LGB Alco Diesel White Pass -- Part 4

In 1995 LGB published their annual new items brochure. That year the title was "1995 News".  The front page promised 70 new items that year and on page 7 the LGB # 72850 and the LGB # 72855 were introduced.

clip from LGB "1995 NEWS"

This set included the original 2055 Alco Diesel White Pass engine, no sound, no frills and the then newly manufactured caboose LGB# 44710. This caboose was only sold in this set with the WP engine and it was only available to US customers.

LGB# 44710 - Courtesy of reynaulds.com

 Deriving from the edition volume of the caboose the set had a volume of 1,500 and was sold for approx. US$ 500.00. It came in a specialty carton:

Set box for LGB 72850- Courtesy of Only Trains

This #72850 set was reintroduced by LGB for -again- LGBoA only as the # 72550 Super set (which did not include track or power pack). As usual, advertising an engine, train or train set was way easier than actually manufacture and then deliver it to dealer stores or LGBoA...
It seems that the set didn't make it through the times. The market today shows either the engine or the caboose offered by itself.

The second White Pass set advertised was the LGB# 72855

This set came with three 'White Pass' freight cars, the # 40850

LGB 4085(0) - Courtesy of ebay/trainz.com

The 4085 was on the market since 1991 and was simply added to this set.

The # 4080-W01 was around since 1990 at least in catalogs and brochures. Delivery to dealers seemed not to have started until 1993. It was sold as 'limited' edition with an edition volume of 3,000. And in 1995/96 Wolfgang Richter himself sold it as '1995 NEWS' to LGBoA with the words:" We want to be the class leader in G-Scale for years to come. So we can't stand still..Our customers ask for more each year and we are working day and night to give them what they want". 

LGB 4080 W01- courtesy of trainz.com

the # 4086

LGB 4086(0)- courtesy of ebay

When Klaus was recording the sounds for the digital sound decoder for the White Pass the President of the WP&Y RR handed Klaus technical information about the original ore container car. Gunter Ruhland was already desperately waiting for that information so he could finalize the molds on this new model. So, with this almost 'blank' WP container car you actually have a 'true' White Pass container car model on your tracks.

And last but not least the # 40710

LGB 40710 - Courtesy of zeppy.io

Manufacturing started in 1991, first catalog appearance was in the 1993/94 catalog.

As with the 72550 this set seemed to have been unable to make it through the years as a set.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++to be continued...........