Large Scale Central

Small excerpt from the GARTENBAHNprofi

General Discussion
#1

Hi all,

Of course the GARTENBAHNprofi crew was in Nürnberg! Following is an excerpt from what has been published as a PDF on their site. http://www.gartenbahnprofi.de/16128/GB_2007_Messe_screen.pdf

Yes, I’ve started translating the rest of the stuff, but since the EPLehmann theme is most topical, I decided to tackle that part first. The original text is in the highlight box on page 15.

This is not a verbatim, word by word translation like some “less than up-to speed” entities would like me to do. I just don’t do wooden, hard to read translations like that; simple reason: may as well use Bablefish or Google! :wink: :slight_smile: :wink:

Hans-Joachim Gilbert, GARTENBAHNprofi said:
[b]Focusing on: Hermann Schöntag.[/b]

He has experience as a construction enterpreneur, former publisher of the “Modelleisenbahner”, operator of the “Rügen Railway”: since January 1st 2007, railway aficionado Hermann Schöntag is also owner of the LGB works, now doing business as Ernst Paul Lehmann GmbH & Co. KG.
He plans a move with the whole family from Upper Swabia to Nürnberg, perhaps the construction site of his life.

That the 59 year-old managed - on the homestretch of the insolvency proceedings just before Christmas - to win the creditors’ committee unanimously for his concept and in the process trump Märklin was a surprise for many. One of Schöntag’s cards: No layoffs, since he plans to repatriate some of the production which is now done in China, if it is economically feasible. With the “Made in Germany” he would like to score with the consumer.

But for this purpose the injection moulds need to be brought back from China, the Asians will exact some payment for that - if not from the insolvent EPL Patentwerk, then from the successor company. Prior to producing any of the concerned items, the tooling has to be available in Nürnberg.

To reliably, and in the long term, secure the approximately 150 jobs at Saganer Strasse in Nürnberg, LGB trains will need in future be not the only products leaving the factory - jobbing runs for third parties should fill the heretofore insufficiently utilized capacity. But it will take time before LGB is back in the swing of things, many raw materials are missing. No extra inventory was ordered during the insolvency phase. Now there is a lack
of motors, lack of rail profile and the OEM suppliers don’t deliver from one day to the next; sometimes in ten weeks, sometimes in fourteen weeks.
For that reason January turned out to be vacation month for employees, to make sure the team is back together when the suppliers deliver the materials.

The new LGB boss has additional problems: the negotiations with the now independent “LGBoA” couldn’t be concluded prior to the Nürnberg Toy Fair, which meant that LGB couldn’t present the USA New Items intended for this large wholesaler.

Schöntag intends to basically continue the concept developed during the past three years, no shaking of the LGB philosophy. The shrunk New Items lineup for 2007 follows the same line, even though he allows: “The weak points will need to be exposed”.

So far Hermann Schöntag, the model railroader, said: “LGB keeps me young”. We plan to ask him after the first Hundred Days at the helm of EPL how the new captain - and his LGB - is faring.

Hans-Joachim Gilbert

#2
Hans-Joerg Mueller said:
This is not a verbatim, word by word translation like some "less than up-to speed" entities would like me to do. Hans-Joachim Gilbert
You almost sound Prussian here...but then I remembered, they were excellent soldiers, so that ruled you out.
#3
The Lone Railroader said:
Hans-Joerg Mueller said:
This is not a verbatim, word by word translation like some "less than up-to speed" entities would like me to do. Hans-Joachim Gilbert
You almost sound Prussian here...but then I remembered, they were excellent soldiers, so that ruled you out.
Marvin, :D :D :D

You got that one right!

I never aspired to be a “good soldier” nor a Prussian, but I was a pretty good shot considering I had to wear glasses since I was three or four.
And when I made my apprenticeship in the early sixties (about 15 apprentices in the plant each year) I was the first apprentice who got perfect marks in German in all the time they had apprentices (at that time about 25 or 30 years).

Next time I’m in CH I should check back to see if that was ever repeated/equalled.

Who would have thunk, eh?? :smiley: :wink:

PS a little anectode from my army days. :wink:

Being a corporal is tough - I wouldn’t want to be one - but even tougher if you’re a bit “odd”. Well …we had this “clown” who was very important - personality type right up my alley. My buddy and I never reported quite loud enough for his liking - both of us being the quiet types :wink: :smiley: :D. He was gonna teach us a BIG LESSON one morning, had us rapport at full throttle. Of course that wasn’t loud enough, he ordered us back 30 meters at a time all across the exercise field, with repeated reports at each stop. We reported at “standard volume”. :wink: At the end of the field there was a river embankment over which we disappeared and relaxed. He kept on screaming and had no choice but to run the 200m to the river bank to fetch us. Well… we just did not hear him.

Neither did anyone else for the next three days since his voice was shot in a major way. He was the laughing stock of the whole company. :wink: :slight_smile: :smiley:

#4
The Lone Railroader said:
You almost sound Prussian here...but then I remembered, they were excellent soldiers, ...
So were the Swiss, if it comes to that ...
#5
Chris Vernell said:
The Lone Railroader said:
You almost sound Prussian here...but then I remembered, they were excellent soldiers, ...
So were the Swiss, if it comes to that ...
Chris,

Right, but not everyone knows history. :wink: :slight_smile:

One never knows, maybe next time around I have to be a soldier or some other “obey this, obey that” to atone for all my “sins”. hehehehe

#6

The Swiss must be pretty good soldiers.
They guard the Pope.

