LGB 2017 series - Part 6

 The year 1996 brought another 2017 train set, the LGB 70314. The Lake George & Boulder train consisted of a 2017 loco , no tender, and  two passenger cars. In the USA it would carry the LGB # 72314. That year LGBoA had a whole bunch of  2017 starter sets  launched for their big sales year. They were flying high and sold whatever they could get their hands on. Even if it meant to sell old for new or repainted for 'brand new'. 

The  "LGB 1996 NEWS" brochure made that clear on page 6:

From set # LGB 72311 to set # LGB 72910 they all featured the 2017 loco without the motorized tender, in different paint scheme and passenger or freight cars from the existing stock. With some cars in new paint scheme as well. 

Typical for all these sets is the fact that they were sold in huge numbers as the current internet platforms have all of them still for sale (used/almost new) with prices ranging from US$ 250.00 to $ 500.00. A lot of people don't know what they have and their description of the engine/set does not always correlate with the true product. Be careful if you like to purchase a set and make sure you get what you are looking for. This blog should be a help, hopefully.

1997 showed more of the same and for reasons unbeknownst LGBoA offered the very same series  from above again - BUT - you guessed it, changed item numbers for the very same product, i.e. from 72910 to 73910. And since they were already at it they pulled the wool over their customers eyes by claiming the 73910 had an 1 Amp throttle when actually all starter sets came with a 1 Amp throttle...- as American as apple pie... (see right lower corner of image below)

clip from the LGB NEWS 1997 brochure, page 2

Also offered where a number of motorized tenders for all those who wanted to 'complete' the 2017 engine set.

Before the 2017 set series would run out there were 3 more sets to be published. 

In 1997 the Looney Toones Express LGB # 72997 made its American debut. Another USA-only product it also came as a limited edition. Only 1500 were made:

LGB 72997 incomplete - Courtesy of reynaulds.com

Please look closely and you will see that the transformer is missing, also one figurine and the part were the track should be is covered by a catalog. Asking price was still around US$ 500.

The complete set looked like this:

LGB 72997 complete - Courtesy of liveauctions.com

Value today runs anywhere from US$ 500.00 to $ 700.00.

In 2000 the last two 2017 series sets came on the market. The LGB # 72534 and # 72554.

LGB 72534 - Courtesy of Only Trains

LGB 72554 - Courtesy of Only Trains

Both sets came as a limited edition the passenger car set limited to 2000 sets and the freight car set to 1,500. Both were meant to be USA-only sets. Alas, that didn't last, by 2002 they were sold everywhere.

Prices today range around $ 500.00 and higher if the set is complete.

The complete # 72345 came in a box with this content:

Courtesy of ebay.com

LGB original box label

The freight train set had this content:

Courtesy of worthpoint.com

and runs about US$ 400.00 (incomplete) to over $ 500.00 if complete and unused.

This concludes the LGB 2017 series.

LGB 2017 Series - Part 5

With the new numbering system still in testing LGB offered the set below with 2 numbers: # 72412 for the USA, advertised in the 1995 USA News brochure and  # 70412 for the German/European market. The latter wasn't offered until 1996, in the official LGB main catalog 1996/97 pg.20

LGB 70412 - Courtesy of grootspoor.com

LGB 70412 - Courtesy of ebay.com

LGB 70412 - Courtesy of pickclick.de

Edition volume must have been pretty high since the set is still readily available today. Prices today range between US$ 350.00 and $525.00 depending on condition and completeness of set.

The year 1995 saw an USA exclusive again with the LGB # 25171- or so it was sold...:

LGB 25171 - Courtesy of Only Trains

Alas, it didn't last, the exclusiveness. LGB decided the same year (1996) to sell the "exclusive USA Christmas Train" worldwide. And they even put it in the main catalog LGB 1996/97.

Throughout the years prices stayed on a high level for this loco & motorized tender set: You might see the occasional US$ 390.00 or less but overall prices in the mid $500.00's are common.

Another US special during the time frame 1995/96 was the LGB 72555.

LGB 72555- Courtesy of worthpoint.com

LGB 72555 - Courtesy of onlytrains.com

 A very pretty Christmas train set with the 25171 loco, the LGB # 45110 Christmas hinge-hatch gondola and the Christmas caboose LGB #44650. This Christmas train set remained an USA exclusive and prices are varying from US$ 200.00 to US$ 400.00 but have reached US$ 750.00 lately.

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