LGB Forney -- Conclusion

Note from Klaus: Have your grand-kids or any family member/ loved one announcing your Christmas Train and wishing you all a Merry Christmas! The ESU 4.0 and 5.0 sound decoders can be programmed and re-programmed (!) with ANY recording/sound file you like!!

Call Klaus for repairs, motor exchange  now!


Eventually Rolf Richter and others managed to get Disney's approval. It took 5 years. To be fair those were years of struggle or die for LGB. The Disney logo on any type of LGB train - so the Richter's hoped - would generate the much needed sales volume to prove to banks that they were viable for another line of credit or any expansion thereof. Money was tight to say the least. So eventually, they could manufacture the Disney Forney and went for a set. The LGB # 72350:

LGB # 72350 - Courtesy of trainz.com

Here  is a closer look at the loco

Courtesy of trainz.com

The loco in the picture is missing the gold crown on top of the smoke stack and the top of the sand dome which is shown on the starter set box. In 2004 LGB offered the set in Europe and in the USA. That makes it plausible that more than 400 sets were produced. YT tried to find price levels at time of market introduction but only managed to find a purchase price mentioned in a sales offer in 2008; that was US$ 1,000.00.
This set was advertised in its own catalog/brochure together with the Chloe train set, the Disney Mogul and - a first and last- the LGB/Disney game board train set # 92313.

In 2005 LGB continued their Forney offerings with the LGB # 24251, the Wild West Forney:

LGB # 24251 - Courtesy of Only Trains

Shown first in the LGB Fall Special 2005 it made it to the dealer stores in 2006. Price was approx US$ 590.00

Also shown in the Fall Special flyer was the Forney LGB #25251

LGB 25251 - Courtesy of Ebay

At the time of writing this blog episode this all black Forney was offered on Ebay out of Saratoga Springs/UTAH for  US$ 520.00. Used.

In 2006 LGB tried whatever they could before the hammer came down on them. The Forney wasn't left out. Four models were introduced; the LGB # 26251, LGB # 27251, LGB # 28251 and another set LGB # 70120. 19 (!) different brochures, catalogs, flyers and leaflets were published.

LGB 26251 - Courtesy of Worthpoint

This # 26251 Santa Fe # 23 was another conversion 2-4-4T Forney. No wonder, after they had the molds already. This was easy to re-produce and paint differently. Nonetheless a nice Forney!

As was the LGB# 27251 Colorado and Southern.

LGB 27251 - Courtesy of Worthpoint

And the Coca-Cola Forney # 28251. This was a true 0-4-4 in Coca-Cola coloring. When and if it was still delivered to dealers in 2006 is possible but not clear. LGBoA was to go into liquidation but it was also known that quite a bit of merchandise was set aside by those in-the-know. As of time of publication of this blog this 28251 is still or again available on the market for anywhere from $350 to $720.00

LGB 28251 - Courtesy of Worthpoint.com

The starter set 70120 or in USA 72120 (for 120V operation) experienced the same fate.

LGB 82120 - Courtesy of Only Trains

It pops up currently as well with prices ranging from US$ 590.00 to $ 750.00. Originally probably priced at US$ 829.00. The PRR loco is also a 0-4-4 in dark green and a dark silver smoke chamber. The cabin roof is red.

The Forney type was one of the first locos to be re-issued by the new owner of LGB, Simba-Dickie. A good and a wise choice. Even though it was a 2-4-4T the # 26253 would ring in a new era for the consummate LGB collector and the general LGB fan as well!