LGB affordable? Only at auctions, when the stuff has aged for a while.
Affordable is a relative term. Something less than 1k is a step in the right direction.
Well apparently LGB took 4 of their long cabeese and put custom decals on them for the golden spike. They are being displayed at their booth at promontory. One has already been bought. I would REALLY like one, even though I’m sure it would set me back $200. I have done everything humanly possible to get my hands on one, short of being there to get one. Needless to say, it’s quite hard when you live 2,000 miles away and it’s a Saturday. No one responds to your messages or calls. 
Well Joe I see that picture in this thread
https://www.onlytrains.com/model/trains/29000.html
LGB set 10,000.00 yep I didnt add any extra zeros
Transcontinental 150th American 4-4-0 Hybrid Set
Exclusive Lionelstore.com Promotion - Only 150 Sets Available!
Set pack includes: Central Pacific Jupiter 4-4-0, Union Pacific 119 4-4-0,and the Woodruff Sleeping & Parlor 1860’s Coach 2 Pack. Save $299.98 with this exclusive set!
Estimated ship date : January 2020
MSRP: $2,199.99
Everyone should send in a request to Marklin/LGB to produce one! If they hear from enough people maybe they’ll respond with a new item. And Marklin has said they are giving special attention to American Railroading and the 150th Anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad.
Ms. Stacy Cousins is the Marklin/LGB Customer Service Representative here in the USA:
Ms. Stacy Cousins
Märklin, Inc.
PO Box 2649
Lake Ozark, MO 65049
P: 573-365-9522
Email: [email protected]
Thank you Thomas! I would love for LGB to do some sort of commemorative car that every g scaler could afford. I will make sure to contact Mr. Cousins, and I could tell him about my interest was well as my former plans to do a custom run. I am currently trying to get my hands on one of the 4 cabeese that have been custom decorated for the anniversary and are at the booth in Promontory, but I think I’m fighting a loosing battle trying to get one.
Joe Loll said:
Thank you Thomas! I would love for LGB to do some sort of commemorative car that every g scaler could afford. I will make sure to contact Mr. Cousins, and I could tell him about my interest was well as my former plans to do a custom run. I am currently trying to get my hands on one of the 4 cabeese that have been custom decorated for the anniversary and are at the booth in Promontory, but I think I’m fighting a loosing battle trying to get one.
Joe - Appreciate your feedback…yes, I’m going to contact her too. By the way, it’s Ms. Stacy Cousins…I edited my posting to clarify.
Some other G scale manufacturers are also emphaizing American Railroading and hobbyists. I saw an ad in my latest edition of the LGB Club magazine that Pola is re-manufacturing the Silverton train station and the Silverton Loco Shed, so they will be available on the market "new’ again soon, if not already available at G scale stores.
Tom
Joe Loll said:
Thank you Thomas! I would love for LGB to do some sort of commemorative car that every g scaler could afford. I will make sure to contact Mr. Cousins, and I could tell him about my interest was well as my former plans to do a custom run. I am currently trying to get my hands on one of the 4 cabeese that have been custom decorated for the anniversary and are at the booth in Promontory, but I think I’m fighting a loosing battle trying to get one.
Who wouldn’t? But that isn’t what they are known for.
At $10,000 a set, should buy 2!
yeah, in this case David, there is indeed a way to make this affordable, just charge a reasonable profit. $10,000 is clearly nuts greedy in my opinion.
I did see that it says the model is made of brass and zinc… if it was a handcrafted brass model, maybe $2k a loco… oh, the “gold plated spike” is for sure worth at least $10
Greg
Well, at least the LGB set represents early western US, and it’s $500 cheaper than this loco, which would look out of place at Promontory IMO.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/292293473790
(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)
Greg Elmassian said:
At $10,000 a set, should buy 2!
yeah, in this case David, there is indeed a way to make this affordable, just charge a reasonable profit. $10,000 is clearly nuts greedy in my opinion.
I did see that it says the model is made of brass and zinc… if it was a handcrafted brass model, maybe $2k a loco… oh, the “gold plated spike” is for sure worth at least $10
Greg
Well, maybe this relates to what you said about short runs not being profitable, unless the manufacturer charges an insane mark up.
