LGB Catalog 1969

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

LGB News of 1969 - 2 new locos and 6 cars expand the program

It was a pretty "Oldtimer", the steam streetcar # 102 from 1891 operated by the 'OEG' , Oberrheinische Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft (Upper Rhine Train Corporation); coined the 'Feuriger Elias'  (Fiery Eli) in vernacular term.
The back then "modern times" entered LGB by way of the narrow gauge  Diesel loco "Schöma - CFL 150" - The Original was operated in manufacturing sites and for passenger trains in South America. At LGB she can operate  passenger trains and freight trains, easily, since Diesel locos operate on narrow gauge as well.
Worth mentioning is also that (LGB) included the steam engine "2010D" into their program - "D" for 'Dampf' (German for steam). A small metal tube in the smoke stack filled half way with Seuthe smoke fluid was the secret to this loco steaming like the Original and many a loco- generations afterwards. LGB-Depesche magazine #2 from July 1969 presents the Fiery Eli as follows:
"Countless train fans and the people in the Mannheim-Heidelberg-Weinheim triangle (a southwestern German stronghold of industry) are familiar with the FieryEli. The big archetype operated on the OED trainlines for five decades and is well known for his unusual appearance as a Diesel loco.

Left: Tramway loco 'Fiery Eli' "OEG" (LGB # 2050) this is the 1st version with black chassis and Heuler-motor.
Right: Diesel loco 'Schöma CFL 150' (LGB # 2060H); chassis red, housing in yellow imbued plastic, w/horn triggered by trigger pin. Battery. Model Year 1971

Left: Diesel loco 'Schöma CFL 150' (LGB # 2060), chassis gray, housing red imbued plastic, Model Year 1970.

Right:Diesel loco 'Schöma CFL 150' (LGB # 2060G), chassis red, housing green imbued plastic,

Model Year 1969

"The immediate archetype is the OEG-loco # 102. It is a street car steam loco with wheel arrangement B, built in Kassel by Henschel & Son in 1891. The OEG # 102 had 6 siblings with this type of construction; they were scrapped already in the early 1950's. Until that time they operated faithfully on the OEG lines.
The OEG-tramway loco No 102, vernacular term 'Fiery Eli', has Meter-gauge, a perfect match for LGB gauge 45mm (= one meter in 1:22,5 scale). Her net weight is 11.0 tons and her gross weight is up to 16.4 tons. She can take 1.2  cubic meter water and 0.6 cubic meter coal, top speed is 30 km/h (or 19 mph). The otherwise typical appearance of a Diesel loco completely vanished under the wrap-around cover panel and the end-to-end roof; only the smoke stag peaks out of the roof. The boiler sits in the middle of the loco and furnace is operated from the left side. Coal is stored behind the boiler and the water tanks are behind the coal storage and on both sides up front. The LGB loco (2050) model displays this very well. Note that the 'Fiery Eli' is still operating today (1970) in the Edingen depot of OEG , sometimes for special excursions with oldtimer cars. OEG donated her to the German Society for Railroad History.++++++++++++++++++++++to be continued.......... 

LGB History -1968 and 1969 -- Part III

The following is a translation of an article/internet posting by IIm-online Nachrichten(News).  H.-Jürgen Neumann, the publisher of these News, gave Yours Truly permission for translation of these series of postings. In case you like to check the original German version please go to http://www.lgb-much.de/20306.pdf. This article (series) is about the first ever LGB catalog published in 1968 and the LGB activities until 1969.

Regarding starter sets there was one passenger train starter set and one freight train starter set . The passenger train set (LGB # 20301) consisted of a Stainz loco # 2020, one passenger car # 3000, one passenger car # 3010, 12 curved aluminum tracks, 1 connector cable # 5016, 4 figurines and track clamps # 1150. (Original sales price was DEM 198.00 in 1968 or roughly US$ 340.00 in today's money)
The slightly lower prices freight train package (LGB # 20401) consisted of a LGB loco # 4 (LGB 2040) one   boxcar  in brown (LGB #4030) and one 'gondola' in green (LGB# 4020), 12 curved aluminum tracks, 1 connector cable # 5016, 4 figurines and track clamps  (Original price was DEM 176.00 in 1968 or roughly US$ 300.00 in today's money).

LGB 20401 Starter set,
 first edition from 1968.
In 1970 LGB already switched
 to a more colorful packaging

Now, of course, you'd need power to operate the trains. Since LGB (trains) were always meant to be operated outside as well the transformer and the control unit had to be separated by (German) law. So, while the transformer (LGB # 5000) was operated 'under the roof' the controller displaying max 14 Volts could be operated outdoors. It came in the shape of (small) switch tower first in brown, later in green. And the connecting cable between transformer and controller came as a 5-yard-long cable (# 5015). There also  was a 1-yard long connector cable (# 5016), connecting controller and track and a lighting (set) for the two coaches (LGB# 3030). The first brochure, by the way, was still marketing that the controller could be hooked up to the car battery. Though we couldn't find this hint in later publishings. Maybe too many cars broke down......somewhere outside the cities where the clubs met.........with dead batteries galore.....

