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.
Today we are starting with (the first part of) an article about the very beginnings of LGB in the USA, quite some time before LGBoA was established.
LGB in USA:
In our first Magazine we already announced that Dr. Balzer from Aachen, being the expert for the American LGB market, agreed to report about the American LGB Club.
As a preface to the following report we'd like to thank Dr. Balzer for all his wonderful work and his following article. So please read on:
Every LGB fan reading carefully through the article in magazine No.1, page 9 will notice the high percentage of 'Made-for-USA-only specialty series'. In 1984 6 out of 16 specialty products were made for the USA. Especially worth mentioning are the "Buffalo Pass" (20301 BP) and the "Marshall Field" (20301 MF). The pleasantly constant large offer of US-related driving stock in the past years matches the importance of the US market for the Lehmann company. As LGB fans we can only be very happy about this development since only successful marketing, big lot sizes (in manufacturing) and profitable sales in the US- market facilitate the existence of Lehmann-Groß-Bahn ( LGB stands for Lehmann-Groß-Bahn meaning Lehmann Big Train). We, the LGB fans benefit from success like that by enjoying reasonable prices.
Now, who are those people across the Atlantic proving themselves as persistent LGB fans - so far away from the LGB(native) home? On the occasion of visiting the US in 1980 I first learned about the existence of a group of LGB (friends) from an American model train dealer. This group (was said to have) had an overwhelming success with their model train layout displayed during the NMRA convention that year while running their trains in the pouring rain. Quite to the displeasure of some higher NMRA charges. They had insisted that the layout would NOT be shown during the official program but in an unofficial motel since one did not want to have any "toys" among the 'serious model railroaders'.
At this point in 1980 the LGB Club was 3 years old with Al Lentz as its founder and leader (Member "#1"); and the Big Train Operator (BTO) Newsletter first published in 1978, purely hand-made, was celebrating its 2nd anniversary. (for more historic background information about Al Lentz please visit this link to BTO. Yours truly finds it very telling in many aspects.....enjoy:
http://bigtrainoperator.com/btoc/history.shtml
article continued: As often in life frustration was the impulse to new beginnings. Al Lentz reported in his memoirs of the anger that got the better of him when he got completely overlooked by the judges; back then, still in N-track, he was displaying his 'carnival-module' complete with carousel, roller-coaster etc and the judges so ignored him - just because they found the carnival-module despite all its very fine technical sophistication displayed had no parking lots.
Only Jim Conway, owner of CON-COR, who thought of Al Lentz' module as totally prize-worthy awarded him his own very first-time-commissioned "Special N Track Award". Still carrying quite a grudge Al Lentz returned home. Here he got the advice from a dealer friend to take a look at the newly arrived LGB trains. This was the beginning of the new friendship between Al Lentz and LGB which eventually led to the founding of the LGB Club with Al Lentz as their first president.
In 1983 the American LGB Club had 400 members with a focus on families with children. The low priced annual membership (family) fee was, US$ 15, US$ 12.00 for singles. In addition to the annual meeting, mostly in Pennsylvania (Al Lentz' home State) in the early years, the BTO newsletter strengthened the connection among club members. Some problems arose for the editorial department; due to the small number of LGB friends the 'influx' of adequate articles was small, too.
Within the first 5 years the interests of the members and the driving stock was pretty uniform which changed with growing membership. In addition to (pure) train operators "fraction(s)" of The Collectors, of DIY'ers and of Live-Steamers were forming. +++++++++++++++++++++to be continued++++++++++++++
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Klaus Baumann -- Trailblazer Part 5
This is a translation of an article/interview published by GARTENBAHN profi in magazine 5/2008, pages 16-21. The original magazine is available under http://www.gartenbahnprofi.de/Gartenbahn-Profi-Magazin/Jahres-Inhaltsverzeichnisse. Italic text in parentheses is background information about related topics in the article. Part 5 concludes the interview/article.
GBP: Back to LGB. What still fascinates me is the story about the handmade locomotives by Christian Höhne which were sold as specialty series by LGB as early as 1977 and were high priced. I do remember quite well the 1976 International Toy Fair Nuremberg where the first model was offered. And I do remember the proud price of DEM 5,000.00 (the equivalent of 2 months salaries for an average worker/clerk). Especially because that was beyond my own means and I just think that that was the same for many LGB fans. How did you manage to sell those locos year after year and even under the pressure of ever increasing prices?
