Zenith Chromacolor Electric Train Set

[Deedee]

My family had the Zenith radios and television distributorship in the San Joaquin Valley in California for over 50 years.  Sometime in the 1980's Bachmann distributed an elecric train set for Zenith Chromacolor. I have one of the original sets, never has been out of the box. and am wondering if this train set is a collectable item.  The box has been a little bit damaged due to it being in storage for almost 30 years.  I had two sets but used one for my children when they first came out.  I have not been able to find any of these train sets vis the internet or through collectors.
Does anyone know anything about them: i.e. value, etc.?
Thank you,
Deedee Johnson
Email address: [email protected]

[Yampa Bob]

Hi Deedee

My wife's mother gave us a 1980 Bachmann set that had "Crosley Refrigerators" on a box car.  When someone bought a new fridge, they got the free set.  This one was still sealed in plastic and was buried in the basement all those years.

The track was not on a roadbed and was made of steel, not the better nickel silver.

The motor was an open frame, the couplers were the older horn-hook which I upgraded to Kadee.  The Santa Fe locomotive ran so fast it flew off the track at half throttle. I sent it to my son in Kansas.   The cars are not very well detailed, and probably not a collector's item, unless someone needed your particular set to complete a collection.   Value?  I would estimate $50, considering new sets with 8 wheel drive and modern couplers sell new for about $80 retail.

Bob

[Craig]

No. Not collectible...at least not to model railroaders. I've seen these promotional sets sell for $100.00 on eBay but that is truly the exception. $15.00 would be a much more realistic expectation. I'd buy some EZ Track and let kids play with that set.

[Yampa Bob]

Actually, by 1980 standards they were very nice sets.  I remember similar sets selling new for over $100.  It was interesting to note that the model number I had was 10004, which might have just been the promotional series number.

Anyway, I felt it was too nice to be destroyed by a child, so I updated the couplers and sent it to my 48 year old son.  He and my grandson thoroughly enjoy it.

I agree that a modeler wouldn't pay much for it, but there is no accounting what some people will pay for perhaps a one of a kind.  If I saw Deedee's set at a sale I might pay $25 for it just for the fun of upgrading it. 

Bob

[john tricarico]

speaking of old sets  what ever became of bachmanns
M.A.S.H. set

                               john t  brooklyn ny