Aster and LGB -- # 20821 and # 20831

After the flop of the first Aster/LGB loco, the live steam Frank S, LGB needed to rethink their Aster cooperation.
It was almost an about face. In 1996, 2 years after the production of the Frank S ended LGB 'started over'. The only two things still standing were (1) the loco was still made by Aster and (2) the material was still metal. Everything else was adapted to the LGB customer. The loco was ready to be operated on any LGB layout. No live steam. LGB and Aster had electrified the engine with 2 Buehler motors. The loco was only sold by LGB; Aster never took it into their roster. The model was the Aster Shay LGB # 20821

From the LGB 1996 News front page

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlbJpV5k3wk

The archetype engine was a 3-truck Shay built for the West Side Lumber Company which had 15 (!) narrow gauge Shays built for them. The number 12 was built in 1927 and ended up in the Colorado
Railroad Museum in Golden/CO where she still can be admired. Left: see photo and link

The big photo above shows a handcrafted photo-model and the advertising in the "1996 German New-Item" brochure stated clearly:" shown is a handcrafted photo-shoot model. This loco ONLY to be built if enough orders will be received and edition volume only according to order numbers."

This time they meant it. Order and we will built but only if we get enough orders. The price, though never advertised, had also changed dramatically. It went from US$ 1,300.00 to  US$ 2,990.00 ( DM 6,750.00) which was the equivalent of a monthly salary for a managing director.
LGB was onto something. The LGB hobby was not for the (financially) faint-of-heart. The price combined with this rare product attracted the LGB fan everywhere. 500 were made:

LGB 20821 - Courtesy of BrassTrains.com

The loco came in a beautiful wooden box (inside the regular Styrofoam box) - LGB collector please note! This locomotive didn't come with sound. She  sported 2 Buehler motors. It was announced in Fall of 1996 and the orders poured in. Delivery was in Spring of 1997. Now - that was more like it!

Courtesy of Only Trains

Over the years the LGB Aster Shay kept her value. The latest internet offer (03-25-20) is for US$ 4,745.00 , no wooden box, no styrofoam box, but sound added. (trainli.com).

With the new strategy for the Aster/LGB cooperation working just fine the next endeavor was on its way by 1998. The advertising was sparse for the new Aster/LGB engine - the K 28. Only the German LGB customer saw an early advertising:

LGB New Item Brochure 1998 German version 

You need to look closely to see the small vignette in the middle of the (partial) flyer sporting the banner "limited edition". The only other form of advertising was it being shown in the 1998 main LGB catalog (page 43). There was no advertising at all in the USA. Just word by mouth. It worked. Enough orders came in and the K 28 was made. A full metal version, made and assembled by Aster, converted for LGB to electric operation, with 2 Buehler motors. Sold solely by LGB, not included in the Aster engine roster (no live steam versions were built)
.

LGB 20831 The K 28 # 473  - Courtesy of Only Trains

LGB # 20831  in its original packaging - Courtesy of Only Trains

The LGB# 20831 was also packaged in the typical LGB Styrofoam box and then packed into a beautiful wooden box. Sales price was again DM 6,790.00 or about US$ 3,500.00. The value today is about the same when she comes to market. Some K-28 were retrofitted by their owners with sound and might sell for more these days. However, be careful to make sure the sound installation was done  by a professional and did not harm the value of the loco.

The D & RGW # 473- Courtesy of Wikipedia

The archetype K-28 was a narrow gauge loco 3 feet 0 inch gauge (912mm) and was built in 1923 for the Denver & Rio Grande RR by Schenectady Loco Works/ ALCO.  10 engines were built and ran either for the D&RG RR or the Yukon and White Pass RR. However, the climate in Alaska proved to be too much for this type of engine and operation of the K-28s was ceased by 1946.
Of the K-28 three were preserved at the Durango and Silverton RR, among them the # 473. All are operational today and on display at the D&SNG. The #473 is currently being converted from coal burning to oil burning


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++to be continued..................................