Why am I so drawn to LGB?

S

Sarah Winfield

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There is a pre-used LGB water tanker on offer on ebay at a price which is twice that of another make. I could therefore buy 2 of the others for my one LGB.

What is it about me that I only want what I think are the best to the detriment of my enjoyment?

I expect that's a psychological question and no need for replies.

Sarah Winfield

P.S. Yet strangely enough my first car was nearly a Moscovitch in about 1968. As it was I bought a Mini Van with a dubious first gear.
 
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…… but would the two others of other make equal the quality and running life of the LGB one?
 
You will never regret buying LGB..... and it will pretty much always have a good resale value if you want to move it on later for whatever reason, and you can't say that about too many hobbies these days.

I suspect that the "cheap" tankers you refer to are probably the Newqida Chinese copies of the LGB standard tank wagon, which are made of very inferior plastics and have a very hit-and-miss assembly quality and finish; there is nothing wrong with them as basic cheap rolling stock and/or conversion fodder...... or, you might be comparing a "normal" LGB one with one of the LGB "Toytrain" type - a different design, the Toytrain ones are simplified and lacking the finer detail, and are cheaper - more designed for the youngsters as suggested by the name - although they are still built to proper LGB quality and materials.

Jon.
 
That is the question to which I'll never know the answer because I would like to buy the LGB one and wonder for eternity if I made the right decision which might mean I'll never buy any of them.

SW
 
Sarah Winfield said:
That is the question to which I'll never know the answer because I would like to buy the LGB one and wonder for eternity if I made the right decision which might mean I'll never buy any of them.

SW
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Bung the answer onto the back of eternity and live as you want. :clap:
 
Sarah Winfield said:
That is the question to which I'll never know the answer because I would like to buy the LGB one and wonder for eternity if I made the right decision which might mean I'll never buy any of them.

SW
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The LGB one is the best choice for price as with the Newquida ones you need to replace the wheels and more importantly the couplings with genuine LGB ones as they are made of poor quality plastic that breaks as soon as you look at it, so at the end of the day chances are that the LGB one will cost little if anything more.

But cheepo Newquida is fine if you want to hack it about a lot.
 
If it is the 'Newqida' or 'Train' brand, they are excellent for the price but as it has already been mentioned the plastic will be less dense, more inferior and cars much lighter in weight than a LGB one.
The lettering will possibly be all over the place too. The cheaper Newqida tanks along with the RhB box vans, gondolas and coaches are great value though. I bought 12 tanks for AU$25 each.

I have just refinished them all with automotive vinyl paint which I think it is xylene based (stinky nail polish smell) and bonds to the plastic really well unlike a jammy layer of paint.
The painting is almost fool proof if put on with several thin coats giving a perfect light low sheen finish with no build up and dry to touch almost straight away. The finish looks much the same as a Spectrum tank car. I'll put on some metal wheels for added stability and add some decals later.
The added paint all over tank and chassis will add some UV protection hopefully making them last much longer out in the sun. Some UV clear over the data boards.
There is a guy in China selling the same blackened steel wheels as Al Kramer has but quite a bit cheaper at the moment. The wheels will cost me about AU$12 per car. A little sand in the tanks would be another easy way to give them added stability.
An LGB tank would probably cost about AU$120 VGC second hand where I am in Australia, one at a time with added shipping.
 
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A deal of my surviving LGB stuff dates from the middle-70s and early 80's, including locomotives. To look at them you would never know how old they were. The sheer LGB quality is all the way through.

I say 'surviving', but I don't want you to get the idea that it wore out - it didn't. Our much-missed pal, Steve Warrington, sold upwards of £5000-worth of my LGB stuff a while back to fund my growing Gauge 1 interest.

tac
 
Sarah Winfield said:
That is the question to which I'll never know the answer because I would like to buy the LGB one and wonder for eternity if I made the right decision which might mean I'll never buy any of them.

