Well, this is interesting. I just received three kits, two passenger coaches, 98905, and one combine, 98906. One coach seems older than the others, and is further distinguished by having green clerestory glass and green light glass, while the others are red; and, it has black handrails and brake wheels while the others are gold. (All of the kits have lighting and trucks with plastic wheels.)
I can't find anything on the boxes indicating what color the glass or rails are, and the part numbers on the enclosed parts list is the same, regardless of color.
In addition, comparing the parts lists for the coach and combine, certain identical parts are numbered differently from the coach to combine, for example, the handrails, 8101 and 8102 on the coach, 8128 and 8129 on the combine.
(These parts lists with exploded views on the back aren't to be found on the Bachmann site, unless I'm just missing them.)
Can anyone shed any light on this? Bach Man? Loco Bill?
HI,
Those coach kits you have are the older kits which came out in 1992. The later Kits came with metal wheels and track powered lighting. As for the "parts numbers" , they are factory reference numbers, and not related to the parts numbers in the parts store. Kits were kits and made from extra run parts. When the kit boxes were packed the factory used what they had on hand, and colors could differ from one packaging to the next. Bachmann has generally not listed the color of the clerestory colors, or the handrails. Don't think of the numbers on the diagrams as parts numbers!!! They are factory reference numbers related to the run. The coach kits you have were in the catalog from 1993 to 1998, No one has yet been able to determine how many runs there were in that time period
Loco Bill
Part numbers.
I think you're wrong about that, Bill. The sheet that comes with the kit has an exploded view on one side, side 2, but on side one has a list called "spare parts," column one of which is labeled "Stock No.," and it is here where the numbers corresponding to parts on the diagram appear. There's a description and list price column, too, and instructions for ordering that read "list part numbers required and send a check or money order for the cost of the parts..." (emphasis mine).
So, regardless of how Bachmann organizes their inventory now, it's clear that when these kits were produced, these were part numbers.
Scans of the kit parts sheets included in the kits (but not apparently available online):
Bachmann G Kit Classic Coach (https://www.dropbox.com/s/oasqws9jgtjxrhk/Bachmann%20Classic%20Coach.pdf?dl=0)
Bachmann G Kit Classic Combine (https://www.dropbox.com/s/y62atauj3pzgtjy/Bachmann%20Classic%20Combine.pdf?dl=0)