialty-products or establishing an in-house LGB Club were way too late. Karma slaps you in the face when you're that late!
LGBoA was the first to go. And the stories they tell over there are just ludicrous, absurd. Taking a well oiled machine and smashing it into a wall like that - quite a pro you need for that! Where are the models the Americans wanted to buy supposedly? The "Gallopping Goose", The "Heisler', the "Climax", a "K 28" or "K 27"? Instead they built a "Mikado" that nobody wanted, had gear problems and blocked the form building department for more than a year. They even had a "See Through" F 7...
They even killed the LGB/ASTER series. To choose a GG1 at the very end could be viewed as sabotage, almost. The Wuerttemberg Mallet was way to big in scale and that's the reason it didn't sell. The last 200 engines were re-painted green. You could count on it, now everyone wanted a black one But they were green now!
For a while now people were saying none of that would have happened if Eberhard Richter would have still been alive. May be, but it doesn't help right now. Why didn't his brother intervene in all those years? With all due respect - this question must be permitted.
++++++++++++++ to be continued... Please see part 2 of this article on the next LGB Yarner
On Monday September 18, 2006 it was announced that LGB Nuremberg had declared bankruptcy. LGB published their version of the news on the LGB web site.(YT: see original wording in Part 2)
As much as these news stir up emotions:insiders already knew for a long time that the policies management chose for the last years were doomed to fail. Lehmann (YT: the L in LGB) was "resistant to consulting" as a major LGB dealer once said. And he was right! Even though LGB had a many consultants within the last years who delivered their written expertise for a lot of money. But were those really heeded? There was no chance. Did they actually talk about the LGB product in these expert reports; there was no chance for that because they absolutely couldn't have a clue about that subject. And the product has always been the most important.What does the customer want and what may it cost so he can afford and buy it? That was the '$64,000.00 question' and for years they picked the wrong answers. They never asked their own people, not the salesmen in the field nor the LGB dealers big and small - they just got the crude facts slapped in their faces. In addition (LGB) constantly embarked on hiring the wrong people and thus couldn't even make up for their own incompetence.
"The pilot is disembarking" another author wrote when the former Vice President of Sales, Klaus Baumann, was retired. This statement was true as well. Especially in hard times which we are under for a while now it is important to have somebody who can steer the ship around the cliff. Not one qualified species was left at LGB in the end. And right off the bat the ship ran aground. She had been off course for a while already and the leakages below the waterline were explicitly apparent. But nobody wanted to notice. The captain had no certified license...
And then there was that eXtra huge whole in the hull. Well, it just sped up the process - it wasn't the cause. But it showed the arrogance , the overestimation of their own capabilities, the misjudgment of realities. Obviously nobody knew what the market really wanted. Definitely no Disney-, Coca-Cola, Peanuts- and other colorful, often ugly paint-splashes, and predominantly no mangled standard gauge locos. The customer wanted something completely different. But the panel that knew the market was no longer in demand nor consulted. Even though there had been a series of good new items for a few years - many a fans were staring in disbelief. Compare it to a pack of lions. When a new one enters the scene he thinks he needs to lock jaws with the others. Well if the CEO tolerates this then he has to accept responsibility for that later as well...
"Lifeblood was barely trickling" I wrote about this year's "LGB Summer Fest". But maybe that was nothing but tinted water...
A company that mainly consisted of a giant legal department could not function properly. Definitely not with hobby products for people who wanted to enjoy them. (LGB) put so much weight on pointless bits and pieces when it was too little, too late, already
The "LGB-family" hadn't been cultivated anymore for quite a while. They liked to take but never gave. The "LGB Depesche" (LGB Telegram in USA) used to be a connecting agent but now resembles a sales brochure. Flat and typical for everything else.
Old friends were spooked and scared away. Those who missed long accustomed-to Christmas cards were 'Bourgeois" or 'small minded'. They petty much had forgotten that these 'small minded' people had loyally supported and upheld (their LGB). And they saw the writing on the wall for a long time coming. And they were wondering why nobody at LGB did put on the emergency brakes. Instead big words and the big show ruled LGB as if nothing had happened. As if it isn't in the last minute of the eleventh hour..
Pretty fresh in our memories are the stories the LGBoA boss told on how they pampered their VIP customers and the success they had with that. How this all resulted in profits. Lehmann was never destitute for something like that. Their opinion was : They already make enough money with our products!"
Their cardboard boxes got thinner, the protecting cardboard wrapper was omitted. Labels were printed at the factory and in black+white. Thanks to China product quality decreased immensely but prices increased ever more. There was no way this would work out! The eXtra shop annoyed the customer base. Despite well meaning tips it wasn't stopped nor canceled. And nobody can comprehend a New-Item-program consisting only of color variations. What a blistering pace LGB displayed in their early years. Our articles about the LGB history are witness to that. We do remember quite well the statement by the senior CEO of LGB how "Out of each Dollar earned we have to reinvest 99 cents". That must have been ages ago; otherwise (LGB) should have had all those new items on offer with which the competition already had passed them by - and which are still missing in their offerings.
Now it is too late! Singular measures like re-importing US-specialty-products or establishing an in-house LGB Club were way too late. Karma slaps you in the face when you're that late!
LGBoA was the first to go. And the stories they tell over there are just ludicrous, absurd. Taking a well oiled machine and smashing it into a wall like that - quite a pro you need for that! Where are the models the Americans wanted to buy supposedly? The "Gallopping Goose", The "Heisler', the "Climax", a "K 28" or "K 27"? Instead they built a "Mikado" that nobody wanted, had gear problems and blocked the form building department for more than a year. They even had a "See Through" F 7...
They even killed the LGB/ASTER series. To choose a GG1 at the very end could be viewed as sabotage, almost. The Wuerttemberg Mallet was way to big in scale and that's the reason it didn't sell. The last 200 engines were re-painted green. You could count on it, now everyone wanted a black one But they were green now!
For a while now people were saying none of that would have happened if Eberhard Richter would have still been alive. May be, but it doesn't help right now. Why didn't his brother intervene in all those years? With all due respect - this question must be permitted.
++++++++++++++ to be continued... Please see part 2 of this article on the next LGB Yarner
Monday, August 5, 2019
LGB Klaus ---- in Google
Last year Klaus got a call from GoDaddy, his web page provider. The information was you either change your web page from the standard of 2011 when it was first published or it will be canceled for good. Technology had simply put its stamp on it and the base it was written on was completely outdated.
They gave Klaus a choice. Rewrite it within a week to the new standard which will be available to you at no charge for this time frame. And so he did. It was a busy 'week' to say the least. Then - it was done. Except for one little tiny matter. To build a library of search words so that when a person out there looks for stuff about LGB Klaus' web page would come up on Google. TrainCraft by Klaus that is.
Easily said................Now Klaus was putting in all the search words he could thing of. First and foremost LGB, then all sorts of words for model trains. And so on. Then trying it out how it worked. Then redoing the library. Then using the web page builder algorithm. And go figure; it worked!!
But Google has their own way of putting information into search logic. And thus a search term was born that Klaus could have never invented himself - even if he tried hard!
There! Type 'LGB Klaus' into Google and see what comes up: TrainCraft by Klaus and all his blogs! There you have it. Whenever you like to see what is new at Klaus just type in LGB Klaus and the whole smorgasbord of Old LGB opens up before you.
Now you ask - and what else is new? Well, get ready for some really big NEWS. Always wanted a Klaus 101? Just you and him? Now you can! Go to Klaus 101 and see.
They gave Klaus a choice. Rewrite it within a week to the new standard which will be available to you at no charge for this time frame. And so he did. It was a busy 'week' to say the least. Then - it was done. Except for one little tiny matter. To build a library of search words so that when a person out there looks for stuff about LGB Klaus' web page would come up on Google. TrainCraft by Klaus that is.