Klaus Baumann: LGB(loco) itself did already impress just by her size. But these handmade steam locomotives of different types had a special wow factor. They were made out of metal, therefore were very heavy, were elaborately packed in wooden boxes, were limited in production to 100 pieces, and of course there were offprints of high gloss brochures. And everybody was convinced that those would increase in value even though that didn't prove true over the years. Any way there were quite a few collectors who put several of the same series on their (basement) shelves immediately. And maybe it was a way for some entrepreneurs out there to 'invest' their money... The final series didn't sell that well any more. Obviously they had hit the ceiling price wise plus meanwhile it proved that they weren't suited well to withstand 'tough' LGB operation (on the layout) - quite contrary to initial beliefs. Standard LGB motorblocks were too weak for the heavy metal bodies. And the fact that during production the parts were painted first and then glued in place led to them falling off after years of usage. 'Superglue' as we have today wasn't invented yet.
GBP: Following hitherto articles in GBP it shows that back then LGB really went into high gear. Continuously there were new models and series were extended. How were 'the good ol' times' at LGB?
Klaus Baumann: One was enjoying one's own success. And we wanted to show off a bit towards Märklin. That was one of the reasons for the many annual new items. Back then they made it a big secret every year at the Nuremberg Toy Fair what new items (models) there would be. Later I ensured to ease up on that. Why shouldn't we grant access (in) to the booth (it was common on German industrial fairs to keep the main part of the booth closed to general visitors and grant access only to by-appointment-only high profile guests). After all we could be proud of what we had to show. And then, the LGB team was simply 'the right stuff'. It is undeniably commendable what the brothers Eberhard and Wolfgang Richter achieved. They also had the luck to find good employees, the Master Craftsmen (Meister) of the various departments, Robert Münzing as technician or the well functioning repair department which also fulfilled almost each and every tinkerer's wish for component parts. Don't forget Wolfgang Zeunert who - for many years - was responsible for the LGB Depesche and many other things. There was no "Public Relations Manager", no "Key Account Manager" - we managed well without those titles...
GBP: That luck to find one Klaus Baumann as Vice President of Sales - you "forgot" to mention that. You had an integral part in evolving from DEM 3 mill in sales in 1968 to about DEM 65 mill during the heydays of LGB... I could ask another million things. The "100 Years of LGB" anniversary was a special event in a positive way; the sudden death of Eberhard Richter in 1984 was very sad and in long term view quite fateful. From the beginning you were against the "eXtra-System" which probably sped up the final end of LGB. You entering -well deserved-retirement in 2003 in a way - how shall I put this- not working as well as it should have was surely also among the increasing problems LGB already had back then. One more question: here in your backyard I don't see any LGB and inside I just descried two lonely locos. Is that like the guy working in a chocolate factory not liking chocolate anymore?
Klaus Baumann: Yes, that is a good example. For me LGB was my profession. And I viewed everything associated with that purely business. And that is quite alright. (In) Earlier (years) I had more (LGB trains) but now my grandchild plays with that.
GBP: Herr Baumann, thank you very much for this interview and also for the coffee and the yummy cake.
Klaus Baumann: It was my pleasure, thank you for coming.
(The original German article contains additional 'boxes' with fun stories shown here in a grey shade)
The Deal with Playmobil --- Ending a vacation on Ibiza island Klaus Baumann met the young owner of Playmobil, Horst Brandstätter at the airport. They had a lot of time since air control was on go-slow strike once again. The Faller company had offered their "Play Train" but (LGB) wasn't satisfied with that. On the spur of the moment Klaus Baumann proposed a co-operation. (Playmobil) Should manufacture the engines themselves, nicely with rounded edges and thick grab bars matching the Playmobil figurines and Lehmann would provide the tracks and motor blocks. While Mr. Brandstätter took a while to warm up to the idea back at Lehmann they were not amused. How he could feed the enemy? - Wolfgang Richter accused him. But he turned around quickly realizing that this train (which by now is known pretty well) wasn't a real competition but rather the entry for children into trains and later to LGB. In addition LGB enjoyed another plus from this deal: the monthly check from Playmobil for the track production was a boon for the profit situation. Nowadays one could admit to it , smiled Klaus Baumann with a wink in his eyes: track production at Lehmann was never unprofitable.
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| During the 70's celebrities loved to be shown with LGB as shown on the front page of this old LGB Depesche Headline: Celebrities driving a celebrated train... when will you indulge into the fun of owning an LGB |
GBP: Back to LGB. What still fascinates me is the story about the handmade locomotives by Christian Höhne which were sold as specialty series by LGB as early as 1977 and were high priced. I do remember quite well the 1976 International Toy Fair Nuremberg where the first model was offered. And I do remember the proud price of DEM 5,000.00 (the equivalent of 2 months salaries for an average worker/clerk). Especially because that was beyond my own means and I just think that that was the same for many LGB fans. How did you manage to sell those locos year after year and even under the pressure of ever increasing prices?