The figurines were sold as a set as well (LGB# 5040). Spare parts offered were a loco motor (LGB# 2100) and 4 spare carbon brushes (LGB 2110).

At last the second most important thing: the Tracks! To keep costs low in the beginning LGB also offered aluminum tracks. The LGB brochure elaborates: "LGB track # 1000, 1060 and 1100 are made of specialty-hardened-aluminum-alloy and come chrome plated. The track connectors are made out of stainless chrome-nickel steel (V2a) and track beds are made out of VESTOLEN (a patented plastic with very high thermal qualities, very high UV resistance, and extremely durable), They (the aluminum tracks) are meant for indoor layouts and should not be operated outdoors on a regular base. Outdoor use should be limited to temps above 41 degree F. For permanent outdoor operation use track material 1000W-1210W brass solid profile tracks.
Outdoor Layouts: track material 1000W-1210W in brass solid profile is completely weather proof (also in freezing conditions) and best suited for all outdoor and indoor layouts."
By the way, the 60cm (=2 ft long) track piece # 1060 was not available in aluminum. There are some 1500'er tracks which came nickel-plated and were made later on as a test series but never went into full production; therefore they were never sold through stores or dealers. But they made it into the 2006 catalog as a new item.

The very first LGB boxes: left is the first ever  box type, greyish with handwritten item no. Then the yellow boxes were used for some years until they were replaced by the red boxes (around 1978/79)

So, for a short time they offered both track types for # 1000 straight 30cm (1 ft) and # 1100 curved 30 degree. A manually operated switch for right (#1200W) and for left (1210W) turn was announced but not delivered until 1969. The same goes for the uncoupling track (# 1050W) W always means 'weather proof'. And lastly, there was a buffer stop (LGB # 1030) and the track clamps (1150).

LGB History -1968 and 1969 -- Part II

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

LGB History - 1968 and 1969

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

LGB at the Museum - how it all started

The following is a translation of  an article in the "Glockenreiter" (bell-rider), the official magazine of the Toy Museum Nuremberg/Germany. Klaus Baumann was named the curator and chief-fund raiser for the booster-club of the Museum and was instrumental in bringing the Lehmann collection to the Museum, thus saving and warranting a collection of worldwide significance.

E.P.Lehmann Toys
This unrivaled Lehmann Collection was saved by the booster-club of the Museum and will stay permanently with this Museum. A collection for which the Toy Museum in Nuremberg is envied worldwide.

Ikarus air plane EPL 653, 1919-1939

Since 2002 the Toy Museum displays a completely newly designed department: the world's most significant collection of Lehmann Tin Toys is shown here on roughly 1200 sqft displaying about 350 pieces. It is a permanent loan collection donated by Wolfgang, Rolf, and Johannes Richter. The company also donated a significant sum to help setup this department.

Travelling Uncle, 1893 - 1939. In Europe auction sites display similar items  for US$ 1,200 to  US$ 1,600.00

E.P.Lehmann is one of the really important names in toy history. In 1881 Ernst Paul Lehmann established the company in Brandenburg on the Havel (now a part of East Berlin ) and achieved international stardom quite quickly with their originally designed mechanical toys.

Mandarin palanquin, 1905-1939. Rare objects have been sold in Europe for up to US$ 8,000.00

Cars, trucks, air ships and an abundance of funny, moving animal and human figurines elated children for decades. Lehmann Grossbahn (LGB) located in Nuremberg from 1950 to 2006 was well known for their Big Train(s).
For the first time a whole room is dedicated by the museum for just one single company. The diversified permanent exhibition is among the most beloved departments within the Toy Museum. Adjacent to a panorama of the eventful history of the Ernst-Paul-Lehmann company you'll find a long row of glass cabinets displaying almost everything ever manufactured by Lehmann and in today's world highly sought after by collectors.

climbing monkeys - If made before 1900 thiese pieces have  been auctioned off by Sotheby's for up to US 15,000.00

A painted cloth unfolds a collage of the company's and toy history. A replica of Europe's first traffic light tower is a reminder of the 1920's Berlin - offered as a 'piggy-bank' by Lehmann in the 1920's. On a monitor visitors can view the most beautiful Lehmann (tin) toys in motion . A 2-storied glass cabinet displays LGB trains which can be operated by visitors
by pushing a button; the trains drive through a colorful fantasy world circling the globe symbolically.
When the company went into bankruptcy in 2006 the permanent loan exhibit was part of the court secured assets and their sale was lurking.
It was due to the intense and enduring efforts of Klaus Baumann and inclined friends who established the booster-club for the Museum to save this collection forever for the Museum. Today Klaus Baumann spends a serious amount of his time supporting the booster club and the Museum. His connections secure important donations to the Museum and the Lehmann collection guaranteeing the continuance of this significant exhibition.