Easily said................Now Klaus was putting in all the search words he could thing of. First and foremost LGB, then all sorts of words for model trains. And so on. Then trying it out how it worked. Then redoing the library. Then using the web page builder algorithm. And go figure; it worked!!
But Google has their own way of putting information into search logic. And thus a search term was born that Klaus could have never invented himself - even if he tried hard!
LGB Klaus
Now - all of you who have been around the block for a few decades do remember LGB Hans, the store owner of Gold Coast Station/CA. Klaus would have NEVER chosen something so eerily similar to a search term with that kind of history to it. But Google doesn't give a dime about history, relationships, achievements or contexts. It is pure mathematics, algorithms.There! Type 'LGB Klaus' into Google and see what comes up: TrainCraft by Klaus and all his blogs! There you have it. Whenever you like to see what is new at Klaus just type in LGB Klaus and the whole smorgasbord of Old LGB opens up before you.
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| desktop image, mobile will look different |
Now you ask - and what else is new? Well, get ready for some really big NEWS. Always wanted a Klaus 101? Just you and him? Now you can! Go to Klaus 101 and see.
Ready to call Klaus for reservations?! GO!
Monday, July 15, 2019
Klaus Travels With Guenter Ruhland
Having fun with Guenter solving LGB technical problems it came as second nature to Klaus to have fun off-time as well. Klaus was a big fan of visiting museum rail roads and as soon as he knew his flight schedule he'd start searching for museum railroads in proximity to the destination airport. When San Francisco appeared in his schedule in the early summer of 1995 he knew where to go :
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| The Dixiana Shay, built 1912 at Roaring Camp |
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| The Tuolumne Heisler at Roaring Camp, built in 1899 |
Klaus took Guenter in his cockpit (yes, it was before 9/11) and off they flew to San Fransisco. The spend the arrival night in San Francisco and then traveled by car to Felton the next morning. They boarded the train pulled by the Heisler locomotive for the 3.25 mile long track.
In 1995 the Heisler was the only loco to run on that track. Afterwards they trudged through the rail yard enjoying the other museum locos: The Sonora Shay built in 1911 and the rarely used loco Kahuku, built around 1890 and bought in 1966 from another museum.
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| The Sonora Shay, built in 1911 |
They drove back to San Francisco and later had dinner at the still existing Cliff House, a famous San
The next day they took a boat to Alcatraz. They were in for a big surprise: the movie "The Rock" was being filmed on Alcatraz, starring Sean Connery and Nicholas Cage. To quote Wikipedia:"Most of the film was shot on location in the Alcatraz Prison on Alcatraz Island. As a national park, it wasn’t possible to close Alcatraz down, and much of the filming had to accommodate tour parties milling around.[9]". Klaus still quips:" Yeah and when we were there, we just saw equipment around us everywhere and cables but no actors and no action..!"
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| Courtesy of sftravels San Francisco |
They flew back to Frankfurt the following day.
Friday, June 28, 2019
Klaus Travels With Wolfgang Richter -- Cumbres and Toltec
Travelling the Cumbres and Toltec Line is a great adventure by itself. "The line is a 3 ft (914 mm) narrow-gauge heritage railroad running for 64 miles (103 km) between Antonito, Colorado and Chama, New Mexico, United States. The railroad gets its name from two geographical features along the route, the 10,015-foot (3,053 m)-high Cumbres Pass and the Toltec Gorge. Originally part of the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad's narrow-gauge network, the line has been jointly owned by the states of Colorado and New Mexico since 1970." (quote from Wikipedia, for detailed information go to Cumbres&Toltec Wikipedia.)Klaus had visited the railroad already and knew about the excellent trip, vistas and overall fantastic narrow-gauge adventure you can experience. In 1995 Wolfgang Richter joined Klaus in Klaus' 50th birthday celebration festivities in Skagway/Alaska. There they came up with the idea to go on a joint trip along the Cumbres&Toltec line.
The summer of 1996 was as good a time as any to go on and realize their earlier plan. Said and Done. Wolfgang Richter had some business at LGB of America/San Diego. He organized his itinerary to fly in and to eventually meet up with Klaus in Chama/NM by late August. They stayed in the Branding Iron Motel in Chama which still exists today. For dinner they went to "Vera" to get a steak dinner. Klaus, the ever creative type, had brought a specialty beer from Germany and had come up with a
The next day they started their journey on the Cumbres and Toltec to Antonito/CO. Back then you could move through the whole train, each and every car, throughout your time aboard the train. That way they also got to experience the open air gondola.Arriving in Antonito they stayed at the hotel directly across the railroad depot. Antonito is a very small town, then and now. After an uneventful snack they went to bed to get back to Chama the next day. Another fantastic, scenic train ride brought them to the end of their joint journey.
Wolfgang went back to San Diego to fly back to Germany. Klaus drove to Denver to catch a Lufthansa flight back to Frankfurt. The restaurant Vera doesn't exist anymore. The little hotel in Antonito has gone through a lot of owners. The Friends of the Cumbres And Toltec have a fantastic webcam at Friends of CST . Enjoy the views!
Wednesday, May 1, 2019
LGB # 2040 -- more than one loco
In 1968 Wolfgang and Eberhard Richter opened the L-G-B part of the company Lehmann Patentwerke with an 8-page catalog offering 3 locomotives and 9 cars ( 3 passenger cars, 3 open/flat cars 2 boxcars and one tank car), 6 different track items, 3 cable sets, 4 figurines, 1 throttle and 1 transformer. The big headline on the front page was " Das War Noch Nie Da" (verbatim "that was never there- yet") which translates somewhat into "You've never seen anything like this" or Nothing like that ever existed".
On page 4 they showcased their very first ever garden locomotives in a scale yet unheard of in toys : 1 : 22
The life size models for these locomotives where loco KL 1994/1889 Bn2t Nr.1 of the Austrian Salzkammergut Railway (LGB 2010), the loco 2774/1892 Bn2t Nr.2 of the Steiermaerkischen Railway (LGB 2020) and the loco Krauss XXXII 2700 1923 Nr.4 of the Huettenwerke Siegerland
The Krauss locomotive was very similar to the two Austrian locomotives but had a slightly longer boiler. Eberhard Richter saw the general similarity in those types and the chance of making one model and get 3 locomotives out of it by changing cabin color, smoke stack form and offering lighting or not. And so was born the LGB 2040 No. 4 -- and as well the 2010 and 2020.
LGB manufactured the 2040 until 1975. Meanwhile the LGB 2010 (affectionately known as the Stainz) and somewhat less the LGB 2020 turned real shooting stars. Customers couldn't get enough of the cute little locomotive , available as set or single. The price was decent ( DM 95.00 or US$ 30.00) and you didn't need a wooden plate or anything to mount it on. Tracks worked on almost any surface, soil, garden, driveway, floor - you name it. With the lowest price and pretty basic configuration for the 2040 (no engineer, no light) the demand turned more and more to the 2010. The ongoing "Wirtschaftswunder" in Western Germany, namely the enormous economic growth spanning 3 decades helped LGB to sell more and more every year, expanding their offerings from 3 locomotives in 1968 to 20 locomotives (steam,diesel,electric) by 1978.
By then the LGB 2040 was retired for a while replaced by the 2015 and ever more configurations of the 2010. So, when Wolfgang and Eberhard needed a number for the newly constructed Crocodile the number 2040 was just coming in handy. In 1993 they had sold so many locos and had come up with so many new types, series and configurations that LGB expanded the numbering system by one digit to 5 digit numbers.
Hence the Crocodile got the LGB # 2040 and thus became known as such. No matter what configuration or coloring scheme she came in.
