Hi all,
Perhaps this is just the start?… don’t change the channel!
Copy pasted text of the annoucement on the LGBoA website
LGBoA website said:
Lehmann and LGB of America Move ForwardErnst Paul Lehmann Patentwerk, maker of LGB trains, announced today that it has transferred ownership of LGB of America to G45, a U.S.-based corporation. “In these changing times, you have to keep moving forward,†said Rolf Richter, Managing General Partner of Ernst Paul Lehmann Patentwerk. “And this move forward provides new opportunities for us, for LGBoA and for our LGB friends in America.â€
“LGBoA began simply as a service center for LGB owners in North America,†said David Buffington, President of G45. “It is now very different. It now distributes LGB trains, PIKO structures and NOCH accessories. Of course, LGB is and will remain our top brand and the market leader in G scale, but this change will allow us to also offer other interesting products.â€
Buffington also said the move will create opportunities beyond traditional sales. “LGBoA already has a well-earned reputation for service to LGB owners, and we now hope to offer consumers even more in terms of repair, upgrade and parts service.â€
Tony Castellano will remain Chief Operating Officer of LGBoA, and both Buffington and Richter emphasized that their companies will continue to cooperate. “We have a very good relationship with the LGBoA team, and we will work very closely with LGBoA to produce the new LGB models our friends in America want,†said Richter.
As Dave Buffington likes to say/write “Stay tuned”.
An observation from my “previous life”:
Having worked for European importers of machine tools (prior to starting my own company) I had the chance to observe close up how “things” unfolded when it came time to “liquidate” previously fully owned overseas branches of several large German - and other European - companies.
I’m certainly interested to see if the established flow of events plays out in this instance.
As an aside: Will the MSRP of the PIKO Taurus be lowered?? 
Well, one thing for sure.
If a certain Marketing Person no longer works for Da Kra…oooops…The Germans, he no longer holds the position that seems to sway some…and the backup he once expected is gone.
Wonder how many of those products will get reviewed in Mentally Retarded Magazine now?
I guess it is safe to assume that G45 will not be importing any G64 products from the UK and Germany!
Paul
Hans-Joerg Mueller said:
Hi all,Perhaps this is just the start?… don’t change the channel!
You are correct…Just a tip of the iceberg.
Gibts kein Geld.
The Lone Railroader
Well, the washerwomen´s party and the narrow gauge economists got up early today.
Don t worry. There is only one known LGB customer in this forum. He will pay the bill.
Have Fun
Juergen Zirner
Zirner, that was a poorly aimed slap!
What surprises me, and disappoints me somewhat is that the release goes up quietly and noticed by an MLS forum member and left for him to announce, when Jack Lynch himself should have announced it publicly. It’s not that he doesn’t participate in the forums regularly.
It’s my hope that this will eventually bring us more US products from LGB…G45 providing the “front money” and LGB producing the products. If G45 has their own R&D department we could see more accurate models and fewer American outline products that have been LGB sized.
There could be hope, or G45 may just become an importer and told to shut up and sell product.
Warren
Hi all, Since I’m aware that not everyone reads the
and that the G=45mm needed a bit of help of in the publicity department - yeah, yeah I know; Jack Lynch, the Marketing Manager of LGBoA has it right in his signature on some fora - it occured to me that a more graphic representation was called for. Hence
While some people try very hard to convince the buying public that G=45mm is a scale, I beg to differ. G is much more versatile than that. that’s where “G- wie Gummi” (G - like rubber)comes in. A slogan I coined and used since ca. 2000; just in case JJ is interested. G can be stretched, compressed, shrunk, expanded and inflated; much along the creative lines of the balloon people at the midways, who take a standard elongated balloon and make a cat, a dog, a rabbit orr some other creature. And just like the balloon animals much of what is passed of as “G scale”, or whatever the next moniker will be, they are cute caricatures, but models?? Hmmmmmmmmm, I’m from Missouri. 