Klaus Baumann: LGB(loco) itself did already impress just by her size. But these handmade steam locomotives of different types had a special wow factor. They were made out of metal, therefore were very heavy, were elaborately packed in wooden boxes, were limited in production to 100 pieces, and of course there were offprints of high gloss brochures. And everybody was convinced that those would increase in value even though that didn't prove true over the years. Any way there were quite a few collectors who put several of the same series on their (basement) shelves immediately. And maybe it was a way for some entrepreneurs out there to 'invest' their money... The final series didn't sell that well any more. Obviously they had hit the ceiling price wise plus meanwhile it proved that they weren't suited well to withstand 'tough' LGB operation (on the layout) - quite contrary to initial beliefs. Standard LGB motorblocks were too weak for the heavy metal bodies. And the fact that during production the parts were painted first and then glued in place led to them falling off after years of usage. 'Superglue' as we have today wasn't invented yet.
GBP: Following hitherto articles in GBP it shows that back then LGB really went into high gear. Continuously there were new models and series were extended. How were 'the good ol' times' at LGB?
Klaus Baumann: One was enjoying one's own success. And we wanted to show off a bit towards Märklin. That was one of the reasons for the many annual new items. Back then they made it a big secret every year at the Nuremberg Toy Fair what new items (models) there would be. Later I ensured to ease up on that. Why shouldn't we grant access (in) to the booth (it was common on German industrial fairs to keep the main part of the booth closed to general visitors and grant access only to by-appointment-only high profile guests). After all we could be proud of what we had to show. And then, the LGB team was simply 'the right stuff'. It is undeniably commendable what the brothers Eberhard and Wolfgang Richter achieved. They also had the luck to find good employees, the Master Craftsmen (Meister) of the various departments, Robert Münzing as technician or the well functioning repair department which also fulfilled almost each and every tinkerer's wish for component parts. Don't forget Wolfgang Zeunert who - for many years - was responsible for the LGB Depesche and many other things. There was no "Public Relations Manager", no "Key Account Manager" - we managed well without those titles...
 |
| Small but effective: LGB management of the 70's: (from left):Robert Münzing Technical Adviser, Wolfgang Richter, Klaus Baumann, Eberhard Richter and his wife Karin |
Klaus Baumann: Yes, that is a good example. For me LGB was my profession. And I viewed everything associated with that purely business. And that is quite alright. (In) Earlier (years) I had more (LGB trains) but now my grandchild plays with that.
GBP: Herr Baumann, thank you very much for this interview and also for the coffee and the yummy cake.
Klaus Baumann: It was my pleasure, thank you for coming.
(The original German article contains additional 'boxes' with fun stories shown here in a grey shade)
The Deal with Playmobil --- Ending a vacation on Ibiza island Klaus Baumann met the young owner of Playmobil, Horst Brandstätter at the airport. They had a lot of time since air control was on go-slow strike once again. The Faller company had offered their "Play Train" but (LGB) wasn't satisfied with that. On the spur of the moment Klaus Baumann proposed a co-operation. (Playmobil) Should manufacture the engines themselves, nicely with rounded edges and thick grab bars matching the Playmobil figurines and Lehmann would provide the tracks and motor blocks. While Mr. Brandstätter took a while to warm up to the idea back at Lehmann they were not amused. How he could feed the enemy? - Wolfgang Richter accused him. But he turned around quickly realizing that this train (which by now is known pretty well) wasn't a real competition but rather the entry for children into trains and later to LGB. In addition LGB enjoyed another plus from this deal: the monthly check from Playmobil for the track production was a boon for the profit situation. Nowadays one could admit to it , smiled Klaus Baumann with a wink in his eyes: track production at Lehmann was never unprofitable.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Klaus Baumann -- Trail Blazer Part 4
This is a translation of an article/interview published by GARTENBAHN profi in magazine 5/2008, pages 16-21. The original magazine is available under http://www.gartenbahnprofi.de/Gartenbahn-Profi-Magazin/Jahres-Inhaltsverzeichnisse. Italic text in parentheses is background information about related topics in the article.
Klaus Baumann (...continued): All those contacts became very useful. That was also how the LGB Tv appearances came to happen. At Peter Frankenfeld's show "Musik ist Trumpf" the LGB carried the quiz-questions and at the end of the show champagne for the participants. And most of the time I was back stage operating the train. After those show episodes they were talking about the "TV train" and customers wanted to buy them in stores the next day and retailers then ordered them with us. That's how it worked!---Peter Frankenfeld was a big LGB fan in his personal life. He had a trestles-LGB train layout in his landscaped back yard. This system that you will often see in England allows for easy viewing the operating train on eye level. Accompanied by his wife Loni he came to the LGB factory one day and of course got a personal tour of the house.