On page 4 they showcased their very first ever garden locomotives in a scale yet unheard of in toys : 1 : 22
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| Page 4 of the very first LGB catalog from 1968 |
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| Life size model Krauss 1923 for the LGB 2040 steam loco |
LGB manufactured the 2040 until 1975. Meanwhile the LGB 2010 (affectionately known as the Stainz) and somewhat less the LGB 2020 turned real shooting stars. Customers couldn't get enough of the cute little locomotive , available as set or single. The price was decent ( DM 95.00 or US$ 30.00) and you didn't need a wooden plate or anything to mount it on. Tracks worked on almost any surface, soil, garden, driveway, floor - you name it. With the lowest price and pretty basic configuration for the 2040 (no engineer, no light) the demand turned more and more to the 2010. The ongoing "Wirtschaftswunder" in Western Germany, namely the enormous economic growth spanning 3 decades helped LGB to sell more and more every year, expanding their offerings from 3 locomotives in 1968 to 20 locomotives (steam,diesel,electric) by 1978.
By then the LGB 2040 was retired for a while replaced by the 2015 and ever more configurations of the 2010. So, when Wolfgang and Eberhard needed a number for the newly constructed Crocodile the number 2040 was just coming in handy. In 1993 they had sold so many locos and had come up with so many new types, series and configurations that LGB expanded the numbering system by one digit to 5 digit numbers.Hence the Crocodile got the LGB # 2040 and thus became known as such. No matter what configuration or coloring scheme she came in.
Monday, April 8, 2019
A Benevolent Angel -- Frau Grimm and the OLD LGB Parts Department
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 https://www.gofundme.com/f/keep-the-lgb-traincraft-blogs-alive
THANK YOU for keeping the LGB hobby alive!! And God Bless!
The Old LGB Parts Department
At the Old LGB factory at Saganer Street in Nuremberg LGB entertained a parts department that until today still has to find its match. It was most important to Eberhard and Wolfgang Richter to offer every part that was needed to built their LGB locomotives as a spare part for purchase to their customers.
It was in 1968 that they had started their Lehmann Grossbahn manufacturing model trains and at roughly DM 300.00 for a train, A German hobbyist had to spill out the modern equivalent of US$ 950.00 for a Stainz Starter set. It was therefore of utmost importance to provide spare parts on such a luxurious object and preferably at low costs so customers would not loose interest in a hobby that was sort of expensive in the first place.
A look at the LGB 2018D blowup sketch of the loco shows the enormous number of parts that goes into e.g. the Mogul (shown is page 1 of 4 pages). And remember, there were no computers, no internet. Nothing to help you remember or look up the number of a spare part the customer would ask for. And these blow up sketches were NOT part of the train/loco when you bought it. So, lets say you were missing the bell from the loco. You went and called LGB parts department and said" I need a bell for my LGB loco". Yeah, right. Which loco? Did you know you had a Mogul, a Stainz, a Field Railway loco? This is were Mrs. Grimm comes in.
Mrs. Nelly Grimm was the angel of the repair and parts department. She is the wife of LGB head Meister of Production/Manufacturing Rolf Grimm. Mrs. Grimm had an extensive knowledge of each,every and any LGB spare part ever made. Not kidding. You lost a tiny screw on the bottom of a Salzburger steam loco 2010- she knew and did mail you the right one. You needed a bumper for the blue electric loco 2030? She knew and mailed you the right one. You called and said:"Mrs. Grimm, My Steyrtal loco (U-Series) has its dome cracked, do you have a new one for me. And she would know to ask,:"Is it the one with the ring around the dome or without?"' and you would get the right part. Mrs.Grimm breathed LGB parts. They were here blood and soul. She didn't have to check any blow up sketch, no manual, no list. She knew them by heart. 50.000 parts. By heart. And that is only for locomotives. Add to this the passenger cars, freight cars and box cars. AMAZING!
You can imagine how well liked Nelly Grimm was. She and her husband Rolf were invited to almost every important LGB occasion. Be it a toy fair, a company anniversary, LGB Club affair, big LGB dealer parties. Wherever the who's who of LGB was invited, Nelly Grimm and her husband where right there at Wolfgang Richter's side. Always humble, always very nice and more than often bringing a self-made cake to the occasion so nobody would go hungry and the event would - for sure - have a "gemütlichen"( homey) feel to it. It might happen that people who collected LGB trains did not know (of) Wolfgang Richter or later his son Rolf Richter as the CEO. But everybody knew Mrs. Nelly Grimm.
Today, Nelly Grimm and her husband Rolf just celebrated his 80th birthday anniversary. They still live in the same house with their beautiful garden and their LGB train layout. I don't know of anybody within the (German speaking ) LGB community that would or could ever forget her. I think we all wish she would still be reachable to give us that fantastic help when we need a spare part on a LGB loco that we can just describe as :" That thingy on top of the round body with the wheels on"...
Mrs. Nelly Grimm -- a big Thank You from a far away place, the USA, to you and your husband. And a wistful thought back to good old times....
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 https://www.gofundme.com/f/keep-the-lgb-traincraft-blogs-alive
THANK YOU for keeping the LGB hobby alive!! And God Bless!
 |
| Wolfgang(left),Klaus Baumann (center) and Eberhard Richter |
Your donation will help in our efforts to have a new blog at least every week!
The Old LGB Parts Department
At the Old LGB factory at Saganer Street in Nuremberg LGB entertained a parts department that until today still has to find its match. It was most important to Eberhard and Wolfgang Richter to offer every part that was needed to built their LGB locomotives as a spare part for purchase to their customers.
It was in 1968 that they had started their Lehmann Grossbahn manufacturing model trains and at roughly DM 300.00 for a train, A German hobbyist had to spill out the modern equivalent of US$ 950.00 for a Stainz Starter set. It was therefore of utmost importance to provide spare parts on such a luxurious object and preferably at low costs so customers would not loose interest in a hobby that was sort of expensive in the first place.A look at the LGB 2018D blowup sketch of the loco shows the enormous number of parts that goes into e.g. the Mogul (shown is page 1 of 4 pages). And remember, there were no computers, no internet. Nothing to help you remember or look up the number of a spare part the customer would ask for. And these blow up sketches were NOT part of the train/loco when you bought it. So, lets say you were missing the bell from the loco. You went and called LGB parts department and said" I need a bell for my LGB loco". Yeah, right. Which loco? Did you know you had a Mogul, a Stainz, a Field Railway loco? This is were Mrs. Grimm comes in.
Mrs. Nelly Grimm was the angel of the repair and parts department. She is the wife of LGB head Meister of Production/Manufacturing Rolf Grimm. Mrs. Grimm had an extensive knowledge of each,every and any LGB spare part ever made. Not kidding. You lost a tiny screw on the bottom of a Salzburger steam loco 2010- she knew and did mail you the right one. You needed a bumper for the blue electric loco 2030? She knew and mailed you the right one. You called and said:"Mrs. Grimm, My Steyrtal loco (U-Series) has its dome cracked, do you have a new one for me. And she would know to ask,:"Is it the one with the ring around the dome or without?"' and you would get the right part. Mrs.Grimm breathed LGB parts. They were here blood and soul. She didn't have to check any blow up sketch, no manual, no list. She knew them by heart. 50.000 parts. By heart. And that is only for locomotives. Add to this the passenger cars, freight cars and box cars. AMAZING!
You can imagine how well liked Nelly Grimm was. She and her husband Rolf were invited to almost every important LGB occasion. Be it a toy fair, a company anniversary, LGB Club affair, big LGB dealer parties. Wherever the who's who of LGB was invited, Nelly Grimm and her husband where right there at Wolfgang Richter's side. Always humble, always very nice and more than often bringing a self-made cake to the occasion so nobody would go hungry and the event would - for sure - have a "gemütlichen"( homey) feel to it. It might happen that people who collected LGB trains did not know (of) Wolfgang Richter or later his son Rolf Richter as the CEO. But everybody knew Mrs. Nelly Grimm.
