[stanman]

The 2nd Issue of the LGB Depesche for 2008 arrived today. The editorial page follows. I've had to shrink it a little to fit within the 640 limit; I hope it's readable:

 

[Dennis Paulson]

Thank you Stan for your time spent to share this with us .

 

[Del Tapparo]

LGB track is back ... That is good news!

 

[vsmith]

Beleive it when I see stock on US shelves, till then only the Euros can really enjoy this news.

 

[eatrains]

Thanks for posting this. It's nice to know that LGB is at least available somewhere. Hopefully their new website will go online soon so information like this will be easily and readily available to everyone, not just Depesche subscribers.

 

[tacfoley]

It is not necessary to adopt a sour-grapes attitude to the present LGB regime and their openly-admitted striving to re-establish themselves and re-capture their place in the truly enormous European market, but it's also important to know that a huge number of the 'Euro's' model only US-outline LGB stock. I'm just one of about thirty or forty that I know personally - ALL model nothing but the older or more modern US locos and cars. One guy I know has over 500 cars and 100 locos on his 2500ft trackage - ALL LGB. I only now model the WP&YR as far as LGB is concerned, but I bought all I could ever want or handle years ago.

It's also important to know that here in UK I have not detected more than the slightest hint of shortages of stock either, nor, if you look at the pages of adverts in the American GR, does there seem to have been any shortage of stock stateside - I'm not going to name names, but full-page spread after full-page spread of tiny printed lists of LGB stock does not shout 'shortage' to me. True, my local LGB dealer has expanded his stock interest into other makes, sure, but his shelves have never been less than full of LGB stuff.

It may well be that I've been looking in the wrong places, and for sure there has been a noticeable shortage of LGB track in some quarters. Having said that, an enthusiastic newbie recently bought himself over $6000-worth of LGB track from one dealer, who told him that far from buying him out, he actually could do it ten times over if he had wanted to.

An awful lot has been written over the last year or so - rumour and counter-rumour, hints and suggestions, innuendo and downright cr&p. My suggestion is that someday a book needs to be written about this episode/glitch in the long life of EPL. As for the 'facts', well, there are rumours and downright lies, and the truth, as ever, is somewhere in between./DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/whistling.gif

My $0.02

tac

 

[Great Western]

I have to agree with Tac. He sees the situation in exactly the same light as I do. I have, like him, been puzzled by the cry of "shortage" when dealers and Ebay, both in the USA and UK, seem to be overflowing (maybe with the exception of trackwork) with LGB products. Therein may lie the reason for their former problems; over-production.

I hope that an arrangement is reached for the guys in the States soon as those who model European lines in particular will be awaiting news.

For my part I have no LGB, other than a re-railer, having put my eggs into the Aristo-craft and Bachmann 1;22.5 baskets. But should either of those companies gone the way of the former LGB empire I know I would have been sad.

However one thing has been noticeable in the UK: that is that more large scale modelers have found themselves buying Aristo-Craft and USA trains 1:29 scale plus some of the other American manufacturers products. There has also been an increase in availability of other European manufacturers products - some very reasonably priced.

I believe, overall, that this has strengthened the hobby.

I will now take cover below the parapet. /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/laugh.gif

 

[tacfoley]

Dear Mr BestwishesAlan - I'm not a good example to pick as I confess to having bought my last LGB loco - by then at least ten years old] about five years ago, only because it was the rather nice SR&RL Forney and as near to Fn3 scale as makes no difference.

But I DO frequent/haunt my friendly local LGB dealership, who shall be nameless [Hi there, Brian and Caroline! ], and they never seemed to be short of anything they had.

As for my other purchases, well, more Colorado Fn3 and 16mm Accucraft, steam and electric, Gauge 1 Aster and Maerklin, and eight more of Mr Polk's v.fine Dash 9 and SD45 joined the homestead in the last couple of years. Just can't resist them big dismals and the new QSI sound systme to put in 'em, me.

I have been reminded by friends on the 'other forum' that adverts in the USA are often 'economical' with the truth, unlike those here in UK that are illegal if they are seen to advertise an item that either does not exist, or is not marked up 'not yet available'.

You can imagine what a surprise this was to an innocent like me! /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/blink.gif

Best wishes

tac

 

[Semper Vaporo]

Posted By tacfoley on 06/21/2008 10:45 AM
Dear Mr BestwishesAlan - I'm not a good example to pick as I confess to having bought my last LGB loco - by then at least ten years old] about five years ago, only because it was the rather nice SR&RL Forney and as near to Fn3 scale as makes no difference.
But I DO frequent/haunt my friendly local LGB dealership, who shall be nameless [Hi there, Brian and Caroline! " border=0>], and they never seemed to be short of anything they had." border=0>
As for my other purchases, well, more Colorado Fn3 and 16mm Accucraft, steam and electric, Gauge 1 Aster and Maerklin, and eight more of Mr Polk's v.fine Dash 9 and SD45 joined the homestead in the last couple of years. Just can't resist them big dismals and the new QSI sound systme to put in 'em, me.
I have been reminded by friends on the 'other forum' that adverts in the USA are often 'economical' with the truth, unlike those here in UK that are illegal if they are seen to advertise an item that either does not exist, or is not marked up 'not yet available'.
You can imagine what a surprise this was to an innocent like me! /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/blink.gif" border=0>
Best wishes
tac





My dear Mr. tac... You have got to learn to recognize that half full glass as being half empty! You do realize that although your friendly local LGB dealership "never seemed to be short of anything they had", they have always been completely out of everything they never had.

 

[Spule 4]

Posted By tacfoley on 06/21/2008 10:45 AM
I have been reminded by friends on the 'other forum' that adverts in the USA are often 'economical' with the truth, unlike those here in UK that are illegal if they are seen to advertise an item that either does not exist, or is not marked up 'not yet available'.

Best wishes
tac







TAC-

Honestly, I have run into this in the UK as much as in the US. No longer in stock, the price changed, etc.

It is good news for now, just a matter of waiting until they work out the details for the US.

 

[tacfoley]

Mr dear Mr Always Steam - every word you write has that unmistakeable glow of truth evident within every letter, shining like a beacon, serving to illuminate the penumbrance of our doubt.

tac

 

[Semper Vaporo]

WHAT! You had "doubt"????

 

[Ltotis]

I was at a MAJOR Model Train retailer in the Boston area today. There was NOT as much LGB on display as in past years. Noticed that one of the glass display that normally had LGB engines had none. Very few boxed LGB starter sets on dispaly. Smaller dealers in thae area are definitely hurting for LGB items. They don't have items in stock that customers want and can't get stock from LGBoA because they don't have them either.
LAO

 

[GrizzlyFlatsFan]

Posted By tacfoley on 06/21/2008 10:45 AM

You can imagine what a surprise this was to an innocent like me! /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/blink.gif"
Best wishes
tac



Tac, you, innocent?