GBP: Leafing through older issues of "LGB Depesche" (German issue of LGB Telegram) one notices a special relationship between manufacturer and their customers marked by the magazine itself, contests and conventions. Of course the main reason for that was the articles themselves being for the hobby market; but also these products were marketed with their heart in it not just their business mind. You yourself were at the front gate almost all the time being "Mr. Lehmann" for many a LGB fan. Wasn't that a very particular sense of achievement?
Klaus Baumann: Yes, indeed. But there are always two sides to a coin. I had less time for a private life because of that. Being at a convention through a weekend was work, not fun like it was for the visitors. I am also a member of several consulting committees and I was an active board member of the "Deutscher Spielwarenverband" (German Toys Association), "IGEMA" (International Alliance of Model Train Suppliers),"Deutsches Spielzeug Institut" (German Toys Institute"), "Fachgruppe Modelleisenbahn" (Section Model Trains) and "Spiel Aktiv" (Play Active). Doing a TV show with Peter Frankenfeld took a whole week; the show itself was aired prime time on Saturdays. My wife can tell a story or two how often she had to master things herself because I was on the road.----Later attendance at the LGB Club (events) was added. Whether it was in Switzerland where an LGB layout had a ribbon-cutting at the Arosa-Kulm Hotel or whether the LGB Friends Rhein/Sieg had their anniversary party. If I could make it happen I did make it happen to attend. It was a lot of fun for me, too. Quite a few friendships have evolved out of that - just like the two of us are sitting here today. And back then it was very interesting, quite frankly, to get to meet all those celebrities like Udo Juergens, Wim Thoelke, Dieter Thomas Heck, Peter Kraus, Dunja Rajter, Caterina Valente just to name a few. (compare to Jim Peck, Richard Dawson, Alex Trebek, Barbara Mandrell, George Jones etc). Not to mention a real 'Miss Germany' and rock singer Peter Maffay who I met while I was board member of DSI honoring him for his activities.++++to be continued
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| Clockwise from top left: Klaus Baumann right and Udo Juergens, singer, left; top right: Comedian Ernst H Hilbich holding a Stainz, Klaus Baumann on right;bottom right: Friedrich Merz w/Bavarian TV Station center, left: Klaus Baumann, right:Wolfgang Richter; bottom left: Klaus Baumann, left, with Dieter Thomas Heck (German game show host) holding a Ge 2/4. |
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| Always welcomed at the LGB factory: Peter Frankenfeld and wife Loni (2nd from right and 3rd from right), Klaus Baumann(right), Wolfgang Richter (left), Eberhard Richter with wife Karin and daughter. |
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| From left: Wife of Governor of Saxonia, Klaus Baumann, Prof. Kurt Biedenkopf Governor of Saxonia, Wolfgang Richter at the Toy Fair Nuremberg 1993 presenting a new unloading feature with a proud Klaus Baumann in the back. |
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| Miss Germany 1986 (Anja Hoernich) at the LGB booth and Klaus Baumann |
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Klaus Baumann - Trail Blazer Part 3
This is a translation of an article/interview published by GARTENBAHN profi in magazine 5/2008, pages 16-21. The original magazine is available under http://www.gartenbahnprofi.de/Gartenbahn-Profi-Magazin/Jahres-Inhaltsverzeichnisse. Italic text in parentheses is background information about related topics in the article.
GBP: When you started out (Lehmann) still offered small toys. Did you have to sell that as well?
Klaus Baumann: Yes, of course. During my beginnings (at Lehman) Lehmann still made more sales with the Patented-Toys than with LGB. It changed quickly then but sales from "Stainzys" and her siblings kept being a nice fill-in in manufacturing.
GBP: Back, once again, to the former LGB. Actually, shouldn't have the customers snatched those new, extraordinary locos out of dealers' hands? I myself remember my own beginnings with the LGB hobby very well. The "Globus" in Siegen (compare to a Walmart in the MidWest) sold them and while shopping for groceries each week we added at least one (freight) car. With prices at DEM 20.00 - 30.00 ( about US$ 8.00- 12.00) that wasn't a budget problem at all. Today with current Euro prices things have gotten more difficult for most LGB hobbyists.
Klaus Baumann: The problem was that a broad audience just wasn't familiar enough with the train product. Hence the subsequent efforts to get into the toy department of the big department stores. People usually didn't stray into a model-train-specialist-retailer to find LGB and get exited. Our very first success in that was the "Lehmann 74" and LGB (brand) itself became well known through fairs and by being presented to a big TV audience.