Today, Nelly Grimm and her husband Rolf just celebrated his 80th birthday anniversary. They still live in the same house with their beautiful garden and their LGB train layout. I don't know of anybody within the (German speaking ) LGB community that would or could ever forget her. I think we all wish she would still be reachable to give us that fantastic help when we need a spare part on a LGB loco that we can just describe as :" That thingy on top of the round body with the wheels on"...
Mrs. Nelly Grimm -- a big Thank You from a far away place, the USA, to you and your husband. And a wistful thought back to good old times....
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 https://www.gofundme.com/f/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!
Monday, March 11, 2019
What happened on March 16 1995
March 16 1995 was a Thursday. And you ask yourself what made this day special? Well, in world history terms-- mainly nothing. Nobody famous was born or died.
in LGB history terms, 3 guys met on a plane..................
Klaus, as you know, is by trade a Lufthansa flight captain for A 340. Now retired, in 1995 he was in the dream years of his career. LH 456 was to fly from Frankfurt to Los Angeles departing FRA around 10.00 a.m. and arriving in LAX around 13.30 or 1.30 p.m.. Klaus had worked with LGB by then for well over 10 years having established close relations with Wolfgang Richter himself and the LGB family.
In the early 1980's Klaus was introduced to the Massoth company by Klaus Baumann, then Vice president Sales&Marketing LGB. Klaus had developed and pre-designed the firebox for the Mogul and had built a prototype firebox in a Mogul. Klaus demonstrated this prototype to Mr. Massoth Sr . Mr. Massoth Sr saw this and said: "This has to go to Nuremberg (LGB) instantly. They are working on putting a cab light into a Mogul 2019S and need to see this."
The following day Klaus traveled to Nuremberg demonstrating this prototype to Mr. Ruhland (Head of Molding), Wolfgang Richter and Rolf Richter. The idea was instantly accepted. The Massoth Co. was chosen as the manufacturer for the firebox electronic while Klaus was to deliver a producible reflector for the firebox as to ready the unit for serial production. The Mogul 2019 s was the first model train worldwide to feature the firebox light and was presented to the market in 1983. Gradually the firebox light was implemented in many more LGB steam locomotives.
So- as you can see, Klaus knew the top tier at LGB quite well as well as the guys at Massoth. Now, Klaus did all this important work for LGB while being a flight captain. As Klaus likes to say:" On some flights you really have time to think a lot. Technical stuff is what I do best next to flying".
Fast forward another 10 years when in 1995 Klaus was approached by Christoph Massoth who had joined his father's company by then. Christoph wanted to accompany Klaus on a special flight from Frankfurt to Los Angeles with the goal in mind to get some sound recordings. The focus was on Disney Land in Anaheim/CA which featured a real life Mogul. The sales rep for LGB of San Diego had worked out the meeting arrangements.
Christoph was to fly on a so-called 'cockpit-ticket' which put him in the observer seat behind the Captain and Co-pilot in the cockpit of the A 340. While boarding Christoph told Klaus "Somebody else is on this flight today who we both know" and pointed out Rolf Richter among the passengers ready for boarding. Rolf was to fly to San Diego on a regularly booked First Class ticket and was completely unaware of Klaus being the Captain and Christoph being another passenger.
There you have it. No multi-billion company does permit what happened on March 16, 1995 : 3 men who did and were to impact LGB in awe-inspiring, extraordinary and also shocking ways on the same flight to further the abilities of LGB trains.
And to top it all off Klaus did invite Rolf into the cockpit for landing.
The Disneyland visit was later cancelled due to repair problems with the Mogul. So Klaus called Knott's Berry Farms and was able to arrange a visit and recording admission for Knott's Berry Farms' real life narrow gauge steam loco in their amusement park. Rolf Richter left Klaus and Christoph to see to his LGB business in San Diego.
Update:
Rolf Richter passed away in 2009. Christoph Massoth retired in 2012 from Massoth Co. and went into sheep breeding and herding.
And Klaus? Klaus retired from flying in 2001 and went to establish a series of technical companies of which TrainCraftbyKlaus is still active and operating. As of March 2019 Klaus is again open for installation, restoration and repairs of LGB trains. Call him for an appointment for your LGB treasures. And please check out our blogs TrainCraftbyKlaus and TrainCraft Trove.
Thank You for Your Support!
BUT
in LGB history terms, 3 guys met on a plane..................
Klaus, as you know, is by trade a Lufthansa flight captain for A 340. Now retired, in 1995 he was in the dream years of his career. LH 456 was to fly from Frankfurt to Los Angeles departing FRA around 10.00 a.m. and arriving in LAX around 13.30 or 1.30 p.m.. Klaus had worked with LGB by then for well over 10 years having established close relations with Wolfgang Richter himself and the LGB family.
In the early 1980's Klaus was introduced to the Massoth company by Klaus Baumann, then Vice president Sales&Marketing LGB. Klaus had developed and pre-designed the firebox for the Mogul and had built a prototype firebox in a Mogul. Klaus demonstrated this prototype to Mr. Massoth Sr . Mr. Massoth Sr saw this and said: "This has to go to Nuremberg (LGB) instantly. They are working on putting a cab light into a Mogul 2019S and need to see this."
The following day Klaus traveled to Nuremberg demonstrating this prototype to Mr. Ruhland (Head of Molding), Wolfgang Richter and Rolf Richter. The idea was instantly accepted. The Massoth Co. was chosen as the manufacturer for the firebox electronic while Klaus was to deliver a producible reflector for the firebox as to ready the unit for serial production. The Mogul 2019 s was the first model train worldwide to feature the firebox light and was presented to the market in 1983. Gradually the firebox light was implemented in many more LGB steam locomotives.
So- as you can see, Klaus knew the top tier at LGB quite well as well as the guys at Massoth. Now, Klaus did all this important work for LGB while being a flight captain. As Klaus likes to say:" On some flights you really have time to think a lot. Technical stuff is what I do best next to flying".
Fast forward another 10 years when in 1995 Klaus was approached by Christoph Massoth who had joined his father's company by then. Christoph wanted to accompany Klaus on a special flight from Frankfurt to Los Angeles with the goal in mind to get some sound recordings. The focus was on Disney Land in Anaheim/CA which featured a real life Mogul. The sales rep for LGB of San Diego had worked out the meeting arrangements.
Christoph was to fly on a so-called 'cockpit-ticket' which put him in the observer seat behind the Captain and Co-pilot in the cockpit of the A 340. While boarding Christoph told Klaus "Somebody else is on this flight today who we both know" and pointed out Rolf Richter among the passengers ready for boarding. Rolf was to fly to San Diego on a regularly booked First Class ticket and was completely unaware of Klaus being the Captain and Christoph being another passenger.
There you have it. No multi-billion company does permit what happened on March 16, 1995 : 3 men who did and were to impact LGB in awe-inspiring, extraordinary and also shocking ways on the same flight to further the abilities of LGB trains.
And to top it all off Klaus did invite Rolf into the cockpit for landing.
 |
| Courtesy www.ocregister.com-KnoxBerryFarm trains |
Update:
Rolf Richter passed away in 2009. Christoph Massoth retired in 2012 from Massoth Co. and went into sheep breeding and herding.
And Klaus? Klaus retired from flying in 2001 and went to establish a series of technical companies of which TrainCraftbyKlaus is still active and operating. As of March 2019 Klaus is again open for installation, restoration and repairs of LGB trains. Call him for an appointment for your LGB treasures. And please check out our blogs TrainCraftbyKlaus and TrainCraft Trove.
Thank You for Your Support!
Friday, March 28, 2014
The LGB Collector - A Lifetime Story - Conclusion
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.
A collection of special trains or Starter Sets may have its own charm. At least as long as one doesn't buy huge volume of one kind (of loco) and store it in the basement hoping for increasing value overtime. There were some fine trains out there like the Pinzgau train (LGB# 20520) or the Furka-Oberalp train (LGB# 20512) mirroring the archetype nicely. Optically pretty 'advertising' trains were the Nürnberger Lebkuchen train (LGB#20526 - Nuremberg gingerbread train), the Philips Train (LGB# 20412) as well as the beer trains Lütgenau (LGB# 20536) and Schweiger (LGB# 20539). Then there were special train(sets) for the American market like the Marshall Field Train (LGB# 20534) and the Dodge City Little Billy Train (LGB# 20701).