SW
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The cheeper Newquida ones will require replacement wheels and more importantly replacement LGB Couplings as the Nowquida one break as soon as you look at them. Poor quality lastic compared to LGB. So the LGB one may indeed ultimately work out cheeper and give more satisfaction in the long run.

Newquida are fine if you want to hack them about or modify.

Newquida Tank Wagon modified by Andy Rush of Ruschbahn fame, Backman Metal Wheels and LGB Couplings.image.jpeg
 
tac foley said:
A deal of my surviving LGB stuff dates from the middle-70s and early 80's, including locomotives. To look at them you would never know how old they were. The sheer LGB quality is all the way through.

I say 'surviving', but I don't want you to get the idea that it wore out - it didn't. Our much-missed pal, Steve Warrington, sold upwards of £5000-worth of my LGB stuff a while back to fund my growing Gauge 1 interest.

tac
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Oh did you sell a Heidi via that source cos I got mine from him, second hand sound one.
 
dunnyrail said:
The LGB one is the best choice for price as with the Newquida ones you need to replace the wheels and more importantly the couplings with genuine LGB ones as they are made of poor quality plastic that breaks as soon as you look at it, so at the end of the day chances are that the LGB one will cost little if anything more.
But cheepo Newquida is fine if you want to hack it about a lot.
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The couplings, railing and ladder bits may break over time from impacts. Time will tell. The LGB couplings are easy to come by and I'm not too keen on putting all the railings back on anyway.

True, LGB stuff looked after still looks much the same as it was new 30 years later. Amazing! Engineering grade plastic.
 
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Paradise said:
I doubt they will break that easy but as you say the couplings may over time from impacts. Time will tell and LGB couplings are easy to come by anyway.
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Hm my English not good? I was refering to the Newquida Couplings being Carp which is why I replace by LGB ones which are almost but not entirely indestructable.
 
I do mainly US outline and my favourite wagons are USA Trains ultimate series. They come with metal wheels as standard, have very fine detail and are built to scale (albeit 1:29). Some of the fine detail struggles in the harsh garden environment though. I also like the pre spectrum Bachmann wagons. These again came with metal wheels, have less detail but are tough and stay on the track well. I’m not so keen on Aristo as they have plastic wheels. Even with metal wheels added they seem to be the only wagons that are prone to derailing my track. I have a rake of HLM hoppers fitted with metal wheels that I think are very good if somewhat low on detail. LGB use good quality materials and have very good (sometimes over bright) paint work but have plastic wheels and are not made to any particular scale. Because they are not to any scale they are usually not in correct proportions.
I have no experience of Piko (but I can see they are often not correctly proportioned) or newqida. As has been said I have seen newqida products made into nice models with better wheels and a good paint job.
 
dunnyrail said:
Oh did you sell a Heidi via that source cos I got mine from him, second hand sound one.
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Nossir. If I'd had a 'Heidi' I would never have sold it - it's the LGB loco I most admire, well, actually it's 'Thusis'. A company in Germany does a 'dress-up' kit that refines the pipework and fittings, even parts of the valve gear, to make it more of a scale model. It will never be a Regner model, but it IS a great-looking model for all that. It just looks so balanced and right - with a nice RhB train behind it. I've a mind to get one and use a trailing box car to provide battery/rc power control, and one of those spiffy new sound systems with the echoing alpine whistle......

tac
 
dunnyrail said:
Hm my English not good? I was refering to the Newquida Couplings being Carp which is why I replace by LGB ones which are almost but not entirely indestructable.
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No, your English is fine but I was mainly referring to the chassis and tank not breaking. Especially by just looking at it. o_O
I wasn't originally referring to your post as I had written most of mine before your one came through. :happy:
 
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Sarah Winfield said:
That is the question to which I'll never know the answer because I would like to buy the LGB one and wonder for eternity if I made the right decision which might mean I'll never buy any of them.

SW
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I get it, like the what do I clean my rails with thread? :blush:

Honestly, I know the desire to make the right decision, but have learned to stop the "spin cycle" earlier and earlier over the years. Almost nothing can't be made right eventually.

Greg
 
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