blue comet

[trainguy2009]

Good morning . I need to ask if anyone knows if the blue comet train set from around 10 or11 yrs back was in the big hauler series. Thanks

[Joe Satnik]

Dear TG09,

Yes.

From Loco Bill's "Big Hauler" set list:

90028*   CNJ   Blue Comet Atlantic City Express   1997

Might have the Version 3 chassis.  (V.5 is the latest and greatest.)

From Loco Bill's chassis ID list:

To find the version you have to check the bottom plate of your locomotive.  It should be one of the following

Version 2  1990-1994  Smooth Bottom Cover  You can turn wheels by hand and motor will turn                             
Version 3  1994-1998  Smooth Bottom Cover You cannot turn the drivers by hand                             
Version 4  1998-1999  Large wide hump dead center between the rear drivers on bottom cover                             
Version 5  2000-Pres  3/8th inch wide hump offset between the rear drivers and a plastic lubrication plug the size of a dime to the rear of the hump..                             
Note that the dates overlap and as of Nov 1, 2007 have not been fixed more precisely, but I believe all new sets introduced in 1999 with the VHS instructions were version 5                             

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

[trainguy2009]

 Hey thanks for the info it helped me out a lot. Steve

[granpab]

Both of my Blue Comets are version 4 chassis.  Looking at them they seem to be very heavy duty . . . but the gears of one did become problematic.  Make certain that you clean and lubricate your locomotive according to the maintenance schedule.  (Take care not to use too much or the wrong lubs.)

[Loco Bill Canelos]

Hi. all,

The Big  Hauler Blue Comet set was produced with the Version 3 chassis in 1997  later versions of it were made with the version 4 chassis until production ended in 1999. 

All in all a very nice set in spite of both of the poor chassis.  The version 5 chassis could easily be swapped into the Blue Comet shell, and would give you a great running set.