My Favorite LGB Loco

NOTE: LGB also later produced a black DR version of the 2085D with analog actuated digital sounds and with synchronized puffing smoke. The bell and whistle (glock und pfeife) could be activated by track magnets. The sound of a fireman's shovel scraping the deck as he fired the loco was a nice bonus! This was also one of my favorites, but alas, I no longer have this version.

I have 4 LGB locomotives, but my favorite is Uintah #50. The Uintah Railway is my favorite railroad.

I had sound added and NiMH batteries installed to operate by LocoLinc. And added a large speaker to a custom made water car #021 for more sound. And it has plenty of volume.

In 1985 I bought an 0-4-0 green starter set and added to it each year for a total of 12 cars. It has been through about four sets of kids growing up. I had to replace the motor and it has lost a few parts but it has endured. Great trains.

TERRY: The LGB Unitah is a VERY impressive engine indeed! If I did not have a main interest in the Austrian, German and Swiss narrow gauge models, I would have a Unitah for certain! GVDOBLER: Those Stainz 0-4-0 starter locos (the LGB icon) are sturdy indeed and are good pullers for sure. I currently have two: The Dortmunder Bier Set loco and the 30th Anniversary Stainz, which was only available to guests at the factory birthday celebration in 1998. LGB made a quality product with good longevity!

And good materials and engineering!

I thought it might be interesting if I added a couple pics of the customized freight I found to accompany Uintah Railway #50. (I did purchase a LGB Uintah boxcar, not shown due to available space on shelf.)

Uintah water car #21:

After the water car are 3 custom made flat cars with gilsonite loads. The end is a fictional Uintah caboose #4. They only had 3 cabooses, all of which were 2-axle. The caboose was a USA 4-axle steel caboose that was shortened to bobber length, which I applied Uintah decals.

NICE!

Tinplate Art posted:

I have had more than a dozen original LGB locos since 1978, but my all-time favorite is the 2085D 0-6-6-0 mallet. I was fortunate to recently acquire a mint, unused 2085D in a pristine box and it is a pure delight to run. Mine is the later version without the slanted stack but also with the added catenary warning markings. The 5 volt smoke unit pours out volumes of Seuthe smoke and the four sets of running gear are literally "poetry in motion"! The lighted cab has both a fireman and engineer, and the boiler detailing has much piping! Truly, a colorful and nicely detailed loco, with excellent pulling power. Always a favorite with my train room guests, whether pulling a set of 3062 OBB passenger cars or a train of PIKO bier reefers. My second all-time favorite LGB loco  would be the brown 2040 RhB "baby" crocodile.

very nice Art, how bout a few pictures.

I have only one LGB/Aster engine, a Garratt (new, not run)

The original 2019D, AFTER I repainted it:

Rusty

daylight posted:

I have only one LGB/Aster engine, a Garratt (new, not run)

I have a severe case of locomotive envy!

I procrastinated long enough to totally miss out on getting one at a reasonable price and have regretted it more than any other train opportunity.

Any chance of a few pics. And did you find any appropriate freight cars to accompany your Beyer Garratt NGG13?

DAYLIGHT: That Aster Garratt is one FINE engine, but we expect no less from their craftsmanship!

Art

if you don't mind mixing brands & scale, HLW produced rolling stock with UNITAH markings.   

email me and l'll dig out what l have and send you pix.

dave

GVDobler posted:

In 1985 I bought an 0-4-0 green starter set and added to it each year for a total of 12 cars. It has been through about four sets of kids growing up. I had to replace the motor and it has lost a few parts but it has endured. Great trains.

I am partial to the little 0-4-0 locomotives,  regardless of manufacturer. Yes l do have 3 LGB's,  and am quite happy with them.  No need for large radius curves unless YOU want them. Easy maintenance, no need to take out a mortgage on the house to buy one...

dave

Much of the original (Saganer Strasse) production is available in new to like-new condition at affordable prices if you do a little searching. I prefer nice boxes as well as the engines and cars. I have two of the new production high-end RhB coaches made in Hungary, and they appear to be high quality like the original German made. Marklin is "keeping the dream alive" as it were!

I just bought a DSP&PRR 2018D Mogul. I guess you can say that it is my favorite since it is the 4th one I have owned. I sold the others when I transitioned to tinplate, but I should have kept one to run my Christmas trains. I'll post some pictures when I get the holiday layout up. I also really like that Mallet. 

I tried to use a low cost Bachmann to to pull the Christmas box cars, but the wheels slip on the curves and it tends to stall.

George

GEORGE: The LGB Mogul and its many iterations are all CLASSICS. I got into LGB on an impulse buy at a TCA show here in Nashville, TN in 1978. At that time, I purchased a Euro passenger starter set with the iconic 0-4-0 Stainz and an additional Tucher Pils bier wagon. At that point in time, the export sets contained no 110V power packs, so one had to acquire an MRC HO unit to run them. I suppose the unfamiliar European equipment piqued my interest and I built a modest collection of Austrian, German and Swiss LGB locos and cars. When LGB released the Mogul, I was too deep into their European models to switch to the US style. Of course, their introduction of the Mogul was a huge impetus for many US hobbyists to enter the world of G gauge and all its possibilities. The LGB Moguls are, without a doubt, iconic engines, but alas, I never owned one! But, in my side career as an LGB service tech, I once replaced a motor and a smoke unit on a customer's Mogul!

My only LGB locomotive (so it must be a favorite):

Regards

Fred

FRED: NICE!