The Red Train (LGB# 20401 RZ) and the Blue Train (LGB# 20301 BZ) were supposed to tie in with the success of the Anniversary train (set) which to some degree they did. There were many, many other train sets; and the Lehman factory did not like at all the fact that quite a number of sets went straight into the basement of collectors rather than into the living rooms of LGB beginners. Regarding this subject my opinion has always been that LGB could very well afford to 'give' the collector a highly subsidized train set once in a while when they were making good money out of him (all the other time of the relationship).
The 'cherry on top' of any collection, of course, was the Golden Train (LGB # 20100) of which just 200 were made due to severe problems during the process of steaming the leaf gold onto the Stainz loco. Original plans were to make 1,000 train sets; now you do the math and figure out how many of the low and high sided gondolas are still living 'single lives' at LGB fans' homes or are trailing behind ordinary LGB locos...
Of course there was a lot of rubbish among the special trains and special cars. I don't want to name them here to not insult anyone belatedly; but everyone will know what I am talking about..( this is in reference to some pretty ugly circumstances involving a big discounter in Germany and the authorized LGB dealership in the late 80's and early 90's. And the eventually "unsellable" golden train'set'. Yours Truly)
Sadly, the long planned LGB-Museum in Nuremberg never realized. When the factory extension was built on to the existing LGB lot in the early 90's a museum was part of the planning but sadly wasn't built. Now other things are more important...(remember, this article is from 2006. In 2012/13 the famous Spielwaren Museum= Toy Museum Nuremberg added a wing for LGB which is serviced and managed by the LGB Booster Club. See LGB Yarner blog 05/2013). Twice in the past there was a " LGB-Museum" at convention boothes, once in 1988 - 20th anniversary LGB- and in 2000 jointly with Uwe Klöting at the International Train Show in Cologne. I (HJN) furnished and managed both which was a lot of work as well as a great honor.
Today you'll find a lot of LGB layouts offered by estates. More than once I received calls from people telling me that their grandfather had passed away and that they wanted to sell their inherited LGB collection. I always asked immediately if they or their children wouldn't like to continue the hobby themselves. Their responses told me that the LGB 'bug' obviously could not be passed on and that they obviously have different interests today. Sad, but nothing you can do...
The driving stock out of these estates are often unfit to go into or extend collections. They have been played with - which they were destined to be, not to forget. Often, driving stock from outdoor layouts was intensly operated; meaning they suffered from weather, screws are rusty and the plastic became brittle or broke off already (parts). In case very rare pieces are part of such a layout (collection) one can try to buy those and restore them. But even the repair department of LGB at the factory - which brought new shine to old driving stock in years passed - have now run out of historic spare parts. Some (collectors) buy bad looking items at a flea market just to use them as spare part provider.
Maybe the (LGB fan) who has a nice historic LGB portfolio should start thinking about how and to whom he wants to pass on his collection. To see these items end up on eBay is just a pity.
I do hope I was able to take you with me on (my) journey into the world of LGB and want to focus one last time on our (LGB Friends of Much) motto: "back to the roots". To quote a famous citizen: "there is magic in all things new" and I say " but also in many old things, too." Just like no one would get the idea to collect modern cars they do like to see Oldtimers in their garages. They (oldtimers) represent craftsmanship and their engineering is traceable. They are just like-able and something special. Just like you can transfer this thought to LGB ; back to the roots - wholeheartedly and with enthusiasm.
H.-Jürgen Neumann
A collection of special trains or Starter Sets may have its own charm. At least as long as one doesn't buy huge volume of one kind (of loco) and store it in the basement hoping for increasing value overtime. There were some fine trains out there like the Pinzgau train (LGB# 20520) or the Furka-Oberalp train (LGB# 20512) mirroring the archetype nicely. Optically pretty 'advertising' trains were the Nürnberger Lebkuchen train (LGB#20526 - Nuremberg gingerbread train), the Philips Train (LGB# 20412) as well as the beer trains Lütgenau (LGB# 20536) and Schweiger (LGB# 20539). Then there were special train(sets) for the American market like the Marshall Field Train (LGB# 20534) and the Dodge City Little Billy Train (LGB# 20701).
 |
| "Auflage" = edition volume |
The Red Train (LGB# 20401 RZ) and the Blue Train (LGB# 20301 BZ) were supposed to tie in with the success of the Anniversary train (set) which to some degree they did. There were many, many other train sets; and the Lehman factory did not like at all the fact that quite a number of sets went straight into the basement of collectors rather than into the living rooms of LGB beginners. Regarding this subject my opinion has always been that LGB could very well afford to 'give' the collector a highly subsidized train set once in a while when they were making good money out of him (all the other time of the relationship).
The 'cherry on top' of any collection, of course, was the Golden Train (LGB # 20100) of which just 200 were made due to severe problems during the process of steaming the leaf gold onto the Stainz loco. Original plans were to make 1,000 train sets; now you do the math and figure out how many of the low and high sided gondolas are still living 'single lives' at LGB fans' homes or are trailing behind ordinary LGB locos...
 |
| The collector's dream: the golden train LGB# 20100 NB from 1991. Volume originally planned: 1,000. Executed: 200 |
Of course there was a lot of rubbish among the special trains and special cars. I don't want to name them here to not insult anyone belatedly; but everyone will know what I am talking about..( this is in reference to some pretty ugly circumstances involving a big discounter in Germany and the authorized LGB dealership in the late 80's and early 90's. And the eventually "unsellable" golden train'set'. Yours Truly)
Sadly, the long planned LGB-Museum in Nuremberg never realized. When the factory extension was built on to the existing LGB lot in the early 90's a museum was part of the planning but sadly wasn't built. Now other things are more important...(remember, this article is from 2006. In 2012/13 the famous Spielwaren Museum= Toy Museum Nuremberg added a wing for LGB which is serviced and managed by the LGB Booster Club. See LGB Yarner blog 05/2013). Twice in the past there was a " LGB-Museum" at convention boothes, once in 1988 - 20th anniversary LGB- and in 2000 jointly with Uwe Klöting at the International Train Show in Cologne. I (HJN) furnished and managed both which was a lot of work as well as a great honor.
Today you'll find a lot of LGB layouts offered by estates. More than once I received calls from people telling me that their grandfather had passed away and that they wanted to sell their inherited LGB collection. I always asked immediately if they or their children wouldn't like to continue the hobby themselves. Their responses told me that the LGB 'bug' obviously could not be passed on and that they obviously have different interests today. Sad, but nothing you can do...
The driving stock out of these estates are often unfit to go into or extend collections. They have been played with - which they were destined to be, not to forget. Often, driving stock from outdoor layouts was intensly operated; meaning they suffered from weather, screws are rusty and the plastic became brittle or broke off already (parts). In case very rare pieces are part of such a layout (collection) one can try to buy those and restore them. But even the repair department of LGB at the factory - which brought new shine to old driving stock in years passed - have now run out of historic spare parts. Some (collectors) buy bad looking items at a flea market just to use them as spare part provider.
Maybe the (LGB fan) who has a nice historic LGB portfolio should start thinking about how and to whom he wants to pass on his collection. To see these items end up on eBay is just a pity.
I do hope I was able to take you with me on (my) journey into the world of LGB and want to focus one last time on our (LGB Friends of Much) motto: "back to the roots". To quote a famous citizen: "there is magic in all things new" and I say " but also in many old things, too." Just like no one would get the idea to collect modern cars they do like to see Oldtimers in their garages. They (oldtimers) represent craftsmanship and their engineering is traceable. They are just like-able and something special. Just like you can transfer this thought to LGB ; back to the roots - wholeheartedly and with enthusiasm.