GBP: How did you manage do get that many (national) TV appearances for LGB back then? TV hosts like Peter Frankenfeld and Hans Rosenthal (compare to Bob Barker and Dick Clark), TV shows like "Musik ist Trumpf", "Vergiss mein nicht", "Der Goldene Schuss", and "Dalli Dalli" (compare to "the Lawrence Welk Show", "Truth and Consequences") were having a very broad audience and (delivered advertising) free of cost. (LGB) probably couldn't have afforded (to buy) advertising time....
Klaus Baumann: Well, once there was the Transportation Fair in Hamburg where LGB had set up a huge layout and of course such a fair draws a huge crowd. There you get to know the Mayor, the Secretary of Commerce, VIP's and TV-celebrities. And TV producers always are looking for new ideas for their shows. So the big train which was easily visible was lending itself (to this format). She was utilized in ability&skill game shows or was delivering envelopes with quiz-topics or prizes. And then there were personal contacts. Once I was sitting next to Peter Frankenfeld at Berlin airport due to a late flight. And as you'd expect it didn't take long until we were talking about LGB. Another time I met Peter Frankenfeld after an Anniversary Party at the Kudamm in Berlin (compare to Times Square in New York) at night; he sat in a cafe with Fritz Schoenfelder and they were looking for the 'Third Man' for a game of skat. It got pretty late that night....++++++++++++++++to be continued+++++++++++++++++++++
Klaus Baumann: Yes, of course. During my beginnings (at Lehman) Lehmann still made more sales with the Patented-Toys than with LGB. It changed quickly then but sales from "Stainzys" and her siblings kept being a nice fill-in in manufacturing.
GBP: Back, once again, to the former LGB. Actually, shouldn't have the customers snatched those new, extraordinary locos out of dealers' hands? I myself remember my own beginnings with the LGB hobby very well. The "Globus" in Siegen (compare to a Walmart in the MidWest) sold them and while shopping for groceries each week we added at least one (freight) car. With prices at DEM 20.00 - 30.00 ( about US$ 8.00- 12.00) that wasn't a budget problem at all. Today with current Euro prices things have gotten more difficult for most LGB hobbyists.
Klaus Baumann: The problem was that a broad audience just wasn't familiar enough with the train product. Hence the subsequent efforts to get into the toy department of the big department stores. People usually didn't stray into a model-train-specialist-retailer to find LGB and get exited. Our very first success in that was the "Lehmann 74" and LGB (brand) itself became well known through fairs and by being presented to a big TV audience.
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| "TV"-Big Train in action.; in the second half of the Seventies the TV show "Musik ist Trumpf" delivered the stage for LGB to be seen by millions. TV host Peter Frankenfeld (center) had an LGB train layout in his backyard. April of 1978 a '99 6001' delivered the envelope and champagne glasses...all that had to be delivered...The next show to be aired in October 1978 was to present the new LGB crocodile which was to pull the 'TV Train' but Peter Frankenfeld was already too sick to present the show, a colleague filled in. Peter Frakenfeld - the godfather of German TV shows- passed away in January of 1979 and LGB surely owed him a lot. |
Klaus Baumann: Well, once there was the Transportation Fair in Hamburg where LGB had set up a huge layout and of course such a fair draws a huge crowd. There you get to know the Mayor, the Secretary of Commerce, VIP's and TV-celebrities. And TV producers always are looking for new ideas for their shows. So the big train which was easily visible was lending itself (to this format). She was utilized in ability&skill game shows or was delivering envelopes with quiz-topics or prizes. And then there were personal contacts. Once I was sitting next to Peter Frankenfeld at Berlin airport due to a late flight. And as you'd expect it didn't take long until we were talking about LGB. Another time I met Peter Frankenfeld after an Anniversary Party at the Kudamm in Berlin (compare to Times Square in New York) at night; he sat in a cafe with Fritz Schoenfelder and they were looking for the 'Third Man' for a game of skat. It got pretty late that night....++++++++++++++++to be continued+++++++++++++++++++++
Friday, March 1, 2013
Klaus Baumann - Trailblazer Part 2
This is a translation of an article/interview published by GARTENBAHN profi in magazine 5/2008, pages 16-21. The original magazine is available under http://www.gartenbahnprofi.de/Gartenbahn-Profi-Magazin/Jahres-Inhaltsverzeichnisse. Italic text in parentheses is background information about related topics in the article.