Klaus Baumann, 2nd from left, surrounded by his Museum friends

LGB in the USA -- 1985 -- Part 3

The following is a translation from "Spur II Nachrichten" ( 'Gauge 2 News) magazine No 2 December 1985. The magazine was published in Germany - in German only- from 1985 to 2005 by H-Jürgen Neumann .You have met Mr. Neumann through our previous articles. H.-Jürgen Neumann was the founder of one of the biggest and later the most influential LGB Club in Germany ;" Club der LGB Freunde Rhein/Sieg" ( LGB Club LGB Friends Rhein-Sieg). Mr. Neumann was contacted by Yours Truly in February 2013. He is doing very well and was truly happy to be contacted about LGB matters, again. Mr. H-Jürgen Neumann gave us permission to translate all previous articles from his magazines as well as those from his web site LGB Much. So come and join us through a ride through history, the LGB history from 1968 to 2005.Part 3 concludes this article by Dr. Baltzer about the very beginnings of LGB in the USA, quite some time before LGBoA was established.

In 1984 the US Dollar climbed to DEM 3.40 (it wobbles around Euro 1,30 for the last 2 years with comparable buying power ) which brought a solid price-reduction to the market situation for LGB products sold in USA; inspired seemingly by a positive economic background of the Reagan administration the US LGB fans got increasingly into shopping mood. LGB Scale was gaining so much ground that even the publisher of the Model Rail Roader believed he had to jump on that LGB train: Russ Larson condescended an editorial in the February 1984 issue of the MRR - " At The Throttle" -- all the while making it quite clear that while he would love to see articles coming in about G-Scale but regarding the minority role of it he wouldn't be able to publish that many articles.
The Big Train Operator Newsletter mirrored the increasing variety of G-Scale material. The published photos displayed increasingly Kalamazoo and real live-steam locos adjacent to LGB cars.
In 1983 The LGB Club due to changing into a non-profit chapter had to review and change their club by-laws. Triggered by the new members they wanted to change the club name to better represent other model train groups  (like 1-Gauge) . Behind the scenes Kalamazoo seemed to have engaged heavily into such a name change to do away with the ad-strong name of LGB - a German based company at that! That shipwrecked due to the club's 'Old-Timers'  leaving the official name at LGB Model Railroad Club.
The majority decision at the annual Club-Member Convention in Strassburg, PA left the Denver LGB-Club dissatisfied; 15 Denver club members then established the "Garden Railway Society of Denver", a new club. They didn't want to be confined to LGB alone but wanted to take on other big train fans. One of the main actors in this split-off was Marc Horowitz the current publisher of the "Garden Railways Magazine" and the "Sidestreet Banner". The (Denver) Garden Railway Society does a lot of public awareness work and is especially active in the design of transportable modules in G-Scale, corner modules (4 x 4 feet), made in team work and remain club property while straight modules ( 2 x 5 feet) by single members can be integrated in any order. The outer dimensions of the modules have been chosen so that they will fit into any regular car.
Other US magazines that might be of interest for LGB fans or Gauge1 friends:
The Gauge One Journal , The Sidestreet Banner, The Narrow Gauge Digest, Narrow Gauge and Shortline Gazette.
The biggest challenge for these small magazines - issued quarterly and coming into existence due to the growing G-Scale market- is the small number of articles they receive. Mr. Daniel Henon, the publisher of the Gauge One Journal told me that especially Russ Larson, the publisher of the Model Rail Roader is pursuing a ruthless policy in competing for articles and ads. Articles offered to MRR are bought and paid for immediately and then 'frozen'. This way many very interesting articles 'simmer' in immense editorial stocks, many only for few groups like the LGB'ers, are never published and thus elude the MRR-competition in their fight for more ad sales. As a model train fan one can only regret those 'rambunctious' business methods. It is just the small magazine like BTO-Newsletter or the Gauge One Journal which publish very interesting articles  and design tips for do-it-yourself'ers. They deserve our support.
And as the new LGB catalog with its many new US items shows the 'ready-to-play' products by Lehmann are going to enjoy us and our American LGB friends for a long time to come. We as citizens of the "LGB World" thank you, "Lehmänner" !(politely poking fun at the plural of the name Lehmann in German)
Addresses:

