Oh - the Bachmann couplers already need replacing.  Ole 1343 pulled ONE 70 ton hopper up the club layout and about 3/4 of the way around the tender coupler failed.  The pilot coupler didn't work at all. 
Gene

I finally bought the Bachmann C&O H-4 with Sound DCC.  I think this is my first new locomotive in a year and a half.  It runs fine and sounds very good.  However, I could not change the address from 3 to the cab number.  (1343)  I used JMRI's Decoder Pro and got red bars and failure messages.  Since Decoder Pro would not read the decoder type, I told it Tsunami Heavy Steam. 
Thoughts?

You could probably use any British locomotive you want - or any steam locomotive painted scarlet that you want.  Rowlings apparetly knows next to nothing about steam locomotives and her description rests on two things - color and billowing steam.  Lots of purists point out that "Hogwarts Castle" is a County class loco, not a Castle class.  My suggestion - get an IHC light Pacific and paint it scarlet.  Problem would be the coupler between tender and coach/brake van. 

Roger, the GER can get away with 4-8-2s as max power, but the VT&P climbs hills.  Those 2-6-6-2s and 2-6-6-6s are l o o o n g! 
Gene

I either bought it on eBay or on sale through Walthers.  In any event, I didn't pay $300 for it.
Gene

You can only find the kit at train shows or maybe e-Bay.  It's been out of production for years now.  It's a shame, as their Spectrum kit line was quite nice. 
Gene

That was sort of my idea,  The house belongs to the mine super for JP #6 and GP #3.  I'm not sure he'd be a model railroader.  <g>
Gene

The current Walthers 120' turntable is as close to plug and play as one can get.  It does need programming,  sure, but the instructions are clear and precise. 
Check eBay often.  I paid nowhere near MSRP for mine. 
Gene

Has anybody built the Bachmann Spectrum Sears catalog house?  Is adding the basement worth it, or is it best to build it without the full basement?  (In other words, can it be built so the house can be removed to view the basement? )
Gene

Lee Sheldon is correct.  And even flex track has its built in minimum.  I tried using flex track for 22 inch curves on my 4x8 and dropped the idea and used sectional track. 
Gene

Thaks.  I hadn't thought of N scale.  OTOH, it struck me that I could use the Wodland Scenic tunnel and then claim the Pensy Turnpike excuse - the tunnel's builder's was a railroad that never got built! <g>
Gene

Please describe the track and the couplers.   
Gene

So what did you do to weather it?
Gene

No.  HIGHWAY TUNNEL. 
OTOH, what you did looks very nice,
Gene

Who has built a concrete highway tunnel portal.  I bought a double track Woodland Scenics, but it is much too tall, or so it seems, for even trucks.  How about cutting it down? 
Thoucghts?
Gene