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| She was important to get LGB into retail stores and to the customers: the battery train "Lehmann 74" priced initially at DEM 49.50 for the complete starter set. (The 40-year logo is part of the article and not related to the product) |
Klaus Baumann: Yes, definitely! Back then the toys-wholesale-trade still played an important role and they were to offer the hesitant retailer a basic offer with that "Lehmann 74" (train set). It didn't exist at all, then, since 'Playmobil' didn't enter the market until Christmas 1980. But even the robust LGB seemed too complicated for a lot of retailers. So, the "Lehmann 74" was a foot in the door. But sadly, they made the mistake at Lehmann - as would be done again and again later on- to include more and more (stuff) into this set and it got more and more complicated technically. Consequently the battery pack train set almost matched the price of a regular LGB (train/loco). After about 10 years in 1985 they eventually abandoned the battery-pack train set product line.
GBP: The new battery train was offered in big department stores and wholesale chains like 'Metro' and 'Handelshof' (compare to Macy's and Costco). LGB trains were not available at these stores at first. Why did Lehmann not make use of these expanded retail possibilities? What strategy were they pursuing?
Klaus Baumann: They would have but- they had to protect the specialist retailer (specialist retailer in Germany was/is a distinction/award given to a retailer by the Federal Retail Association when the retailer fulfills certain distinctly set rules). That was a balancing act! Therefore they tried to use a two-track policy; get the attention of the prospective customer at the department stores and at the whole sale chains and at the same time have the complete product-line offered at the specialist retailer while 'coercing' him to deliver an expert service covering the complete LGB program.
GPB: Did LGB have enough market coverage back then; did the specialist retailer trade realize how much money they could possibly make?
Klaus Baumann: This insight was growing very slowly. Often space problems in those retail stores hindered the placing of the big LGB boxes. (The average German specialist retail store space was 500 sq ft) and then the retail trade just dreaded the (required capital) investment for a complete (LGB) product-line. You just depicted what was already offered in the early Seventies. And that was all cutting into the piggy bank already.---Later that changed at the big department stores. (By then) they offered only those products that had been assigned (to them) by their operational headquarters. And it was one of my tasks to get them (headquarters) to list LGB. And for that it was especially important to be able to offer a simple,basic product- not only for the consumer but also for the sales person.+++to be continued++++
(The original German article contains additional 'boxes' with fun stories shown here in a grey shade)
Customs Control: --- Eberhard Richter and Klaus Baumann were jointly travelling in Austria in the Seventies to visit a model train fair and present the LGB brand. To forgo pesky customs formalities at the border they tried to wing it. Well, that didn't work. Eberhard Richter was asked to move to the side maybe because of his big Mercedes. He had to open the trunk which of course was filled to the top with red LGB boxes. That's when he showed his quick wittedness and his acting abilities. In front of an audience of puzzled customs officers he started to wildly berate Klaus Baumann why for heavens sake he'd forgotten to empty the trunk the day before. They were just about to attend a meeting and did not at all plan to import any merchandise whatsoever.
It worked. They were able to proceed unchallenged. 300 ft into Austria Eberhard Richter apologized profoundly to Klaus Baumann....
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Klaus Baumann - Trail Blazer for LGB
This is a translation of an article/interview published by GARTENBAHN profi in magazine 5/2008, pages 16-21. The original magazine is available under http://www.gartenbahnprofi.de/Gartenbahn-Profi-Magazin/Jahres-Inhaltsverzeichnisse. Italic text in parentheses is background information about related topics in the article.
40 Years of LGB (5): A Conversation with Klaus Baumann -- Trailblazer
"The LGB (loco) was a wonderful product but in the beginning there was no market for that" recalls Klaus Baumann. The former Vice President of Sales for Lehmann (Lehmann is the L in LGB) had to come up with something. Part of it was to podcast (a loco) in the hand of celebrities and VIPs.(And then ) Of course there were his TV appearances.
It is a fine fit to our series (of articles) "40 years of LGB"- that started in issue 1/2008 and will end in issue 1/2009- to converse with a contemporary witness. He is known by almost all LGB fans since he was always 'at the front', conversing, answering, representing at model train fairs and conventions. And when TV reports called for coverage it was he who represented Ernst-Paul Lehmann Co; and he always excelled at doing his job.
The book" Bewegte Zeiten" ("Eventful Times") with the subtitle "Ernst Paul Lehmann Patentwerk, Geschichte einer Spielwarenfarbrik" ( Ernst Paul Lehmann Patent Plant, History of a Toy Factory) (Tümmler Verlag Nürnberg, ISBN 3-921590-90-6) reports at length about the premiere of LGB in 1968 and about the up-and-coming times ahead. Hardly anyone knows more about this than Klaus Baumann, the longtime Vice President of Sales; the for-mentioned book introduces us to the beginning of his career at Lehmann:
"With Klaus Baumann a new Sales Director joined Lehmann in 1974 who knew this specific market segment very well due to his previous employment with the Nurember model train manufacturer Arnold (Arnold was the leading N-gauge manufacturer in Western Germany.Western Germany was the 'capitalistic sector' of the still divided Germany). He brought with him a lot of contacts, experience and new ideas and into (his new) company."
