LGB STAINZ - The Engine That Made LGB - LGB 2040

The LGB 2040 Stainz was the engine with the shortest lifespan. Basically it was the 2010 without the head light operating. Manufactured from 1968 to 1975 (roughly).

LGB 2040 - Courtesy of worthpoint

That of course changed soon. All in all the 2040 was manufactured in high volume but did not come in different versions. Many engines went into sets.

The 2040 came with slight differences over the years:

2040-1: the original first engine came with a red chassis, body and slim smoke stack in black/matte. Round roof grill, raised "4" and "LGB" on engine cab in either gold or silver. Motor: a Buehler motor with straight toothed gearwheels. In operation they made a wailing sound, hence the name "Heulermotor" in German meaning wailing/houling. Only a few years later came a new Buehler motor with worm gear avoiding the wailing sound in operation. All LGB engines from 1968 had Heuler motors in them making their operation VERY characteristic upon their first market appearance.

2040-2:  as -1 but with operating lights

2040-3:  as -2 but  with pick-up shoes and Buehler motor with worm gear, plus traction tire

2040-4:  as -3 but golden whistle, square roof grille, engine cab labeling in gold color

2040-5:  as -4 but cab window frame in gold color

With all those technical changes in the 2040 and the other engines as well, LGB started to meld the 2040 into the 2010 and then into the 2021 (see future blog).

Here are some of the  LGB 2040 "STAINZ" (they all MUST have the slim smoke stack to be a real 2040 stainz):

LGB 2040 - Courtesy of gscale.com

LGB 2040 w/original 1968 engineer - Courtesy of picclick.fr

 Timeworn or forgotten? LGB 2040 - Courtesy of Picclick.uk

Price wise they started out at DM 98.00 in 1968 or roughly US$ 25.00 back then. In today's value that would be US$ 180.00. It is very rare to find one these days. Aged or not. To the die-hard LGB fan it would be worth almost everything to own something from the very start of the Original LGB. Sometimes this engine comes on the market for about US$ 270.00 depending on condition. Which is still a very decent price. After all it was made more than 70 years ago!

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