Thanks for the info Railfan

What is the wheel arrangements for light, medium and heavy steam.

I have 2 trolleys that I installed a TCS Keep it alive decoders. These decoders are fantastic, my trolley no longer has any problems. The trolley is an AHM LRV.

According to the JMRI software there are 3 different horns. I can't recall the names of them though. Whiz Kid I also live and grew up in Massachusetts. I live 5 miles north of Boston.

I just received my Bachmann B&M RS3 with sound. I am really impressed with the sound and how it runs. The price is also very good. I have other switchers with sound that cost a lot more but I would say the Bachmann is equal to them.

I think the problem is with one brush on the motor. I took it apart and applied pressure to the brush and it ran better. Put it back together and has been running good.

Thanks for all the good info about how resistors and the other components are marked. I know that will come in hady in the future. It will not run if you touch it after it stops. The decoders are not hot. Sometimes they will run if I try them the next day. I am using DCC. After I posted this message it was running it for over an hour with no problem at all. Thanks again for the help.

I installed 2 different decoders in the Acela. The first one was an NCE D14SR, the second one was a TCS MC2P-SH. They both will run for approximately 5 or ten minutes then they stop. Do I have to cut what look like resistors that are on the board. The board has a date on it 08/04/01. The decoders do not feel hot when the train stops. Thanks

Jonathan described the sound exactly. I will try the lube. Thanks

When I run my Acela I hear a noise that can be described as brakes sqeeling. Anyone no what is is. It only comes from the passenger cars. The cars roll freely. Is it possible that it comes from the pickups that rub against the wheels?

I bought a NCE D14SR and it works great. My Acela must be an older one because the pcb was a rev. A with a date of 08/04/01.

I will not be coupling and uncoupling the cars. When tacking the set off the layout it is hard to uncouple the five cars. Yes Kadee has a solution but it costs about $10 a car. Thanks for the replies

Does Bachman or anyone else sell knuckle couplers for the Acela train set.

I bought a Bachman Acela about five years ago and want to put in a decoder. Is the Acela DCC ready? If so is there a plug to plug in a decoder or does it have to be hardwired?

I have a Bowser PCC trolley and it runs great. There is a decoder made especially for the Bowser which I installed and it runs very smooth. It will go up an incline that rises 5 inches in 3 feet with bullfrog snot on the wheels. If you do install a decoder watch out for the thin wires.