H.Jürgen Neumann being familiar and tightly intertwined with the history of LGB ever since 1972 (when the LGB magazine shown right was issued) visited Klaus Baumann at his home in Schwanstetten where he interviewed him for the readers of GARTENBAHNprofi (GBP) while enjoying a cup of coffee with (Mr. Baumann's) Boxer "Felix" snugly crawled under the garden table.
GBP: Mr. Baumann, You joined Lehmann in 1974. What did you find, what were your thoughts, and what are your personal memories about that?
Klaus Baumann: My very first task on the job was not that of a sales director. There wasn't even such a position before I joined (the company); they managed that task themselves. I already knew Messrs.Eberhard and Wolfgang Richter from my time at the N-train manufacturer Arnold (he's referring to the N-gauge ). While an opinionated Arnold came to the conclusion they wouldn't need a sales director back then I found an open playing field at LGB. I realized right away that LGB was a wonderful product but there was no market for that.(Model) Trains got smaller and smaller back then. Märklin had introduced the Z-gauge in 1972 (scale 1:220). And we faced the problem: where (to) do we sell our trains? The dealers said:" Die Big Train is something for Christmas, come back before Christmas" and around Christmas they said:" That is something for the back yard, come back at spring time". So our thoughts went parallel to a simple, toy like entry. "Lehmann 74" was born as a starter bargain; it was a low-price battery train set with tracks made of Polystyrene with a retail price of DEM 49,50 (equals roughly US$ 18.00 in1974) ++++++++++++++++++++stop on page 17++++++++++++++to be continued+++++
40 Years of LGB (5): A Conversation with Klaus Baumann -- Trailblazer
"The LGB (loco) was a wonderful product but in the beginning there was no market for that" recalls Klaus Baumann. The former Vice President of Sales for Lehmann (Lehmann is the L in LGB) had to come up with something. Part of it was to podcast (a loco) in the hand of celebrities and VIPs.(And then ) Of course there were his TV appearances.
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| Klaus Baumann at his best: International Model Train Show in Cologne/Germany; standing in the outdoor layout "Little Erzgebirge" (Little Ore Mountains) at the LGB booth |
It is a fine fit to our series (of articles) "40 years of LGB"- that started in issue 1/2008 and will end in issue 1/2009- to converse with a contemporary witness. He is known by almost all LGB fans since he was always 'at the front', conversing, answering, representing at model train fairs and conventions. And when TV reports called for coverage it was he who represented Ernst-Paul Lehmann Co; and he always excelled at doing his job.
The book" Bewegte Zeiten" ("Eventful Times") with the subtitle "Ernst Paul Lehmann Patentwerk, Geschichte einer Spielwarenfarbrik" ( Ernst Paul Lehmann Patent Plant, History of a Toy Factory) (Tümmler Verlag Nürnberg, ISBN 3-921590-90-6) reports at length about the premiere of LGB in 1968 and about the up-and-coming times ahead. Hardly anyone knows more about this than Klaus Baumann, the longtime Vice President of Sales; the for-mentioned book introduces us to the beginning of his career at Lehmann:
"With Klaus Baumann a new Sales Director joined Lehmann in 1974 who knew this specific market segment very well due to his previous employment with the Nurember model train manufacturer Arnold (Arnold was the leading N-gauge manufacturer in Western Germany.Western Germany was the 'capitalistic sector' of the still divided Germany). He brought with him a lot of contacts, experience and new ideas and into (his new) company."H.Jürgen Neumann being familiar and tightly intertwined with the history of LGB ever since 1972 (when the LGB magazine shown right was issued) visited Klaus Baumann at his home in Schwanstetten where he interviewed him for the readers of GARTENBAHNprofi (GBP) while enjoying a cup of coffee with (Mr. Baumann's) Boxer "Felix" snugly crawled under the garden table.
GBP: Mr. Baumann, You joined Lehmann in 1974. What did you find, what were your thoughts, and what are your personal memories about that?
