LGB Wilson Bros. Circus Train - Conclusion

By 1994 Jim Marski of Depot G  Hobbies had successfully implemented his Circus Train within the American LGB customer base. The money was rolling in on as regular a basis as he was to announce the next shipment of the Circus cars. That had changed his life. Jim was to leave his humble abode in Winfield/IL and with the help of his proceeds from the LGB business bought himself a fine home in Pine/Colorado. He took the business with him, same name and all.

The next car to arrive at customers doors was the LGB 3084 DG Advertising Car

LGB 3084 Advertising Car - Courtesy of liveauction.com

The car was US$ 119.99 and shipped somewhere in spring of 1994. A few months later came the LGB 4068 Elephant Car

LGB 4068 Elephant Car - Courtesy of liveauctions.com

with a price of $ 89.00. As with the complete collection, all cars were individually numbered through 2000 and the one shown above displayed the individual number 1254 see below

Next car was the LGB 4269 DG flat car orange with handcrafted circus tableau wagon

LGB 4260 DG with handcrafted flat car, tableau wagon by Columbine Hobby Co
Courtesy of Reynaulds.com

That concluded the deliveries for 1994.

In 1995 Jim had two more items to deliver: the wonderful LGB 4075 DG Caboose for US$ 139.00

LGB 4075 DG Caboose - Courtesy of liveauctions.com

 and the "cherry on the cake "  Circus loco LGB Mogul 22191, US$ 599.00

LGB 22191 Mogul - Courtesy of BigTrainWorld.com

With that by the summer's end of 1995 the avid LGB collector was now the owner of this train set:

22191 Wilson Bros. 2-6-0 Steam Engine

3084 DG Advertising Car-Red

3180 DG Passenger Car-Green

3181 DG Colossal Combine Car

4060 DG Flat Car, blue

4067 DG Tent & supply car, orange

4068 DG Elephant stock car, white w/red trim

4075 DG Caboose, red & yellow

4080 DG Water car, silver & green

4160 DG Flat Car, yellow

4260 DG Flat Car, orange

4360 DG Flat car,silver 4360-DG Flat Car-Silver

1-Die Cast 1931 Model Sixty Diesel Caterpillar with Metal Tracks,(RARE)

3 hand crafted circus wagon by Columbine Hobby Co.

Unfortunately very few complete collections did survive. Most often the collection was torn apart either into separate items to be sold or the cute handmade circus cars and the wonderful die cast tractor ended up in some kids playground never to be found again... However one such COMPLETE Wilson Bros Circus set was just currently for sale at Only Trains/Minnesota for a decent US$ 1,000.00

And Jim Marski? He lived happily ever after in Colorado. He's still there dabbling in consulting and enjoying his life - thanks to a great LGB business idea at the right time in history.

LGB Wilson Bros Circus Train -- Part 2

By mid summer of 1992 the " Advance Advertising Car" LGB #  3181 DG had rolled out and Depot G of Winfield/IL was well on its way for a great business story. Jim had sold enough 'subscriptions' for his 2000 limited series Circus set that he started delivery on the 2nd car. As promised the LGB 4067 DG "Tent and Supply Car" was  ready to be shipped. 

LGB 4067 DG Tent and Supply car - Courtesy of eBay/fredtrain1

Based on the LGB 4167 it cost US$ 79.00. And by fall 1992 the third car was shipped, the LGB 4060 DG with a handcrafted Circus Wagon as load. The Circus Wagon was not manufactured by LGB but by Columbine Hobby Co. And a Die Cast caterpillar with less than 2000 made was also part of the series and was shipped the same fall.

Circus wagon for LGB 4060 DG flatbed car by Columbine Hobby Co.
Courtesy of worthpoint.com

LGB 4060 Wilson Bros flatbed car - Courtesy of worthpoint.com

Carterpillar tractor was part of the Wilson Bros Circus train set
Courtesy of worthpoint.com

The flat car with Circus wagon was US$ 90.00 as was the caterpillar tractor. The tractor is hard to find these days as is the Circus Cage wagon. 

