Ok, I stopped at my LHS today and bought a Bachmann Thomas engine in HO scale. I also purchased a Digitrax N scale SDN144PS sound decoder. When I got home I heated up the soldering iron and soldered 4 wires with shrink wrap drilled a few small holes in the back of Thomas's tender and stuck the itty bitty speaker that comes with the decoder to the back wall of the tender. I used my Digitrax PR3 programmer and soundloader and used the BR class "light prairie tank" sound project and added a wav file of thomas's horn to the project. Downloaded the sounds and Thomas is happily running around my shelf layout. I was worried that the tiny speaker would be insufficient but it is perfect! Thanks to another forum for the decoder suggestion. He needs a little break in time but the horn brings a smile to my face everytime.  He could still use a headlight and taillight in the future. Perhaps a bit of extra weight too. This will be great when my nieces and nephews come for a visit. This was a very simple conversion only 4 wires to solder from the Bachmann circuit board to the decoder.  Bachmann was kind enough to leave plenty of wire to make the connections easy.  Here is a youtube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDSbVQgVfec to show how to make the conversion (without sound).  Next I gotta find a sound clip from youtube of Thomas saying "Bust my Buffers" and add that sound.
-Art

Mr. Bachmann, I am wondering when we might expect to see your HO scale FNA nuclear flask wagons here in the states.  I see them available  in the UK but not here.  I would like 3 for xmas please.

I just got a Bachmann Spectrum 4-6-2 Pacific and I took it apart to repaint it in Blue Comet colors.  The repaint came out good but now I am having trouble getting the running gear back together.  The exploded parts view in the instructions is not in enough detail to see how it goes back together.  The wheels are on but the control arms on the wheels are giving me trouble.  There are slight differences on each side so I need some closeups of the running gear on both sides.  Can anyone help me?  TIA
-Art

I have an older Bachmann GS4 SP Daylight (non DCC) and while trying to install DCC/sound I must have fried something inside the motor with the solder iron.  I looked for a replacement motor but the replacement frame/motor looks completely different than my older split frame design.  Will the replacement still fit my older shell?  Will my wheel assembly fit the newer style frame? TIA
-Art

I have a Bachmann Spectrum F40PH NJ Transit (non dcc version) and I would like to add DCC and sound. I sent an email to an online retailer and they said there was no room to add a sound board. Has anyone done this? I don't need anything fancy I would be happy with a cheapo sound generator perhaps n scale. I am frustrated because nobody is producing any HO scale engines for NJ Transit with DCC and sound. Occasionally I find a listing on Ebay for an Atlas GP40 NJ Transit with DCC and sound but I have missed out several times. I would be happy if I could just add DCC and sound to my Bachmann spectrum engine. TIA
-Art