# Bachmann Green Lightning Set Mystery!



## billsharron (Jan 3, 2008)

Hi everyone,

I have been working on documenting Bachmann Large Scale items for many years, but I have not been able to find the story behind The Bachmann radio Controlled "Green Lightning" Set #90101.  

This is a picture of the box top and another of the contents:

http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh291/sharronbillc/Trains/GreenLightningBox.jpg

http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh291/sharronbillc/Trains/GreenLightningOpenBox.jpg

The set was made in 1990 or 1991 and pictures I have show it to be the 27mhz version.   It is extremely rare and the last time I saw one on Ebay was four years ago.  It was never in the catalog.  

Who was this set made for?    Confirm the set number?   Where was it sold?  Any other info??

Even Bachmann doesn't have info on the set, and they have been of considerable help to my project.   I hope to eventually publish a book on Bachmann large scale, and will gladly give credit to anyone who can provide me any info about this set.  

Thanks for looking.


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## Curmudgeon (Jan 11, 2008)

Rare? 
Maybe in the BOX it is, but there doesn't seem to be anything special about what I see in the photos. 
The locomotive is just like dozens and dozens we have cut up for scrap and parts over the years. 
The gondola, I still have a couple in use. 
The caboose, just sent one off to someone who needed a Santa Fe caboose. 
I don't think (from what I've been told) that ANY of the original battery Big-Haulers were catalogued. 

TOC


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## billsharron (Jan 3, 2008)

Dave. you are right about none of the RC sets being in the catalog, I just wanted everyone to know I checked. 

There is nothing special or different about the pieces in the set, but for the historical record I want to know more about the set that is why I have asked the questions. The only thing different is the package with the "Green Lightning" wording. The set is the same as the Holiday Express set except that the loco in the Green Lightning set has the ATSF engine rather than the Holiday Express engine in that set. 

At the end of the day I am still looking for answers. 

Love your photo I always wondered what submarine crew looked like!!! 

Thanks


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## Curmudgeon (Jan 11, 2008)

I can only tell you I have seen FEW Holiday locos and MANY ATSF locos. 
I had probably seen boxes, but never paid any attention to them. 
Not saying one way or the other on them, as I don't know. 
One of the youngsters brought one by a couple of operating sessions ago, if I recall, and I loaned him a transmitter. 
Ran, well, just like they used to.


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## wchasr (Jan 2, 2008)

Bill, 
I've still got a set that was one of the early RC sets. Got it cheap from that clearance/overstock catalog Damark back in the nineties. Identical to that except I don't remember if it has the Green Lightning on it or not? I'm sure that doesn't help though? Sorry. 

Chas


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## billsharron (Jan 3, 2008)

Chas, I do need positive confirmation. Please check the box and let me know what you find. What is the Bachmann Number on your set? 

Thanks


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## Gondwana (Feb 9, 2021)

Hi Bill,
Not sure if this post is still relevant and open for comments. I was just given a huge box which contains the Bachmann Big Hauler, Green Lightning train set by a friend who is a train enthusiast and he is clearing out his collection. I bought a bunch of D size batteries and a 9 Volt battery for the radio control and set up the track. Exciting to see that it all works, including the steam loco sound effects! What is missing is the Manual as well as the telephone posts & signs that are listed on the box. I saw one listed on e-bay for $150 and I have listed mine on Facebook Marketplace for CA$55 ! with quite a bit of interest so far. I wish I could get hold. of the manual! Any suggestions? Thanks for your original post!


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Gondwana said:


> I was just given a huge box which contains the Bachmann Big Hauler, Green Lightning train set


Billsharron posts on the Bachmann forums under the moniker "Loco Bill Canelos". He's still collecting info, and I have emailed him the link to this thread.


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## billsharron (Jan 3, 2008)

Gondwana,

You will find the instructions at the following link:

Bachmann Forum

Can you Confirm the Bachmann Set Number on the box please? Also would appreciate knowing which town you live in or the town you bought it in. 

Thanks,

Bill


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## Gondwana (Feb 9, 2021)

Hi Bill,
Thank for your message and the Set number on the box is: 90101.
I was quite excited when my friend, the original owner of the set, actually did find the Manual and gave it to me!
He was given the set brand-new in the early 1990's. The telephone poles are still missing as he said that they were not very stable and he had to modify them and used Tham in his existing trainload out.
I am located in western Canada, the Province of British Columbia, and we are about 500km east of Vancouver, in a small city of about 16000 people.
I have had about 4 enquiries from folks who want to buy the set for their kids to play with....the box says: "8 years and up", which seems about the right age group. I did not realize that this set might actually be of interest to a collector and my asking price of CAD$55 may be a bit on the low side.....Anyway, not much I can do about that now!
Hope this info is of help to you!


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Gondwana said:


> the Set number on the box is: 90101.


I've never heard of anyone collecting Bachmann 'Big Hauler' sets. Bill collects the info, but not the products! 
Your price is perhaps a bit low, as the cars in the set are normal Bachmann freight items. However, the loco has plastic driving wheels, which makes it short-lived as the wheels wear out. But for a kid starter set, or something that is only brought out at Xmas, it will work. I still have a loco on a shelf in my office.
The Bachmann Forums can give you information about the batteries, and the alternate rc battery cable that should be somewhere in your box.


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