For Jim Marski times were coming up roses. His concept had worked out and he became quite busy. 

Fun fact: Depot G was an operation out of a residential home in Winfield/IL that was a modest 3/2 home in a quiet suburb on the west side of outer Chicago. No store front, no advertising, just a normal home. Goes to show you can make a fortune out of your garage anytime in this country!!

In 1993 four more cars were delivered to the Wilson Bros Circus Train set subscribers, the LGB 3180 DG "Performers Car" in Spring of 1993, US $  129.00 

LGB 3180 DG Performer's Car"
 Courtesy of worthpoint.com

the LGB 4080 DG Water Car in Summer of 1993, US $ 119.00

LGB 4080 DG Water Car
Courtesy of americasbesttrain.com

 the LGB 4360 DG Flat Car with ramps (see white strips inside box) for Caterpillar tractor, US $ 69.00

LGB 4360 DG Flat Car for Caterpillar Tractor (see above)
Courtesy of liveauctioneers.com

and in winter of 1993 the LGB 4160 DG (with Band Wagon which was made by Columbine Hobby Co.) US $ 99.99

LGB 4160 DG  shown with Band Wagon

The Band Wagon was delivered in a separate box and was not made by LGB.

Band Wagon for Wilson Bros Circus train set
to go with LGB Flat Car 4160 DG
Courtesy of ebay.com/ttibbets2780

 The complete shipped set looked like this

LGB 4160 DG with Band Wagon 
Courtesy of picclick/trainz.com

Four more cars and one locomotive were yet to come.................

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

LGB's Wilson Bros. Circus Train

In 1991 LGB was flying high. Sales were brimming, The US market was a boon to the German business share and modern and improved production methods started to allow all kinds of series and alterations without braking the bank.

The US market had improved and grown dramatically. There were more than 2,200 LGB dealers across the USA and Illinois was a major LGB hub. The LGB Club of Chicago (LGBRR) was founded in 1979 and the area was home to some of the biggest LGB dealers in the country.

One of them, Depot G Hobbies in Winfield, what today is (near) Wheaton/IL had a brilliant marketing idea. Jim Marski, its owner had negotiated with LGB to manufacture exclusively for him a train set containing 11 cars and eventually one locomotive the Mogul # 22191. The set was to be a very limited special edition of 2,000 and Depot G would have the only distribution rights. In Jim Marski's announcement he said: "Due to the significant commitment required to produce this set, the production will span a four year period with one item being delivered every four month. The first item, the 'Advance Advertising Car" is available now. The set is offered on a subscription basis only, i.e individual cars will NOT be sold individually. Circus wagons are produced by Columbine Hobby Corp and are not available separately at this time."

LGB 3181 DG "Advertising Car" - Courtesy of Trainz.com/ebay

Depot G requested a down payment of US$ 200 for the "subscription basis only", which meant once you committed you had to take all 11 cars and one loco of the series and couldn't get out.

advertising the Wilson Circus train set in 1991/92 - Courtesy of SPUR II magazine 16/ I-1992

Depot G offered the complete package as a 'future option' (pun intended...) with installment payment plans. In the above advertisement he announced the expected delivery date for each item with the last one, the Mogul engine being delivered by May of 1995. That was a brave move....!

Depending of your choice of payment plan you ended up paying either US$ 1800.00 or US$ 1,680.00. If you'd had invested that amount in 1991 you'd look at about US$ 6,300.00 today. And that was exactly what Depot G's Jim Marski was betting on. His intend was to benefit from the inherent belief of the US LGB customer that the LGB product was an investment and would only appreciate with time. That was American business savvy and US capitalism at its best.

The first car was readily available and cost US$ 129.00. All prices for all products shown above were published at the time of announcement. And Depot G would have guaranteed sales of  US$ 3.3 to 3.6 mill. But would it work?

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