#7
Chris Vernell said:
The Lone Railroader said:
You almost sound Prussian here...but then I remembered, they were excellent soldiers, ...
So were the Swiss, if it comes to that ...
Doubtful!
#8
TonyWalsham said:
The Swiss must be pretty good soldiers. They guard the Pope.
Did not help the Pope that got shot...now did they?

And it’s easy to guard, when no one is attacking.

#9
The Lone Railroader said:
TonyWalsham said:
The Swiss must be pretty good soldiers. They guard the Pope.
Did not help the Pope that got shot...now did they?
Like the Secret Service and JFK? And several incidents since.
The Lone Railroader said:
And it's easy to guard, when no one is attacking.
Read your history. No one attacked the Swiss for the past 400 years or so because, apart from other considerations, there was solid evidence that the price would be very high.
#10

Hey Marvin,

Doesn’t bother me what you think (or don’t think) of Swiss soldiers.

Just not my cup that military stuff since I firmly believe that each man has a brain to think for himself, instead of having someone else do the thinking and then follow orders (more or less blindly). Some people just thrive on that, not me! Sorry!

#11

Never piss off a Vatican Swiss gaurd, those guys have very short fuses and will go off at the first smirk…well you would to if you had to wear that hokey killer-klown outfit. Oops I forgot, its traditional…so they got no choice.[:)]

Yu lookin’ a me, Yu lookin’ a me?

#12
Victor Smith said:
Never piss off a Vatican Swiss gaurd, those guys have very short fuses and will go off at the first smirk...well you would to if you had to wear that hokey killer-klown outfit. Oops I forgot, its traditional....so they got no choice.[:)]
Vic, ;) :)

What, they smack you with the halbard?? :slight_smile: :smiley: Put you on a skewer like a “Bratwurst”?

You know those uniforms are not as bad as some of the get-ups you see on the street. Or to have a really good laugh, attend one of the German Wild West festivals. “Oh dear” doesn’t even touch it!

#13

Wow, that is one goofy looking outfit!

#14

That’s from Ringling Brothers, isn’t it?

#15

No wonder he looks p**ed !

I’d have the same scowl too!

Greg

#16

Greg Elmassian said:
No wonder he looks p**ed ! I’d have the same scowl too! Greg

Greg, That’s the “one more step and we’ll cream you” glare

The guard on the left is the one to watch out for, no fooling with the halbards! By the way the Swiss Guard reminds me quite a bit of that other anachronism in England

They look somewhat similar to the above Or like this

#17

First off , the Swiss are guaranteed neutrality by other countries , so have no need to fight .
Second , the blokes in the busbies and red tunics do their turn of duty in Afghanistan , Bosnia , Croatia , and so on through the alphabet . So’s the Swiss can sleep safe in their banks coining it in at others’ expense .
And people who get false medical discharges from the army are the lowest of the low .

Mike

ps I see that the “clown” guardsman is being allowed to have his fun , whereas someone trying the same in Rome would be arrested for taking the mick .

#18
Chris Vernell said:
The Lone Railroader said:
TonyWalsham said:
The Swiss must be pretty good soldiers. They guard the Pope.
Did not help the Pope that got shot...now did they?
Like the Secret Service and JFK? And several incidents since.

We didn’t feel like building a bullet proof bubble like the “Pope Mobile” to do the “guarding” …And the JFK Assassination, from all known facts, appears to be an inside job. His plans ran counter to some.

The Lone Railroader said:
And it's easy to guard, when no one is attacking.
Read your history. No one attacked the Swiss for the past 400 years or so because, apart from other considerations, there was solid evidence that the price would be very high.
Hannibal has already disproved the Swiss fierceness theory.

The Swiss went neutral “non committal” rather quickly…other than a bit of Chocolate & some nice train rides…who would want the country.

“If you will stand for nothing…then you will fall for everything.”

#19
Hans-Joerg Mueller said:
Just not my cup that military stuff since I firmly believe that each man has a brain to think for himself, instead of having someone else do the thinking and then follow orders (more or less blindly). Some people just thrive on that, not me! Sorry!
I remember.....You said you weren't in the Swiss Army long enough to keep your Swiss Army Knife....Something about "allergies" wasn't it?

And I will not slander soldier’s uniforms from other countries. I do know for a fact that the British Soldiers wear the parade uniform and the combat uniform with equal dignity and respect. And I have been very proud to serve alongside some of their best. As well as many other countries soldiers as well. And I must say, the OZ SAS Soldiers were the most fun to party with after the work was done.

#20

I’ll second that , they were in Malaya with us . We won . Along with the Kiwis and the Ghurkas .

Now , if only the politicians would let all of them and the Canadian special forces do their thing in Afghanistan , etc., while the Americams look after the north lot with their specials without political input .

But that is cheating , some poor native might get hurt .

Mike