H.-Jürgen Neumann
Monday, February 24, 2014
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.
(....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.
(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+++++++++++++
 |
| 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+++++++++++++
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
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.
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.
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.
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 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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. |
 |
| 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. |
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
The LGB Collector - A Lifetime Story Part 6
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.
Then, at one time the base frame was done, tracks were laid including a Staging yard ( or Fiddle yard; a collection of model railway tracks that are invisible to a viewer) . Then fate interfered: in 1985 I founded the LGB Club Rhein/Sieg and at the same time the Club magazine "Spur II Nachrichten" (Gauge II News) with the very first issue focusing on collecting; which in later issues was taken up again and again and also reporting about things past and currrent issues.
Regarding my basement layout - it was sort of neglected due to my many tasks for the Club and the magazine and sort of still looks the same today as is did back then.
Spanning 20 years now my task was to organize Club meetings, appearances at conventions, Club travels, memos, membership management and administration and many more. The magazine required the biggest time input since I wrote many articles myself and I spend many evenings editing, layouting and publishing the magazine. (In 1985 there were no PC's and cheap printers to help with publishing, all work-type,composition,drafting, had to be prepared before going to a printing press. That didn't change in Germany until the late 90's). Always being pressed for time to publish an issue by mid year and at the end of a year. The magazine "Spur II Nachrichten" gained an excellent image over the years. It was independent and critical, calling things by their name which didn't always go well with the person in focus. But all criticism was always factual and objective and predominantly right on spot.
After 20 years, in 2005, I decided to pass on the leadership of the Club into new hands and chose as my successor(s) a board of active club members - it was quite a relief from all that work. And I felt that even more when the new board decided in 2006 to cease the magazine due to costs and other reasons and publish a new magazine under their own management. This decision led to a huge alleviation for me even though I also was feeling a bit of sorrow as did many of the readers.
Well, back to the subject of collecting. (In the 80's)When I was working for a big auditing firm and traveled all of West Germany and West Berlin it set the perfect stage for collecting LGB trains specifically those who were from the early years and were no longer manufactured: I was traveling to many big cities and could stroll through the toy stores right after work; and back then I had a lavish allowance for my travel expenses covering my financial needs. I remember it very well being in Mannheim purchasing 6 green BP tank cars. In today's money a very good investment!
Flea markets and toy markets also offered interesting old items. Always sought-after were the little plain colored electric locos and the first locos with "Heuler" motors. Pieces like the old tank cars were readily purchased.
When the 'old-timers' were no longer available the collecting fervor diverted. First people looked for color variations. Lehmann (always) took quite some liberty with their color schemes. A car that was just painted in light red came in medium red with the' next edition'. The labeling showed many discrepancies, too. Passenger coaches were labeled in Arabic numerals then in Roman numerals. Labeling was done with labels, then by embossing, then by pad printing.
At one time models were sought after that were made exclusively for the US market, for other foreign countries, or in limited editions. A red Old-timer Street Car for Austria, a red-white streetcar passenger car "Chocolat Suchard" and in particular the driving stock of the "Primus" series built from 1977 to 1978 became exciting - and about which I (HJN) will write a special article in the near future (which Yours truly will translate and publish here as well in our near future). Many models for the US market could only be sold in the USA due to concession and royalty reasons. I do very well remember the first "Coca-Cola" car LGB # 4072 issued in 1985 that was highly sought after and highly paid for here in Germany. Then there was a "Orient Express" LGB# 20277 consisting of a gray steam loco of the "U"-series and 3 different coaches (base car was LGB# 3062) and was almost unknown here (in Germany).
Of course a vivid bartering ensued with LGB friends in the USA. Huge quantities of "old-timer stuff" was purchased here in Germany via intermediaries and shipped to the USA. At the same time collectors here procured US specials via acquaintances directly from the USA. It wasn't always perfect due to the long transportation route (America and back) transport damages happened easily - but what were one supposed to do? Broken grab bars on the Coca Cola car and bruised rivets on the Orient Express cars can tell a thing or two about this. Calling on LGB company to establish a kind of "Collector's Service" went "DOA". One of the reasons for that was that 'collectors' were synonymous with 'scalpers' which was in part due to our American LGB friends since their profiteering with LGB models was quite obvious. ( Note from Yours Truly: what we Americans call having a smart sense for business is often already understood as profiteering in German mentality). The most startling stories were told - about LGB rarities stock-piled in bank safes and many more.
With increasing prices of LGB items the collectors craze went down reciprocally. To purchase several LGB driving stock items of the same item type just to store them in the 'collector's shelf' became financially impossible. Add on the space problem that every collector had to face at one time. Back then 'old-timers' often were sold to be able to afford new items - which was certainly regretted later. +++++++++++++++++++++++++to be continued++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
.
Then, at one time the base frame was done, tracks were laid including a Staging yard ( or Fiddle yard; a collection of model railway tracks that are invisible to a viewer) . Then fate interfered: in 1985 I founded the LGB Club Rhein/Sieg and at the same time the Club magazine "Spur II Nachrichten" (Gauge II News) with the very first issue focusing on collecting; which in later issues was taken up again and again and also reporting about things past and currrent issues.
Regarding my basement layout - it was sort of neglected due to my many tasks for the Club and the magazine and sort of still looks the same today as is did back then.
Spanning 20 years now my task was to organize Club meetings, appearances at conventions, Club travels, memos, membership management and administration and many more. The magazine required the biggest time input since I wrote many articles myself and I spend many evenings editing, layouting and publishing the magazine. (In 1985 there were no PC's and cheap printers to help with publishing, all work-type,composition,drafting, had to be prepared before going to a printing press. That didn't change in Germany until the late 90's). Always being pressed for time to publish an issue by mid year and at the end of a year. The magazine "Spur II Nachrichten" gained an excellent image over the years. It was independent and critical, calling things by their name which didn't always go well with the person in focus. But all criticism was always factual and objective and predominantly right on spot.
After 20 years, in 2005, I decided to pass on the leadership of the Club into new hands and chose as my successor(s) a board of active club members - it was quite a relief from all that work. And I felt that even more when the new board decided in 2006 to cease the magazine due to costs and other reasons and publish a new magazine under their own management. This decision led to a huge alleviation for me even though I also was feeling a bit of sorrow as did many of the readers.
Well, back to the subject of collecting. (In the 80's)When I was working for a big auditing firm and traveled all of West Germany and West Berlin it set the perfect stage for collecting LGB trains specifically those who were from the early years and were no longer manufactured: I was traveling to many big cities and could stroll through the toy stores right after work; and back then I had a lavish allowance for my travel expenses covering my financial needs. I remember it very well being in Mannheim purchasing 6 green BP tank cars. In today's money a very good investment!
Flea markets and toy markets also offered interesting old items. Always sought-after were the little plain colored electric locos and the first locos with "Heuler" motors. Pieces like the old tank cars were readily purchased.
When the 'old-timers' were no longer available the collecting fervor diverted. First people looked for color variations. Lehmann (always) took quite some liberty with their color schemes. A car that was just painted in light red came in medium red with the' next edition'. The labeling showed many discrepancies, too. Passenger coaches were labeled in Arabic numerals then in Roman numerals. Labeling was done with labels, then by embossing, then by pad printing.
 |
| Primus 1977-78: blue Diesel loco # 20860 followed by a black Shell tank car # 40860 and a Coca Cola car # 40832. The "8" inbetween the LGB number was reserved for Primus. Left: The first Coca Cola Specialty Car # 4072 issued in 1985 and was much sought-after from the start. Limited edition of 2,000. |
Of course a vivid bartering ensued with LGB friends in the USA. Huge quantities of "old-timer stuff" was purchased here in Germany via intermediaries and shipped to the USA. At the same time collectors here procured US specials via acquaintances directly from the USA. It wasn't always perfect due to the long transportation route (America and back) transport damages happened easily - but what were one supposed to do? Broken grab bars on the Coca Cola car and bruised rivets on the Orient Express cars can tell a thing or two about this. Calling on LGB company to establish a kind of "Collector's Service" went "DOA". One of the reasons for that was that 'collectors' were synonymous with 'scalpers' which was in part due to our American LGB friends since their profiteering with LGB models was quite obvious. ( Note from Yours Truly: what we Americans call having a smart sense for business is often already understood as profiteering in German mentality). The most startling stories were told - about LGB rarities stock-piled in bank safes and many more.