Of course like with any other bit of news there is Good News, too. Since LGBoA will be able to persue their own “projects” there is no reason why they won’t be able to produce rolling stock in the “de facto” scale of 1:29 (defacto for NA!), the question will be: will they have the intestinal fortitude, the research capability and the stamina to do that? Bets any one?? BTW the last time I bet on something like that was many years ago when LGB produced a (at that time) fantasy “Blue Krok”. I bet David Buffington (now the president of G=45) a dollar that a certain customer (lots of LGB items) wouldn’t be buying one by the end of that year. Well, Mr. Buffington, after a bit of prodding, coughed up the Green Back. It hangs, suitably framed, together with the cover note in our office.
The Lone Railroader said:Hans-Joerg Mueller said:
Hi all,Perhaps this is just the start?… don’t change the channel!
You are correct…Just a tip of the iceberg.Gibts kein Geld.
The Lone Railroader
Marvin,
It is a reasonable assumption that Zirner - he knows everything! - is a bit disappointed that he didn’t have a chance to reply to your challenge in the other thread.
Well, old axiom says, you snooze, you loose!
I just noticed that he has “contributed” to this thread, the terminology is a bit opaque and given how many of us on LSC buy LGB in a selective manner, the threat (if that’s what it’s supposed to be) is at best silly. Kind of muddled!
But whatever! Don’t change the channel!!!
I’m betting that there will be models coming from G45. It’s my understanding that Jack & Co. were responsible for the R&D for the Genesis and the forthcoming Amfleet cars. They got the gummi treatment, but I would say that once the expenses of R&D fall upon G45 instead of LGB that there will be more accurate models. It 's my belief that G45/LGBofA is far more in tune with what Americans want and what’s acceptable quality than LGBofG.
I’m going to remain optimistic…until they let me down.
Warren
Bloody hell ,
You can tell Switzerland exports cuckoo clocks . Why Hans sees a threat in the post by Juergen is a bit of a mystery . I think you are getting haemmerhoid , Hans . Too much exercising of ze liddle grey zellen . no? Maybe you should stick to learnng how to use a razor saw , then astonish us all by actually finishing a model . Never did see your video of the Consolidation . Sorry , Konsolidation .
In the meantime , I would like to take issue with all the folks here who are happy to see a model rail company in trouble . It does none of you any credit , and only serves to give comfort to the spoilers of this world . You really do not wish to descend to that level , do you ?
We should be encouraging manufacturers , and not be involved in juvenile point scoring which will only act to the detriment of our Hobby .
Warren Mumpower said:
I’m betting that there will be models coming from G45. It’s my understanding that Jack & Co. were responsible for the R&D for the Genesis and the forthcoming Amfleet cars. They got the gummi treatment, but I would say that once the expenses of R&D fall upon G45 instead of LGB that there will be more accurate models. It 's my belief that G45/LGBofA is far more in tune with what Americans want and what’s acceptable quality than LGBofG. I’m going to remain optimistic…until they let me down. Warren
Warren, Are you going to bet a buck? My dollar is on: G45 will not match the 1:29 scale i.e. scale to the same “accuracy” as Aristo and USA Trains were the length, width, height are “pretty close”. If you win, I gladly be the looser, because it would mean that someone finally smartened up! Note to everyone: I only wager one US dollar with Warren. On the R&D for the Genesis and the Amfleet cars; reviews by certain people not withstanding - the people at “Clambake” need a decent set of measuring tools, along with a better source library to find out what’s what! - the Genesis is 1:27! I’m really looking forward to getting my hands on an Amfleet car to do the review for the
Mike Morgan said:Mike,
Bloody hell , You can tell Switzerland exports cuckoo clocks . Why Hans sees a threat in the post by Juergen is a bit of a mystery . I think you are getting haemmerhoid , Hans . Too much exercising of ze liddle grey zellen . no? Maybe you should stick to learnng how to use a razor saw , then astonish us all by actually finishing a model . Never did see your video of the Consolidation . Sorry , Konsolidation . In the meantime , I would like to take issue with all the folks here who are happy to see a model rail company in trouble . It does none of you any credit , and only serves to give comfort to the spoilers of this world . You really do not wish to descend to that level , do you ? We should be encouraging manufacturers , and not be involved in juvenile point scoring which will only act to the detriment of our Hobby .
Glad to see that you’re 'puter is working. I think you’ll be OK most of the time if you concentrate on typing, just don’t adjust or attempt to adjust anything!
