Bachmann Polar Express

[Battleflail]

New here! I recently inherited a large scale Bachmann Polar Express set. These were made in 2000 before the movie and the rights got sold to the L guys. Im looking for a couple more coaches to stretch it out. Nothing on ebay. Anybody have any ideas? Thanks.

[wraujr]

Check with "melovetrains.com" on either Facebook Marketplace or directly at his website.

[Loco Bill Canelos]

HI Battleflail,

Your best bet is to do two "saved searches" on EBAY with email notification. 
Set it up under the G Scale section of EBAY  Do one on the "set number 90036", then another on "Polar Express"
Probably many of these sets are sitting in attics with the Christmas decoration boxes, but you never know when one will come up.  Bachmann never made  a full baggage or a combine in Polar Express livery.  If a set does come up I would suggest buying it even though you will get a second locomotive and an extra observation car. Then you would have a four car consist with two coaches and two .observation cars. Who knows you may get lucky and find someone who breaks up a set and sells the pieces separately. 

Enjoy your set, and good luck finding more cars.

Loco Bill


Extra Info
I have written book with all the Bachmann set in it but which no publisher was willing to publish.  Anyway I have posted the part of the book covering the Polar Express set for those who may have an interest. I did not include the pictures and the EBay sales info is mostly out of date.

Set 90036 The Polar Express 2000
Licensed from the book

Set Type: Passenger    Original MSRP: $380.00
Set theme: Fantasy Christmas      Actual Discount Retail: $175
Production:  Regular    Ebay Price range: $200 To $700
Introduction Date:  2000    Ebay Average price: $300.00
Catalog Dates: 2000 to 2002    Out of Production By: 2002 
Track:  12 Curved    8 Straight    Power: Electric Power Pack 
Locomotive Type:  4-6-0 PE #1225    Fuel Type: Coal
4-6-0 Chassis Version:  5    Car 1: Coach Polar Express #1985
Car 2: Observation Polar Express #2000    Car 3: None

No matching Polar Express full baggage or combines were made to go with this set.

Introduced in 2000, The Polar Express was based on the classic children's book of the same name.  By the time the movie came out Bachmann was no longer licensed to use the Polar Express name, or box graphics.  As a result the set being out of production, became highly prized, bringing very high prices on Ebay.  A year after the movie was released, prices on Ebay were back down to about $275.00 to $300.00.  I do feel that the green and maroon passenger car colors are very classy.  If one considers Bachmann sets collectible, this would be a must have set.  This set was in the catalog from 2000 to 2002.  The locomotive in the set does have the latest smooth running version 5 chassis.  It is doubtful that this set will ever be introduced again.  None of the pieces in this set were ever available separately.  The original MSRP was $380.00 and the discount mail order hobby shop price was $175.00.  The set still shows up on Ebay usually around Christmas time, but is rarely offered.  The price range on Ebay is from $200.00 to $700.00 and the average price is about $300.00.  Since I have so few sales records of this seldom offered set, the prices noted should be considered accordingly.

End of Book info.

[Loco Bill Canelos]

g scale Bachmann polar express -Lionel.  using the above search I came up with this listing. highlight it and select open in a new tab.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/156655775397?_skw=g%20scale%20Bachmann%20polar%20express%20-Lionel&itmmeta=01JN18JXMS92TTHVDDRK2VYECB&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAABAFkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1cRRELRylfYDf4tKwWh%2FqMlxbmQBHwW2SZ7vt%2Fib5m2ivWi3RL2WK1F8oSrGKTWXcETyCUf1VPNTxoxSQCzqB1K3Qj6iJsDKmKza9OVEc%2BG0nWgGnqYEnqUBXtzJPtAOQ4tGrFNQc7SXHVqt6JN6rSs1orHThe%2BtgXj9DXqNQO3Ir%2BB1DMfkqXYNZvgH1v2FvmauQrFt3ZoOXB%2BSxF9sttl7ifKS9oovcRJLzNSIuo9yeZaOUPuvYW0VB9D3jhoJW7SSFDUkTjXDRVDvxBRrp6XpSThf0XsaK13Q4gZycU%2Fd5bLC9K1OMgIs2dMLZez0KU%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR7zay6ioZQ

in my search above I included minus lionel to avoid the large number of hits
I would grab it at the price offered.

Loco Bill

[Mark Oles]

Hi Battleflail,

Last Fall, I also got the urge to have a Polar Express. Since there's nothing readily available in G scale and I had some unused coaches in the collection, I repainted them and lettered them using a cricut air 2 vinyl cutter. Lettering on the locomotive tender could have been a little smaller but overall, I like how the sky blue / cranberry colors came together with the gold striping. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/162GgjDxhH/

[Loco Bill Canelos]

HI Mark, Nicely done! Bill

[the Bach-man]

Hey, Fellows,
Here's an interesting side note:
When I painted the prototype of the Large Scale model, I worked with author Chris Van Allsburg.
Using the book as a guide, I painted the cars blue and maroon.
"Oh no",said Chris, "the cars are green!"
Well, they sure looked blue to me, but he's the author, so he knows...
Later on, when Lionel got the rights from the movie people, they used blue..
BUT, in the scene where Tom Hanks is talking to the boy in the vestibule,the walls are clearly green. Hmmm...
In any event,our model had the green and maroon sides.
For over twenty years the one I painted was on display in the library of Viola School, where I taught Fifth Grade,
with one side green and the other blue. The kids always got a kick out of the story!
Best,
the Bach-man