With increasing prices of LGB items the collectors craze went down reciprocally. To purchase several LGB driving stock items of the same item type just to store them in the 'collector's shelf' became financially impossible. Add on the space problem that every collector had to face at one time. Back then 'old-timers' often were sold to be able to afford new items - which was certainly regretted later. +++++++++++++++++++++++++to be continued++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
.
Monday, December 16, 2013
The LGB Collector -- A Life Time Story Part 5
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.
In 1975 I moved back into my parent's house in Wuppertal, the city of my original upbringing. A garden shed was part of that property which I annexed instantly for my LGB purposes. There I established my first real layout on a plywood board. The LGB Depesche published photos in issue 31/32. Accessories at hand at that time are clearly recognizable. A train station and a freight shed by "Lindberg", loco shed, small freight shed and platforms by "Preiser" (who unfortunately did not continue with their product program). The ramps are by "Kibri" , they are displayed on the upper photo on the right. An oldtimer car by "Schuco" (which is now owned by the same people who now own LGB) is waiting at the railway crossing gate.
I won runner-up with this layout at a LGB at a LGB photo-competition! Again, the LGB Depesche reported about this see magazine # 35 from 1978, pages 18 to 21. By then the "Lindberg" trainstation was replaced by the 'Kleinbach' by "POLA", also a lineman shed by POLA, a coal silo and a small crane by HMB as well as many added LGB locomotives and cars.
In 1979 I moved from Wuppertal to Much. I worked in Cologne at that time and wanted to built a home-house. Via the "Koelner Stadtanzeiger" (Cologne newspaper) I found a piece of land in Much -until that time unbeknownst to me - about 30 (car) minutes from Cologne. The property measures 1,200 square-meter (roughly 1/4 acre) and would have been non-affordable within Cologne city limits. Right-away I told my architect that I needed a train-basement. So he planned a basement room covering the complete length and width of the house : 11 yards by 5 yards. But it took another 5 years until I could start building my layout. First, this room got used as storage room right after moving in and then I had other things to do, landscaping my backyard and other chores.
In 1975 I moved back into my parent's house in Wuppertal, the city of my original upbringing. A garden shed was part of that property which I annexed instantly for my LGB purposes. There I established my first real layout on a plywood board. The LGB Depesche published photos in issue 31/32. Accessories at hand at that time are clearly recognizable. A train station and a freight shed by "Lindberg", loco shed, small freight shed and platforms by "Preiser" (who unfortunately did not continue with their product program). The ramps are by "Kibri" , they are displayed on the upper photo on the right. An oldtimer car by "Schuco" (which is now owned by the same people who now own LGB) is waiting at the railway crossing gate.
 |
| Top: View onto the first 'real' LGB layout. behind the turntable is the loco shed by Preiser Middle: Lindberg- train station already w/ several upgrade accessories. In front the platform by Preiser Bottom: Small freight shed by Preiser on left. The train station lamps deliver a romantic light. |
I won runner-up with this layout at a LGB at a LGB photo-competition! Again, the LGB Depesche reported about this see magazine # 35 from 1978, pages 18 to 21. By then the "Lindberg" trainstation was replaced by the 'Kleinbach' by "POLA", also a lineman shed by POLA, a coal silo and a small crane by HMB as well as many added LGB locomotives and cars.
 |
| clockwise from top left: the green "Waldenburg" steam loco waits at the platform. View of the train station area with BW-in the back a 2080 w passenger cars is approaching. Layout plan of the new LGB layout in the garden shed. The new OBB Diesel loco 2095 at work- in the front a little platform shed deriving from as loco shed addition by Preiser. The "Kleinbach' train station by POLA, the wonderful old timer structure was something special back then;look closely and you can see a lot of additional accessories! Mr. Speedy hurries to the (POLA) train station to take the Fiery Eli into the city nearby. |
 |
| clockwise from top: atmospheric shot in the depot.- On the right the drive-up ramp by Kibri, dense housing with several buildings and a small crane - Coal silo (on right side in photo) by HMB made out of wood.- Drive-up ramp by Kibri (in front) behind that the gatekeeper shed by POLA. |
Friday, November 1, 2013
The LGB Collector -- A Life Time Story -- Part 4
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.
....Many a contacts developed through my LGB Hobby and my activities. Speaking with LGB friends at fairs and conventions, entertained a friendship with the Swiss LGB Club and their President Erwin Neuweiler; as well as with the American LGB Club of which I am a member for many years. I phoned Mr. Zeunert- who managed the LGB Depesche or met with him at fairs. I met and befriended a lot of dealers among them Jürgen Baumann, Jacob Groen, Marion Hötzel, Sven Linden, Hans-Peter Naber, Hans-Herrmann Nahrgang, Erwin Neuweiler, Frank Michael Pohl and others. In addition there were the manufacturers of other Big Train items and accessories. There were and are still today a great many friendships into all of the LGB world.
But back to the year 1972: Thank the Lord - I have to admit nowadays- I wasn't a good tinkerer. What others did to their LGB engines: super them up, paint them, construct one long one out of two short ones- I had no clue. I operated them the way they came out of the box. Maybe I added freight or transported my guinea pigs (which I kept as pets) with them. There are really just a very few engines which I tinkered with. For instance the American caboose # 4065 which I photographed for my 'Historic Pages' the other day. It was furnished with metal axles and power pickup plus two rear lights. While I removed the metal axles and the power pickup after the photo shoot and replaced them with the still existing Original axles the holes in the boxcar remained being needed for the cables to the rear lights -- what a pity considering today's (collector's) value.
I also have to admit to another 'failing' since I replaced the originally plastic trailing wheels for the U-Series with metal axles. It looked nicer. But I still have the originals so I can 're-work' the locos in the near future.
What I really bemoan is that I burned the LGB boxes in the field adjacent (to my home) because I didn't have enough space. But I grew wise fast and stopped that altogether.
My next stop was the attic in the same house where I first put my layout on the kitchen floor. This attic had been used by the landlord to store some junk and he agreed to let me use it to put up my first LGB (layout) - and the best was I could leave it there permanently. Yes I took pictures, look into LGB depesche # 23/24, page 46. Picture 2 shows the opening (flip door) to the attic, my access to my LGB world. The caption to the photos read that the layout had 80 yards of track and operated 15 engines and 65 cars. As you can see I was already really hooked on LGB.....
Looking for this Depesche magazine I (HJN) found issue # 25/26 and on page 41 discovered one of my tinkering 'excesses'. The little Gustav handcar was a new item in 1971 (LGB# 2001) (see LGB Depesche # 9, page 14) but production showed way less sophisticated bodywork (than the hand model). So I took a sharp knife and cut out the parts in-between the planks. That way the wheels became better visible. My work was published and described in the LGB Depesche but the LGB factory never changed their mold.
....Many a contacts developed through my LGB Hobby and my activities. Speaking with LGB friends at fairs and conventions, entertained a friendship with the Swiss LGB Club and their President Erwin Neuweiler; as well as with the American LGB Club of which I am a member for many years. I phoned Mr. Zeunert- who managed the LGB Depesche or met with him at fairs. I met and befriended a lot of dealers among them Jürgen Baumann, Jacob Groen, Marion Hötzel, Sven Linden, Hans-Peter Naber, Hans-Herrmann Nahrgang, Erwin Neuweiler, Frank Michael Pohl and others. In addition there were the manufacturers of other Big Train items and accessories. There were and are still today a great many friendships into all of the LGB world.
