LGB 2017 Series - Part 3

 After offering the two sets LGB #20087 and #20287 somehow LGB remembered that the #2017 was actually a loco-with-motorized-tender engine and offered the motorized tender for the two sets a year later.

LGB 2117/6 - courtesy of ebay.com

The tender wasn't labeled but came with a labeling sheet. Some customers labeled them "L.G.& B."

This tender was again sold only in the USA as were the two sets. This tender was followed by another twin set the LGB #22301 and #22401, both in 1989:

LGB 22301 - Courtesy of Only Trains

LGB 22401 - Courtesy of legacystation.com

Yes, dear reader, you are right, 22401 looks exactly like LGB 20087, the set from about 2 years ago. The difference? This time it was labeled with "Lake George & Boulder". I kid you not.

It is hard to fathom why LGB decided to turn so much against their best market with the biggest growth chances. While the German market had been complaining a while about high prices, the American customer couldn't care less. Here, LGB trains were more of a status symbol. A way to show: "I did it! I have the money - I can afford this!". Neither the LGB home front in Germany nor LGBoA did anything to bolster that market. Was the goal quite the opposite? Did LGB plainly NOT understand the market? However, in hindsight this was a clear miss of a fantastic opportunity and would mark the slow beginning of an end nobody on the customer side ever really grasped. 

As if to prove this theory right, 1991 saw another motorized tender, LGB #2317/6:

LGB 2317/6 - Courtesy of liveauctioneers.com

It had a red chassis with a white top structure. If you see a completely black tender or one with a red chassis and a black top-structure, on the used-item market these are often 'labeled' 2317/6 but are NOT. The complete black one was issued in 1993 and the red chassis/black top structure about 1999. Beware when buying from the internet or from a dealer with poor knowledge.

LGB 21988-Courtesy of onlytrains.com

This motorized tender was actually thought to complete the newly issued 'Circus Train-Set',  LGB #21988, issued in 1988 but probably not delivered until a year or so later. This set had an edition volume of 12,500 but was NOT exclusive for the USA customer. It was sold 'worldwide'.

The next twin set of train sets, often called starter sets in the belief that this would sell to children and thus get their fathers hooked to the hobby (a thought so converse to marketing rules it's almost ridiculous) came in 1991.

The LGB # 25301 and the #25401:

LGB 25301 - Courtesy of onlytrains.com

LGB 25401 incomplete (tracks and figurines missing, see box cover above)
Courtesy of liveauctioneers.com

Both sets are not easy to find in today's market. They appear either incomplete or mixed up with other items. Edition volume was probably around 10.000. Prices ranged about under US$ 350.00 which was still a stiff price for a 'toy'/hobby.

Both sets were USA-ONLY products but only until 1993 when both sets were offered worldwide and thus made their way into the German market as well. The German customer had become aware of USA-Only models and didn't take it gently. After all it was made in their country and they were not able to get it? Didn't sit well with them. And at the same time LGB took the USA-Only value away from their most willing market and highly devoted customers.

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

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Courtesy Getty Images