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LGB (Lehmann Gross Bahn)
Encyclopedia
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, since 1968 and by Märklin
Märklin
Gebr. Märklin & Cie. GmbH or Märklin is a German toy company. The company was founded in 1859 and is based at Göppingen in Baden-Wurttemberg. Although it originally specialised in doll house accessories, today it is best known for model railways and technical toys...
since 2007, it is the most popular garden railway
Garden railway
A garden railroad or garden railway is a model railway system set up outdoors in a garden. While G is the most popular scale for garden railroads, 16 mm scale has a dedicated and growing following especially in the UK. Model locomotives in this scale are often live steam scale models of British...
model in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, although there are also many models of U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
prototypes. LGB caused a revival of garden model railroading in the United States when it was introduced. LGB is sold in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
through Walthers, who took over from Ernst Paul Lehmann's subsidiary, LGB of America, when Märklin bought the LGB assets. Most of the European prototypes were manufactured in Germany, while much of the North American rolling stock
Rolling stock
Rolling stock comprises all the vehicles that move on a railway. It usually includes both powered and unpowered vehicles, for example locomotives, railroad cars, coaches and wagons...
was made in China.
LGB trains are responsible for introducing "G" scale
G scale
G scale is a scale for model railways, and because of its size and durability, G scale is often used outdoors. Such installations are known as garden railways.-LGB:...
to model railroading. The scale ratio used by LGB is 1:22.5, although other G-scale (and Gauge 1) manufacturers produce products that range from 1:20 to 1:32, and for the most part, all use the same track and are compatible with one another. Though they can all run on the same track (45 mm gauge), models representing narrow-gauge versions of trains or locomotives would not normally be run together with models of larger full-scale vehicles. To fit the same standard track the latter must be built using different scales. To illustrate the point, 1:22.5 scale passengers and/or train crew are somewhat oversized when displayed in close proximity with 1:32 models. Though the models may be physically compatible, many people choose a style or era to fit their desires and pick one ratio (in the range of 1:20.3 to 1:32) to model all of their trains.
One of the most prominent aspects of LGB trains over other model railroad models is their durability. All locomotives, track, and accessories of the main product line function in rain and snow allowing nearly anyone to have an outdoor garden railroad. As a matter of fact, there have been cases when LGB products have survived against all odds. Apparently, an LGB controller was once caught in a flood in early spring; not only was it completely submerged, but the water actually froze solid around it the next day when the temperature dropped. After the controller thawed out, it was taken inside and set next to a heater to dry. Against all odds, the product apparently worked fine, as if nothing had happened.
The first loco made under the LGB brand was a model of a small Austrian 0-4-0
0-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-4-0 represents one of the simplest possible types, that with two axles and four coupled wheels, all of which are driven...
named "Stainz." This loco appears in the LGB logo and is still in production today, although it now has a sound system and other mechanical differences to the original 1968 model. Most garden railway enthusiasts have at least one example of a Stainz in their collection as it tends to be a robust loco with good pulling power.
LGB's tooling is of great interest due to its design. For example, on the standard 4-wheel coach they have a choice four roof designs and three body designs, all using the same chassis and end walkway mouldings. Such careful planning allows common parts to be used keeping costs down. Two very different-looking vehicles can share all but one or two components.
LGB's engineering is also of similar interest. Starter sets typically include a circle of track with a 4 foot diameter and a smaller two-axle locomotive, like the Stainz mentioned above.
Bankruptcy, purchase, and resumption of production
The German company Ernst Paul Lehmann filed for bankruptcy in late 2006, only a few short months after LGB of America (LGBoA) was spun off into its own company. LGBoA was one of the companies that bid on the purchase of Lehmann's remaining assets, but lost to MärklinMärklin
Gebr. Märklin & Cie. GmbH or Märklin is a German toy company. The company was founded in 1859 and is based at Göppingen in Baden-Wurttemberg. Although it originally specialised in doll house accessories, today it is best known for model railways and technical toys...
, another German model train manufacturer. Shipping and production resumed in fall 2007, with the LGB brand intact. On September 21, 2007, an interim agreement concerning already-manufactured product was signed between LGBoA and Märklin that gave LGBoA exclusive distribution and service rights in North America. However, a new contract was never signed. Since LGBoA owned the LGB trademark in the United States, new LGB products could not be distributed there without some sort of agreement between LGBoA and Märklin. Meanwhile, Märklin had been distributing new products to the rest of the world.
On June 1, 2008, Silvergate Distributors, Inc. was formed as a new company by LGB of America president Anthony Castellano. Silvergate is an independent, American-owned, hobby distributor and is not a subsidiary or "daughter firm" of any other company. Though LGBoA was not dissolved, Silvergate assumed distribution of remaining LGB stock as well as current and new product lines. Silvergate appears to be diversifying as it has now acquired distribution of the Schuco
Schuco
Schuco is a German toy maker founded in 1912 by Heinrich Müller and the businessman Heinrich Schreyer in Nuremberg, since early days, Germany's toy capital. Its specialty was usually cars and trucks in both tin and diecast...
line and is expanding with Brawa and Piko
Piko
PIKO is one of the largest and best-known model train brands in Europe and also enjoys a wide following in the United States and other parts of the world...
as its current model railroad product lines.
In November 2008, Märklin announced that it had resolved the American trademark dispute and planned to resume distribution of LGB products in the United States starting tentatively in January 2009, as well as update the LGB websites and release a 2008/2009 catalog. Märklin announced that distribution to the North American market will be through Walthers
Wm. K. Walthers
Wm. K. Walthers, Inc. is a manufacturer and distributor of model railroad supplies and tools.Wm. K. Walthers, Inc., was founded in Milwaukee in 1932 -- but really, it started years earlier, when seven-year-old Bill Walthers got his first taste of the hobby with a small, wind-up toy train for...
. This arrangement has not been greatly affected by Märklin's early 2009 insolvency. As of April 2009, a select few LGB products can be ordered at the Walthers website, with more arriving soon.
In popular culture
- The Comedy Inc.Comedy Inc.Comedy Inc. was an Australian sketch comedy television series, which ran on the Nine Network from 1 February 2003 to 26 December 2007. The series was produced by Crackerjack Productions. It first premiered in February 2003 in the new wave of Australian sketch comedy shows being launched across the...
sketch, "Ernest the Engine and Others", uses L.G.B models, buildings, and track.
External links
- LGB website
- Märklin website
- A forum devoted to LGB trains
- A blog devoted to LGB
- All the latest news about LGB Old factory location (Saganer Strasse 1-5, D-90475 NurembergNurembergNuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
, GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
)