But back to the year 1972: Thank the Lord - I have to admit nowadays- I wasn't a good tinkerer. What others did to their LGB engines: super them up, paint them, construct one long one out of two short ones- I had no clue. I operated them the way they came out of the box. Maybe I added freight or transported my guinea pigs (which I kept as pets) with them. There are really just a very few engines which I tinkered with. For instance the American caboose # 4065 which I photographed for my 'Historic Pages' the other day. It was furnished with metal axles and power pickup plus two rear lights. While I removed the metal axles and the power pickup after the photo shoot and replaced them with the still existing Original axles the holes in the boxcar remained being needed for the cables to the rear lights -- what a pity considering today's (collector's) value.
I also have to admit to another 'failing' since I replaced the originally plastic trailing wheels for the U-Series with metal axles. It looked nicer. But I still have the originals so I can 're-work' the locos in the near future.
What I really bemoan is that I burned the LGB boxes in the field adjacent (to my home) because I didn't have enough space. But I grew wise fast and stopped that altogether.
My next stop was the attic in the same house where I first put my layout on the kitchen floor. This attic had been used by the landlord to store some junk and he agreed to let me use it to put up my first LGB (layout) - and the best was I could leave it there permanently. Yes I took pictures, look into LGB depesche # 23/24, page 46. Picture 2 shows the opening (flip door) to the attic, my access to my LGB world. The caption to the photos read that the layout had 80 yards of track and operated 15 engines and 65 cars. As you can see I was already really hooked on LGB.....
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| Top:Lindberg Station and various trains. The completely green steam loco of the U-Series is still very much sought after even today. You can easily see that the layout is in the attic. Bottom: View from the station. A "Fiery Eli" switching on the rail junction, followed by Lindberg buildings. There also was a stretch of catenary line for the electric loco. (the white 'square' on the floor in the back is the attic access...) |
Looking for this Depesche magazine I (HJN) found issue # 25/26 and on page 41 discovered one of my tinkering 'excesses'. The little Gustav handcar was a new item in 1971 (LGB# 2001) (see LGB Depesche # 9, page 14) but production showed way less sophisticated bodywork (than the hand model). So I took a sharp knife and cut out the parts in-between the planks. That way the wheels became better visible. My work was published and described in the LGB Depesche but the LGB factory never changed their mold.
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| Top: my first conversion: taking a sharp knife to cut out the material between the planks achieving a filigree look. Bottom: Hand model to compare to top.The wheels had to be bigger than on the hand model so they would pass over an uncoupling track +++++++++++++++++++to be continued+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ |
Friday, October 25, 2013
The LGB Collector -- A Lifetime Story Part 3
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.
I always had some repairs with me alongside a number of wishes and requests from our club members especially those looking for spare parts. Those wishes were promptly worked on upon my arrival. And it went without saying that I joined their breakfast break at 9.00 a.m. Of course I made sure that coffee and doughnuts were on me. Only then I went to see the 'bosses' and other departments.
Mrs. Grimm headed and managed her "Grimm's spare parts department" for many years at the Annual LGB Club Conventions; which she organized for years in co-operation with her husband who also worked for LGB as head of assembling. Club members took their LGB worries and pains mostly in form of their engines and cars to her 'booth' were most of them found help right away. Tougher cases were taken back to the factory after the convention and returned to their owners by mail. Every year when I attend the International Toy Fair in Nuremberg I stay at the "Pensione Grimm" and every evening then we go for dinner to the "Golden Hirsch" to reminisce about old times and exchange news.
There were a whole slew of great men and women at LGB with whom I struck up great friendships over the years. In addition to Messrs. Wolfgang, Johannes and Rolf Richter I most often contacted Messrs Schnidtmann and Jagiella; Mr. Schnidtmann was heading the "DesignTuning" department while Mr. Jagiella heading the printing department was my go-to guy for all things printing/labeling on club cars. When Mrs. Grimm entered her - well-deserved - retirement Mr. Thier followed her as head of repairs. He learned the ropes quickly and he supported me and the LGB Club very well and just the way I was used to. Mr. Biedenbacher is head of customer service and we always shared a wonderful co-operation and collaboration. I remember very well that for what reason ever he needed two really old manual switches. He got them instantly for free out of my personal 'stock'....
Then there was the time when Mr (Klaus) Baumann was still VP of Sales. Looking back it is a fact that he was responsible for quite a big chunk of Lehmann's success. He was always on the front lines, attending each and every fair and convention and took care of each and every LGB fan. TV appearances and spontaneous interviews were his daily bread - he just was a celebrated character. We always got along really well and had great collaborations. If the club had to assemble a layout within an (LGB) convention booth I just sat down with him briefly, talked it over and never heard from or saw him again until the convention opened. He just new I would do it right. I fondly remember my Friday-Appointments (with Klaus Baumann) at the LGB factory where we went for lunch to the Italian restaurant, company credit card in hand. On those occasions we exchanged ideas, general LGB- world news, and scheduled new appointments.
I also always liked to work with Mr. Bauer. Years ago we met by pure coincidence and jointly celebrated New Years Eve at Hotel Badersee in Grainau (Bavaria). It's a small world after all-sometimes...
I also received a lot of help from Mr. Michel (head of purchasing) and Mr. Gall (Technical Director). Mrs. Gerl, the former Ms. Krueger, always welcomed me with a cup of coffee. Mrs. Aumer, Wolfgang Richter's personal secretary, secured my appointments with the bosses. In earlier years when Mr. Ottinger was still head of shipping&dispatch he helped me a great deal with brochures, pamphlets, and catalogs.+++++++++++++++++++to be continued+++++++++++++++++++++++
Mrs. Grimm headed and managed her "Grimm's spare parts department" for many years at the Annual LGB Club Conventions; which she organized for years in co-operation with her husband who also worked for LGB as head of assembling. Club members took their LGB worries and pains mostly in form of their engines and cars to her 'booth' were most of them found help right away. Tougher cases were taken back to the factory after the convention and returned to their owners by mail. Every year when I attend the International Toy Fair in Nuremberg I stay at the "Pensione Grimm" and every evening then we go for dinner to the "Golden Hirsch" to reminisce about old times and exchange news.
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| LGB Factory and all of their employees in 1997 (image added by Yours Truly) |
Then there was the time when Mr (Klaus) Baumann was still VP of Sales. Looking back it is a fact that he was responsible for quite a big chunk of Lehmann's success. He was always on the front lines, attending each and every fair and convention and took care of each and every LGB fan. TV appearances and spontaneous interviews were his daily bread - he just was a celebrated character. We always got along really well and had great collaborations. If the club had to assemble a layout within an (LGB) convention booth I just sat down with him briefly, talked it over and never heard from or saw him again until the convention opened. He just new I would do it right. I fondly remember my Friday-Appointments (with Klaus Baumann) at the LGB factory where we went for lunch to the Italian restaurant, company credit card in hand. On those occasions we exchanged ideas, general LGB- world news, and scheduled new appointments.
I also always liked to work with Mr. Bauer. Years ago we met by pure coincidence and jointly celebrated New Years Eve at Hotel Badersee in Grainau (Bavaria). It's a small world after all-sometimes...
I also received a lot of help from Mr. Michel (head of purchasing) and Mr. Gall (Technical Director). Mrs. Gerl, the former Ms. Krueger, always welcomed me with a cup of coffee. Mrs. Aumer, Wolfgang Richter's personal secretary, secured my appointments with the bosses. In earlier years when Mr. Ottinger was still head of shipping&dispatch he helped me a great deal with brochures, pamphlets, and catalogs.+++++++++++++++++++to be continued+++++++++++++++++++++++
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