Art

Beside 1 Christmas set I only have 3 other LGB engines and haven't ran but 1 of them.

Fred's  Video is making me leal towards the Denver & Rio Grande especially since I have a lot of extra cars for that one.

But I do like all of them

Larry

Larry: NICE selection of locos! The RhB "baby croc" is a classic LGB engine and one of my favorites. Highly detailed and constructed of over 600 individual parts. The 2080D is another favorite!

I do not have the LGB crocodile, but my brother has one and it is his favorite, so he brought it to run at my track:

What you did not see on the video: we had a nice Belgium (>9% strong) beer with it.

Regards

Fred

FRED: THANKS for sharing - you have got to love that side rod motion! I am fond of Belgian Lambics, particularly the Frambois. I call it a dessert bier! LOL! Merchant du Vin is the importer in the US. I even have a set of four of their Lambic glasses! They are shaped like a narrow Pilsner glass.

Neat stuff Fred!!

Larry

sncf231e posted:

I do not have the LGB crocodile, but my brother has one and it is his favorite, so he brought it to run at my track:

What you did not see on the video: we had a nice Belgium (>9% strong) beer with it.

Regards

Fred

I had a blue croc, but I had wished to have a brown one. Very nice RhB locomotive!

There was a blue RhB croc specially painted for the Alpine Classic Pullman Express and of course brown, but there was never an actual red or green one except for the LGB versions.

I'm not sure about a favorite LGB locomotive, but the lowly Stainz never stops pleasing me with it's reliability and pulling power.  

LGB Aster  D&RG K-28  beautiful smooth operating locomotive!!

The Asters are very beautiful models. They are not really LGB. Aster of Japan made them for LGB. They are all brass and metal. They are also very expensive due to the quality material, workmanship and limited production.

George

DAN: I agree about the iconic LGB Stainz locos. I currently have two: the 30th Anniversary model from 1998, available only at the factory celebration, and a black and gray version that came with the Dortmunder Bier Set. Sturdy and great pullers!

I have a Stainz engine too. It's part of my blue Christmas set. I was so excited when I bought that set!. It needs to run this Christmas. I didn't setup my LGB last Christmas because I had my tinplate around the tree. My goal is to move my tinplate to a permanent layout this year and get the LGB back out. I also have the LGB Santa pumper car and use it with an LGB pendulum reverse unit.

George

GEORGE: Sounds like a plan!  ☺

Larry, Nice pics from the dark side!!! Funny, I put my cursor over one of your pictures and it has my name.  LOL.  Keep them rollin!

Great thread, all LGB products are Top Box Quality, fun to run, and are made to enjoy and last a lifetime.  My LGB train is a Sante Fe GP30 (I think) and runs above the doors and through the walls in my train room. It’s a fun to run train and seeing it come through the wall is a crowd pleaser... Happy Railroading 

leapinlarry posted:

Great thread, all LGB products are Top Box Quality, fun to run, and are made to enjoy and last a lifetime.  My LGB train is a Sante Fe GP30 (I think) and runs above the doors and through the walls in my train room. It’s a fun to run train and seeing it come through the wall is a crowd pleaser... Happy Railroading 

Larry, that's actually an Alco diesel.  LGB's model is a superb representation of it.  It's also a stump puller, from what I have read.  I've never owned one as my garden railway is mostly a field railway themed layout.  But that doesn't mean the big diesel don't catch my interest now and then.  

Dan Padova posted:

leapinlarry posted:

Great thread, all LGB products are Top Box Quality, fun to run, and are made to enjoy and last a lifetime.  My LGB train is a Sante Fe GP30 (I think) and runs above the doors and through the walls in my train room. It’s a fun to run train and seeing it come through the wall is a crowd pleaser... Happy Railroading 

Larry, that's actually an Alco diesel.  LGB's model is a superb representation of it.  It's also a stump puller, from what I have read.  I've never owned one as my garden railway is mostly a field railway themed layout.  But that doesn't mean the big diesel don't catch my interest now and then.  

"It's also a stump puller" - There are videos on YouTube of it pulling a huge number of cars! IMO, LGB engines are the best pullers.

George

I couldn't pass up on the Rio Grande version:

The diesel's LGB origin (I believe) was with the White Pass & Yukon 1200hp narrow gauge ALCO-MLW diesel that they purchased between 1969 and 1971, numbers 101 thru 110. They made a beautiful green and yellow version, which I liked best. As we LGB loyalist know, LGB made quite the selection of WP&Y products. Later LGB expanded the use of the WP&Y ALCO diesel to some American railroads even though they were standard gauge.

The Richter family, Eberhard, Wolfgang, Rolf, and Johannes, created some charming models at Saganer Strasse over their years of ownership. LGB, with the exception of the exquisite metal-crafted Aster collaborations, produced wonderfully detailed trains, while managing to retain their toy-like appearance. Once under the LGB "spell", they are hard to resist! And, rest assured, the Marklin LGB  quality continues with the Hungary production. VIVA der LGB!

Tinplate Art posted:

LGB, with the exception of the exquisite metal-crafted Aster collaborations, 

And do not forget the beautiful Magnus Höhne locomotives made for LGB.

Regards

Fred

Those were done early on and were virtually hand-made very limited edition models owned by a lucky small number of folks. Certainly much lower production numbers than any LGB/Aster engines! Absolutely BEAUTIFUL craftsmanship and in a class by themselves! Never have heard of one being offered for sale. TRUE rarities!