list of train sets

[maxxx]

hi, i am maxxx from austria and new to this forum. and i hink i am getting addicted to collecting big haulers...  with the help of ebay.us (the market in austria is very small and extremely expensive compared to the US) i got five engines and and about 15 passenger cars atm and still cant get enough.My office is turning in an engine shed..
i started a list of all bachmann big hauler train sets ever produced and i have got a few questions left, so i hope the bachman or your inoffical chronist loco bill or any other wise member can help me :

what are the 900-numbers of the trainsets:  blue comet, red comet, super chief and prospector?
Are there really two different north star express sets (a christmas and a tank car set)?
Are there any sets between No. 90062 and 90066?

Thanks in advance

[Loco Bill Canelos]

Hello Maxx,
here is a list of all I know about!

Set No.   Railroad   Set Name    Intro Date
90011V*   ATSF   Valvoline Express   1991
90011*   ATSF   Thunderbolt Express   1989
90012*   ATSF   Red Comet   1990?
90014*   UP   Prairie Flyer 2-4-2   1989
90015*   RGS   Rocky Mountain Express   1989
90016*   B&O   The Royal Blue   1989
90017*   CCL Co.   The Lumberjack 0-4-0T   1990
90018*   NSX   The North Star Express   1993
90019*   EKJX   The Roustabout 0-4-0 Loco   1997
90019*   EKJX   The Roustabout 2-4-2 Loco   1993
   Notes:   This set was in the catalog in1993 but was never produced 
90020*   EKJX   The Ringmaster   1993
90020   BBCX   The Ringmaster   2006
90021*   EKJX   The Big Top   1994
90022*   D&RGW   Gold Rush   1994
90023*   NA   White Christmas Express   1994
90024*   PRR   Liberty Bell Limited   1995
90025*   D&RGW   Silverton Flyer Bumble Bee    1995
90026   UP   Golden Spike   1996
90026osh   UP*   Golden Spike (OSH Version)   1997
90026osh      Not cataloged Orchard Supply Hardware
90027*   SOU   Suwannee River Special   1996
90028*   CNJ   Blue Comet Atlantic City Express   1997
90029*   PBL CO   Paul Bunyan 0-4-0    1997
90030*   CMC   Clementine 0-4-0   1997
90031*   GN   Great Northern Express   1999
90032*   D&RGW   Bumble Bee   1999   
90033*   ET&WNC   Tweetsie Railroad   1999
90034*   D&RGW   Rocky Mountain Express    1999
90035*   V&T   The Prospector   1999
90035OSH   V&T   The Prospector (OSH Ver)   2001
90035OSH Notes:  This was a special run for Orchard Supply Hardware same as Set 90035 except combine has OSH 70th Anniv logo         
90036*   NA   The Polar Express   2000
90037*   NP&S   Night Before Christmas   1999
90038*   CRR   Chattanooga Railroad   2000
90039*   ICRR   Casey Jones   2001
90044*   NP&S   North Pole Special   2003
90047*   NP&S   Wonderland Flyer    2004
90047B   NP&S   Wonderland Flyer    2006 for Boscovs
90048*   ET&WNC   The Mountaineer   2004
90049   BBCX   Bachmann Bros Big Top   2005
90050   V&T   Silverado   2005
90051   NP&S   North Star Express   2005 Christmas
90054   NP&S   Holiday Special (Train & Trolley Set)   2006
90055   ATSF   Pioneer   2006
90056   GVTC   Summit Pass "Glenbrook Valley"   2006
90057   D&S   Durango & Silverton (Freight)   2006   
90058   D&S   Durango & Silverton (Pass Set)   2006
90059   WP&Y   White Pass & Yukon   2007
90059   Notes:   New in 2007 This is the first non-Christmas set with an Annie and the first non Christmas Catalog set with an annie no lights in passenger cars.
90060   OSHX   Silverton Flyer Orchard Supply   2006
90061   NP&S   Northern Lights   2007
90064   OSHX   Sierra Express   2007
90067   BPS RR   Bass Pro Shops Express   2008
90082   PRR   The Pennsylvanian   2004
90085*   EBT   East Broad Top   1996
90086*   NYC&HR   The Fast Mail   1996?
90088   RDG   King Coal   2000
90090   V&T   Gold Hill Express   1997 or 1998
90091   ATSF   Super Chief   1996
90092   C&S   Colorado & Southern   1995
90094   MILW   Milwaukee Road   1994   
90095*   WP&Y   The Northern Express   1993
90095P   WP&Y   Pepsi Set   1995?
90095P   Notes:   Not cataloged Same as 90095 except for Pepsi Boxcar in place of the F& CC Box car   
90096*   SPC   South Pacific Coast   1993
90097*   PRR   Pennsylvania   1992
90098   UP   Union Pacific      1991
90100*   ATSF   Big Hauler RC 27 mhz   1989
90101   ATSF   Green Lightning RC 49 mhz   1990
90102   HE   Holiday Express RC     1990?
90102F   HEF   Holiday Express RC 49 mhz   1990
90102HEF   Notes:   Special set for Franks Nursery & Crafts 189 Stores in mid west & east. Same as set 90102 except Franks Tan Gondola instead of the VGM Gon.  Franks is liquidating in late 2004   
90105   EKJX   The Big Top RC 27 mhz   1993?
901WM   ATSF   Weil-McLain Contractor   1991?
901WB   ATSF   Weil-McLain/Blackman    1992?

