LGB of America news

[Rene Schweitzer]

This just in:

LGBoA to Proceed with Production
 
LGB of America announced today that it will proceed with plans to produce its own G-scale trains and accessories. LGBoA also announced that its existing inventories of LGB products are generally very good and that it is working with many long-time LGB suppliers on its production efforts.
 
“Our constant goal is to provide consumers with the quality LGB products they want,” said Tony Castellano, President of LGB of America. “We purchased a tremendous amount of LGB before production ended at Lehmann. We have already announced our new ‘USRA 0-6-0’ loco, and we plan to have fresh inventory before the start of the holiday selling season.”
 
Castellano also noted that LGBoA has been adding, and will continue to add, other product lines from around the “World of LGB.” LGBoA recently announced that it has become the exclusive importer, distributor and service center for the BRAWA G-scale line, expanding its program to include LGB, PIKO, Bridgewerks, EMEK and BRAWA products. The LGBoA team will be on hand at the upcoming 23rd National Garden Railway Convention in Las Vegas, June 27-29.

[vsmith]

Well well well...

I'm surprised and not surprised at the same time.

They were a No-Show at the BTS this last weekend, but I fully expected LGBoA would continue production with something. What? that will remain to be seen, it will be interesting to see what eventually ends up in their catalog, but it is good news.

[Greg Elmassian]

Well, words are words. Since they announced their switcher a while ago, let's see it get to market. They have implied they are doing it without LGB of non-America.

I wish they could have bought LGB and got all the molds, but oh well.

Regards, Greg

[kimbrit]

A rumour over this side of the pond is that molds have gone missing and nobody knows were! mmm, disgruntled employees perhaps, if true it will be interesting to see what turns up in years to come.

Cheers,

Kim

[John Busby]

interesting

Hey Kim guess who the rumor mill tells me has the missing moulds.

And there is a wunch of bankers who are not happy because they could not force the sale to who they wanted to, hopefully that will mean no Chinese made rubbish

I hope once in action LGB of A get heavy handed with any one trying to use the LGB trade mark I believe they bought that too.

Lets see what happens I will reserve judgment until I see an LGB of A product in the plastic so to speak.

regards John

[GearDrivenSteam]

Maybe it's just my inexperience here....but I've not seen much LGB makes that I really like. Their stuff looks too toy like for my taste.

[John Busby]

Maybe it's just my inexperience here....but I've not seen much LGB makes that I really like. Their stuff looks too toy like for my taste.

Hi GearDrivenSteam

Might be because they are toys LGB never claimed they where model trains. 

I am sure I have read in the catalogue they are top quality toy trains

still my prefered brand.

If its the 4 wheeled stock remember that is or was common on the narrow gauge lines LGB made their trains look like

regards John

[Anonymous]

Maybe it's just my inexperience here....but I've not seen much LGB makes that I really like. Their stuff looks too toy like for my taste.

Hi GearDrivenSteam

Might be because they are toys LGB never claimed they where model trains. 

I am sure I have read in the catalogue they are top quality toy trains

still my prefered brand.

If its the 4 wheeled stock remember that is or was common on the narrow gauge lines LGB made their trains look like

regards John

 

Hello John,

 

Actually LGB claimed for many years the following:

LGB Quality Fact

Compare LGB to other trains...

We research real trains.

LGB trains are real replicas of real trains. We don’t just work from pictures or copy
other models. Our experts travel around the world to research the world’s great trains,
capture their finest details and record their actual sounds. So you get a real model
railroad … not just a toy.
This LGB loco is a replica of a real Swiss
“advertising” loco. Even the loco’s “yodel” sound is
reproduced.
Products, specifications and availability dates are subject to change
without notice. LGB, RIGI, GNOMY, LGB of America, LEHMANN and the
LGB TOYTRAIN logotype are registered trademarks of Ernst Paul
Lehmann Patentwerk, Germany. Other trademarks are the property of
their owners. © 2004 Ernst Paul Lehmann Patentwerk. Fact Number: 11
Modification date: 4/28/2004

 

Just one example, many more that are just as bold! Astonishing, isn't it?

Since my equal half is a very careful shopper - we are building a IIm garden railway patterned on the RhB - he makes it a habit to compare the models to what the prototype runs. Measuring LGB "replicas" has been very "revealing", in the majority of cases they are "impressions" .... at best!