Klaus Baumann: My very first task on the job was not that of a sales director. There wasn't even such a position before I joined (the company); they managed that task themselves. I already knew Messrs.Eberhard and Wolfgang Richter from my time at the N-train manufacturer Arnold (he's referring to the N-gauge ). While an opinionated Arnold came to the conclusion they wouldn't need a sales director back then I found an open playing field at LGB. I realized right away that LGB was a wonderful product but there was no market for that.(Model) Trains got smaller and smaller back then. Märklin had introduced the Z-gauge in 1972 (scale 1:220). And we faced the problem: where (to) do we sell our trains? The dealers said:" Die Big Train is something for Christmas, come back before Christmas" and around Christmas they said:" That is something for the back yard, come back at spring time". So our thoughts went parallel to a simple, toy like entry. "Lehmann 74" was born as a starter bargain; it was a low-price battery train set with tracks made of Polystyrene with a retail price of DEM 49,50 (equals roughly US$ 18.00 in1974) ++++++++++++++++++++stop on page 17++++++++++++++to be continued+++++
Friday, February 8, 2013
I.M. Wolfgang Richter - Part 7
This concludes (a series of) an article/interview that was first printed in the German magazine "GARTENBAHN profi" , issue 1/2009, pages 12 through 18. You can also go to www.gartenbahnprofi.de and download this article then utilizing a translator from your Google or Internet explorer service. In remembering Wolfgang Richter, the co-founder of LGB (Lehmann Gartenbahn) who passed away in November 2012 at the age of 84, this German article was published again by GARTENBAHN profi as a download. Italic text in parentheses is background information about related topics in the article.
GBP: I would like to come back to the problems of the model train industry that we talked about in the beginning. Of course on one hand we have the continuous decrease in demand. But then we also have the problem with manufacturers and dealers where there are only very few left who represent that 'blood,sweat and tears' responsibility who have difficulties sensing those inner desires of their customers. And then we just had immense price increases in the last years. " Kids and young people have to be recruited for the hobby" they say. If a loco comes with the same price tag as your laptop then you know what young people want and what the parents are willing to spend.
H.Jürgen Neumann: Basically you're right. That's just what I think, too. But it is a more complex problem. For a while they tried to convince (the market) with the label ' Made in Germany'. You know just as well that they demand everything without wanting to pay for it. And be reminded that the reasonably-priced 'Lehmann' and 'Toytrain' product-line was made for this very target group, the young. Regarding pricing I think they should have better focused on how much the model trainer was able and willing to pay. They wanted to 'adjust the screw' with the eXtra-Shop and - staying with this image- they twisted it. People were disgruntled and turned away. They overrated themselves well and truly at Lehmann.
GBP: What could they have done differently? Give me an example what you would have done differently.
H.Jürgen Neumann: My thesis always was to utilize the old molds of the classic engines of the early years to offer really well-priced rolling stock. These molds hat made their money long ago; they were sort of pitching themselves. I know he who has to decide a lot makes a lot of mistakes. At Lehmann there were too many mistakes made in production planning which is simply not comprehensible. And before you're asking: Adding standard gauge models to their product range means taking the wrong turn in my opinion; that's when they digressed from their straight line.
GBP: Well, you know the reason for that. They said they were running out of narrow gauge archetypes for models that were in strong demand.
H.Jürgen Neumann: That's not the way I see it. Narrow gauge is just better suited for ever smaller back yards. Who has space for high-speed trains? I think it was a mistake. And to move manufacturing to China I think was an even bigger mistake. Just think about recognizable differences in quality and delays in delivery that resulted from that.
GBP: Mr. Neumann, we could go on like this for hours. Let me end by returning to the cause of this interview: the beginning and the heyday(s) of LGB in their first 20 years (after WWII from 1960's to the late 80's). We were reviewing these times over the span of 6 magazine issues and gave a pretty good insight into the founding years and the 'Golden years' of LGB. There happened a lot in the next 20 years, too but that story has to be written in years to come. Wolfgang Richter turned 80 in 2008 and we want to congratulate him belated. I'd like to thank him on behalf of the readers of the GartenBahn-Profi Magazine for his achievements. His model train hobby delivered lots of fun to people. Mr. Neumann thank you for this interview.
H.Jürgen Neumann: My pleasure. I enjoyed talking to you about Wolfgang Richter and LGB. I am sending my greetings especially to Wolfgang Richter : stay healthy, lots of success for your future plans and take care!
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| Honoring Klaus Baumann (center) at the Modell Hobby Spiel- fair in Leipzig in 2003. Klaus Baumann was the longtime General Manager Public Relations for EPL Patent Plant (the LGB name before LGB was EPL Patentwerk for Ernst Paul Lehmann who founded the factory in Berlin in 1881)Left: Gerhard Bayer, Chairman of the Federal Association of German RailRoadFriends -BDEF- awarding Klaus Baumann the Golden Pin for his achievements in the model train(industry). This was a recognition for Wolfgang Richter (right) as well in regard to the significance of LGB(trains). |
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