Just reread my post and you will see that I wrote
HJ said:As to the rest: Did you know that Fr.Fred is much better at giving homilies?? He limbers up, if required. He was in a jolly good mood last night (NA time) and thought that things could get to the point of you emulating the orderliness of my workbench/workshop.
I just noticed that he has "contributed" to this thread, the terminology is a bit opaque and given how many of us on LSC buy LGB in a selective manner, the threat (if that's what it's supposed to be) is at best silly. Kind of muddled!
Fr.Fred said:Has he seen your workbench? Is it as chaotic as Zirner's??
Thanks Hans for opening your clean, well laid out shop to our scrutiny......your work is great......no mater what the sceptics are mumbling......in fact, I'll bet Mikey even starts to copy your clean working habits......!!!!!!!
On the G4/5 Consolidation, to refresh your memory:
HJ said:Didn't say when it would happen, did it? I've got my own schedule! ;) :)
I'll set up the video cam on the tripod and take some footage (won't happen this week), the crawl speed with the exactly synchronised exhaust of the cylinders is absolutely amazing.
Müller wrote:
"the people at “Clambake” need a decent set of measuring tools, along with a better source library to find out what’s what! - the Genesis is 1:27! "
Excuse me for beeing a foreigner. Some words I have to look up. Never knew what a “Clambake” is.
http://www.yawiktionary.com/c/1148372213824.html
Excuse me, I don´t understand (Ich verstehe nicht) What´has cooking fish on the beach or smoking marijuahna do do with the sale of a company.
Is this Swiss Humor or simply “Carry-On…HJ Mueller” Very strange.
Have Fun
Juergen Zirner
Zirner said:
Müller wrote:"the people at “Clambake” need a decent set of measuring tools, along with a better source library to find out what’s what! - the Genesis is 1:27! "
Excuse me for beeing a foreigner. Some words I have to look up. Never knew what a “Clambake” is.
http://www.yawiktionary.com/c/1148372213824.htmlExcuse me, I don´t understand (Ich verstehe nicht) What´has cooking fish on the beach or smoking marijuahna do do with the sale of a company.
Is this Swiss Humor or simply “Carry-On…HJ Mueller” Very strange.
Have Fun
Juergen Zirner
Dear Zirner,
When in Rome do as the Romans do. When participating in a northamerican forum it helps to aquire at least some working knowledge of the lingo and slang. Otherwise you may be utterly lost.
Understanding more complex sentences, and turns of phrase, is also an advantage in all those cases where the topic may change from generalities to specifics. There is, in that respect, no difference between German and English as we use it in North America, if one doesn’t comprehend the topic, one will be lost.
Sorry as of yet we haven’t started a Wiki on LS slang on LSC but I’m reasonably certain that Bob may entertain at least the consideration.
He who sets himself up as a coconut will get balls thrown at him . So don’t dodge the issue .
Do not obfuscate . Come clean , the Konsolidation will be worn out before you video it . Or perhaps you need as much help with the camera as I seem to with my computer . Show us examples of your skill with a razor saw . I didn’t use a milling machine to produce the railbus nor the RhB carriage that everyone liked so much .I only mention those because the photos are still on site .
You should be encouraging people to use simple accessible tools to build with . I have a complete machine shop . I use machinery as necessary , not to demonstrate how well off I am for machines . Cutting a wagon in bits with a miller is just wasting a good tool . Try using a miller to do the conversion I did on the RhB carriage–my practise with razor saws really stood me in good stead . The job would not have been possible with a miller .
As for the computer , I have not been posting because I am fascinated watching the bluster . Let it run .
I also spend time actually finishing models .Try it , it is very satisfying . Remember , some of us keen modellers read European magazines . And certain websites .
And , hans , I do not need lessons in English . So repeating what I post is a bit pointless . Re read the email that I sent you some time back to encourage you to learn . Remind yourself of what we agreed to do .
Now, the word fight…HAS turned into a food fight.
With clambakes being tossed about.
OK, who has the Tartar Sauce?
Ok, bring in this Old Highland Dew.
It´s Calvados for me please.
And a Kaffee-Fertig for the MC, Mr. Mueller
He´ll pay the bill.
Have Fun
Juergen Zirner