H-J.Neumann: 3rd from left, Dr. Baltzer: 3rd from right, visiting the LGB factory in  October 1985

LGB-Model Railroad Club
Secretary-Treasurer
PO BOX 7282
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302
USA
President: Ralph Wilcox ( succeding Al Lentz who retired following heart surgery)
Annual membership fee: US$ 12.00
Friedrich Balzer / LGB (USA) Member No 489
(Dear blog Reader: please remember that this article dates from 1985!! The above listed address is NOT for current use but was part of the translated article )

LGB in the USA -- 1985 --Part 2

The following is a translation from "Spur II Nachrichten" ( 'Gauge 2 News) magazine No 2 December 1985. The magazine was published in Germany - in German only- from 1985 to 2005 by H-Jürgen Neumann .You have met Mr. Neumann through our previous articles. H.-Jürgen Neumann was the founder of one of the biggest and later the most influential LGB Club in Germany ;" Club der LGB Freunde Rhein/Sieg" ( LGB Club LGB Friends Rhein-Sieg). Mr. Neumann was contacted by Yours Truly in February 2013. He is doing very well and was truly happy to be contacted about LGB matters, again. Mr. H-Jürgen Neumann gave us permission to translate all previous articles from his magazines as well as those from his web site LGB Much. So come and join us through a ride through history, the LGB history from 1968 to 2005.This is part 2 of an article about the very beginnings of LGB in the USA, quite some time before LGBoA was established.

(This change in the Club structure) brought real collector-experts to the BTO newsletter generating for the first time from within the club membership. They completely dwarfed all the expertise I had so far with their detailed knowledge about single variations and material- and color-combinations of locos and cars. Joe Hyvla's little brochure, out-of-stock by now, for US$ 10.00 leaves behind clearly and decidedly the first German collectors catalogue by Christmann in regard to describing each and every single model version. Apparently there were a whole slew of  loco and car modifications (made) that were never listed in any (LGB) catalogue. There is -currently- a rumor going that two American LGB fans are working on a downright encyclopedia for LGB stock transcending far beyond Joe Hyvla's work. (Dr.Balzer - you guessed it  is talking about the book by John R Ottley and Joe Hyvla "Greenbergs Guide to LGB Trains" from 1989, which is out of print, no longer available, and considered a historic artefact today).

This work is supposed to include absolutely all known and until now unknown model details regarding color and signage and shall have colored photos. (Remember to print precision colored images in a book back in 1985 was considered very complicated and expensive). 

They also had to implement the influence of the geographical spread of the LGB friends ranging from the New England States in the East to sunny California in the West. The solution was establishing two club regions: the East and the West Region each managed by a "Vice-President" and a "Director". Regarding the fact that 'In the Land of LGB' the sun never sets they allocated the rest of the world as well: Australia, Pacific and SouthAmerica were managed by the California management named "West Directorate"; us East Coast dwellers on the Atlantic border found ourselves to be in a group with Africa and (all) US States east of a line of Winnipeg (Manitoba) - Kansas City-Houston (Texas). In the meantime this 'Carolingian Allocation' has been modified by a Mid Western Region including the eastern and western States bordering the rivers Mississippi, Missouri and Ohio. It is pretty clear that the positive development of the US LGB Clubs is based upon the business success of Lehmann Garten Bahn (Lehmann Garden Train). The slowly increasing US$ Dollar exchange rate quickened exports of the now price-reduced LGB items considerably. It was also foreseeable that you had to expect upcoming competition; the G-Scale sector showed the highest growth rates in the model train market. This competitor arrived in the form of Kalamazoo Toy Train Works in 1981; They launched a starter set consisting of a US loco Type Reno 4-4-0 wood-fired, a coach and a "combine"-car (named Mountain-Central R.R.). The cars had four axles.
The Kalamazoo scale is Gauge One. She can be coupled with LGB material. The quality of the new LGB competition couldn't match LGB not in regard to drag force nor regarding technical detail: safe coupling didn't work all the time, coupling on the smallest curve radius was purely a matter of luck and the double-axle car trucks did not always match with the connecting truck mounts. It wasn't until ownership changed in 1983 and  a new, more effective management improved Kalamazoo's quality on the outside and the functioning. The spare parts supply left no wishes unfulfilled either. The loco and cars product line increased color-wise as well as in car types.
Originally this G-Scale market was dominated by LGB. Märklin's Gauge 1 obviously couldn't pack any public relevance. Now small 'work-out-of-my-garage'- manufacturers started to accumulate which mostly offered parts like trucks etc. Japan's Aster Live Steam model in Gauge 1 entered the market welcomed and 'appropriated' by the "steam-freaks" who were willing to shell out the required cash for those super-brass-models.+++++++++++++++++++++to be continued++++++++++++++++++++++