Regards post about LGB " Golden Spike" set - When you have enough dealers worldwide who’ll commit to at least one example each for inventory (because they know their “marks” only too well), paid on 30 day terms and covering your break even point then you have what might be described as a proposition. Remember these are the same people who brought you the £4100/$5289 rotary snow plow - they have got form on this one, never mind past experiences with hooking up with Aster. There is a well known UK dealer offering this “Golden Spike” set at £9,000/$11,610 (And a 2nd hand LGB/Aster NG/G13 Garratt going for £5,000/$6,450). The commas are in the right place. No pence or cents indicated (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-sealed.gif)
It intrigues me that these days that such is the perceived sales “volume” potential that it make these trinkets appear viable propositions for manufacturers to risk capital to produce. In the past, if indulged in too often or as a matter of course, manufacture of them would have led to those companies certain bankruptcy. Now they seem to be their saviours and it’s the “entry level” mainstream stuff that is killing them - What does that tell us ? (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)
Now that you mention it. How many times has LGB gone bankrupt?
Buy set of stamps from the post office and stick one or 2 on a car…(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)
David Maynard said:
Now that you mention it. How many times has LGB gone bankrupt?
David - The original LGB firm, Ernst Paul Lehmann Patentwerk - Germany only went bankrupt once in 2006. Then in 2007 Marklin bought it. But don’t forget the LGB of America - San Diego was established as a separate company for distribution of LGB products in the USA. After Marklin bought LGB, LGB of America, which owned the trademark in the USA, held the existing warehouse inventory here. Then Silvergate USA bought LGB of America. It’s all pretty complicated and Wikapedia has a pretty good chonology about all the competing businesses which fought to take over the LGB brand: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGB_(trains)
So, the key point is that the makeup of the LGB product line is now Marklin Germany, and they have a totally different attitude and approach to the hobby than the original LGB family had. Ron Gibson, who was the LGB of America marketing manager and then switched over to working for Marklin when they aquired LGB, shared some of his frustrations about dealing with Marklin about the USA market’s needs…he said Marklin really doesn’t care! But, regardless, I’m pleased that the LGB brand of trains has a continued life even under the approach Marklin takes. Part of their attitutde is that the USA only makes up about 15 - 20 percent of their business base…so they focus on Europe’s needs, not the USA…understandable from a pure business perspective.
Thomas White said:
David Maynard said:
Now that you mention it. How many times has LGB gone bankrupt?
David - The original LGB firm, Ernst Paul Lehmann Patentwerk - Germany only went bankrupt once in 2006. Then in 2007 Marklin bought it. But don’t forget the LGB of America - San Diego was established as a separate company for distribution of LGB products in the USA. After Marklin bought LGB, LGB of America, which owned the trademark in the USA, held the existing warehouse inventory here. Then Silvergate USA bought LGB of America. It’s all pretty complicated and Wikapedia has a pretty good chonology about all the competing businesses which fought to take over the LGB brand: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGB_(trains)
So, the key point is that the makeup of the LGB product line is now Marklin Germany, and they have a totally different attitude and approach to the hobby than the original LGB family had. Ron Gibson, who was the LGB of America marketing manager and then switched over to working for Marklin when they aquired LGB, shared some of his frustrations about dealing with Marklin about the USA market’s needs…he said Marklin really doesn’t care! But, regardless, I’m pleased that the LGB brand of trains has a continued life even under the approach Marklin takes. Part of their attitutde is that the USA only makes up about 15 - 20 percent of their business base…so they focus on Europe’s needs, not the USA…understandable from a pure business perspective.
LGB could pretty much concentrate on mostly RhB and have plenty of business and models to choose from. That railway (RhB) has made so many changes in the last few years. There are the new “Capricorn” railcars that have entered service replacing most of the older stock. RhB has an order in for new Tea shunters to replace most of the current ones (overhead and Li Ion Battery powered) and then there are the newly in service Alvra trainsets with or without a driving coach. The photographer car alone would be worth the making. I suspect that we will see a bunch of versions of the Ge 6/6II once this year is past (still hanging on for mostly goods service). Sad to already hear that the Rhb is going to start withdrawing some of the Ge 4/4 IIs as well (news is the first orders will be withdrawn as they come in for service). Even the Ge 4/4IIIs have announced upgrades though I do not think it will affect their overall appearance. Only Ed’s so far has made a copy of the Gmf 4/4 IIs but that is also another one waiting out there.