Hopefully I didn't miss any while compiling this list.  As always if anyone knows of anything not listed above please email me!!!!!! 
Some sets did not have bachmann numbers The Valvoline Express, 901WB & 901WM,  others with letters after are my own, and used to differentiate similar sets with special variations.  Set 90035 is an example, both sets have the exact same number but are different inside.  Ah but I could go on forever. 

This should give you a good start.  I know several persons who own every single set Bachmann ever made in large scale except fot the just released 90067 Bass Pro Shop Express which was just released in the stores last week. 

You are correct about two North Star Express sets, they are noted in the list. 

As for the Bachmann numbering system, I have no filpping idea why they did what they did.  Seems that whenever they come up with a new set they just pick any one of the unused numbers.  Everytime I have tried to pick the next number they have used I was wrong. 

Maxx you will need a very big engine shed if you get all of these sets, but I am sure you will have a lot of fun doing it!!

Cheers & Beers!!!

[Paul W.]

Bill,
Thanks for the list, I was curious about the years on a couple of my sets. I do however have a question, you have the Royal Blue set as coming out in '89, did they release a later revised issue as well. The reason I ask, is that when I bought my Chatanooga when that one came out, the Royal Blue was out at the same time in the garden center I bought it at. They always have multiple sets, and the undersides are (I think) the same. I know it's not an RC version.

Well, you did say if anyone found anything 

[Loco Bill Canelos]

Paul,  The B&O Royal Blue set was one of the longest running most produced set made by Bachmann.  First produced in 1989 it was in the catalog continuously till 1998.  It was again rerun from 200O to 2002.  It was never made as an RC set, but did have version 4 thru version 5 chassis over it's long run. 

The Chattanoga set was sold at Costco stores and was a special run for them in 2000, it has the version 5 chassis.  The set was never in the catalog.

[Loco Bill Canelos]

There is one typo The Royal Blue was produced in version 2 to version 5 not 4 to 5 as I mistyped above

[maxxx]

whow, what a great list. i started to add all the roadnames to my list and will have to check the missing numbers.

thank you Bill!

the trains have already started to change my office life I placed them on a 6 meter long board over the entrance, in front of my desk. So if i have a boring meeting i just let my eyes wander over the head of my clients and relax

[Paul W.]

Bill,
Thanks for the info! You are a huge wealth of info that benefits users of this board 

[Joe Satnik]

Dear Maxxx,

If you are interested,  I have for sale an unopened, sealed in the box 2006 "Holiday Special" (4-6-0 Annie) Passenger Train and Trolley Set (90054). 

I also have a new, never-been-run (box opened for inspection only) matching "add-on" baggage and combine car set for sale. 

My e-bay name is "jgsat" (if you want to look up my feedback).

A Bachmann forum member bought an Annie-Trolly 90054 set directly from me (non-auction) last winter, and seemed pleased.  I am almost certain that he will allow me to use his name a reference, but I will check with him first. 

For more info:  joebarbATwwtDOTnet.

Thanks. 

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik 

[maxxx]

thanks a lot , joe, but even if i´m starting getting mad and add more and more to my collection, i am definitely not into the xmas sets!

it seems that xmas trains around the tree are quite common practice in the US? Very unusual over here...

But once again tx for the offer!

[maxxx]

oh, another last question from a newbee....

some sets had 2-4-2  and 0-4-0 ´s.... Are they worth buying or as unreliable as, let´s say, a mk1 or mk2  4-6-0?

[Paul W.]

I can only speak on the 0-4-0's. They are great little runners

[Loco Bill Canelos]

Maxxx, This is strictly my opinion, The 0-4-0 and 2-4-2's had power pickup problems, some were due to wearing on the internal parts and others due to poor pickup on the wheels.   The later versions were better.   All in all I had the most problem with the 0-4-0 You had to keep the wheels and track very clean or it would stall.  It also had problems stalling on Wide radiuss switches.  This is also true of the 2-4-2, but to a lesser extent, it went thru the switches better, but the track and wheels still had to be kept very clean.  These would be great for battery power, as the pickup methods would be bypassed.  I still have a 2-4-2T and will try to make a skeleton log car into a battery trail car for it one of these days. 

[maxxx]

well thats far from my newbee abilities! I am glad if i am able to do small maintainance and  repair jobs...