Regards

 

ER 

 

 

 

[gtrainman1]

Since my equal half is a very careful shopper >

 

Buy Brawa

[Anonymous]

Since my equal half is a very careful shopper >

 

Buy Brawa

Hello gtrainman

Don't mention it, I bought him a BRAWA G4/5 for his 60th birthday a little while ago.

Very, very nice piece of equipment! Smooth as silk and the sound - with a ZIMO DCC system to operate it - is simply super. Playing that whistle just like the prototype's is real fun! And watching the exhaust match the piston movement exactly is so realistic at slow speed!

Best regards

ER 

PS We do have some KISS RhB engines on order, that will complete the engine roster for our operation.

 

[gtrainman1]

Still waiting for a video clip with sound of that 4/5.

[Anonymous]

Still waiting for a video clip with sound of that 4/5.

 

That could be a long wait, videos and other "interesting things" are only posted in a certain section on a certain prototype forum.

 

ER 

[gtrainman1]

I figured.

[cacole]

Didn't LGB of America announce a couple of months ago that they were going to have their products made in China?  IIRC, they announced this at about the time LGB Europe began to acknowledge that they were in financial straits.

[Anonymous]

Gtrainman,

There is a nice video of the G 4/5 on the BRAWA website. Crank the volume and enjoy.

 

ER 

[Anonymous]

Was there a LGBoA train guy on the forum before? Or am I thinkn of some one else?

[Capt Bob Johnson]

Yup, Bucksco, which I took to stand for Bucks County, PA

[vsmith]

Buckso is a member but dont expect much in the form of "official" LGBoA participation, LGBoA is far from being out of the woods with the EPL/LGB implosion so they arent going to say a whole lot till its all sorted out...It will likely take another year before we really see any new products hitting the market.

[LGBtrains1963]

Hello Everyone, This is my first post here on these forums, I have been into model trains for over 38 years now, I have had models in all of the scales. A few years ago I looked at what I had and started to clean house, selling every scale and brand that I had, The only scale I stayed in was G scale and the only brand I keep was LGB, I have never looked back and have never been more happy with my trains. I notice that some try to bash LGB and I want to set some things straight, LGB raised the bar in all scales in the quailty of how trains was made by other companies, LGB also has made G scale what it is today, if you collect trains in G scale LGB is the only one that limits it production in roadnames and paint sceme's, Aristocraft, Bachmann, and USA have made about 90% of the same roadnames and paint scemes on it freight cars as it has 20+ years ago... Now to the China thing, LGB made trains in Germany, China, and in the USA. All of LGB's high end items was made in Germany, most of the freight cars and low end engines in the past few years was made in China, there was a few made here in the USA (covered hoppers)in the mid to late 80's..  Now to brands, in G scale I have owned all major brands (Aristocraft, Bachmann, Delton, Hartland, Kalamazoo, LGB, Lionel Large Scale, MTH, MDC, REA, USA) and most was made in China or Korea except for Delton, Kalamazoo, Lionel, MDC, and Hartland Locomotive Works and these brands was made here in the USA, but four out the five brands has closed and there molds sold to others who now make them in China and Korea, Hartland is the only brand still made in the USA.. Now on to scale of items made, Well I feel if you want scale then go for it, and if you don't worry about it then don't, but 1:29 is not a correct scale for the type engine and cars that are running on there rails, you would have to go to 1:32 (MTH) to be correct for standard gauge trains in real life in the USA... I will also tell you from all the brands that I have owed, LGB will out last any other out there 10 to 1 in running and pulling cars years down the road, I have a few LGB's over 20 years old and they still run like there new, this is just with minor maint on them from time to time. This post is not to bash other brands or scales, but take it from someone who has owned about every scale and brand, LGB is #1 in my book.. Run what you like and have fun doing it!!!! Thanks, Mark Ryan                  

[Anonymous]

Mark, I guess you been a lurker in the dark all these years.

Bash is such a nasty word, but some of us do kit-bash them.

As a very nice person all ready displayed what LGB has to offer it is ok. I think it is more the G Gauge guys/gals loss when a company does not say a word. And yeah I was puffed about hearing it through a news paper , workers jobs lost, new generation of G scale kids miss the true LGB.

But yeah got a gold mine, don't sell till the price is right!