Well the sub roadbed is homesote (*) with the track nailed to it, no glue used.
This was a family friends layout and he asked for help  but it's beyond me that the flex track keeps flexing. I have some flex track on my personal layout and for 6 years not never had a problem on it.

I have not seen it posted but what does the effect on temperature and expansion and contraction to the rails. does the smaller rail in code 83 act better or worse then code 100 track?  I had an issue with flex track (c100) warping very sharply. I could not even run a single freight car over it w/o replacing it.

Interurban and commuter are hard to find.  But some manufactures have made them as previously mentioned.

the P2K subway set it nice for those wanting a typical elevated subway line, just freelance them to be what you want.
First thing I did was "MU"d the subway cars into a 4 car train set.  I used a small piece of brass cut to fit with a small hole for the coupler screw and make the clearance between the car's as real as it gets.  I have not had a problem with derailment's due to close coupling yet.

for elevated railway service if you are interested you can use brass or fine crafting wood to scratch built the actual "el" structure then use conventional track with very tight 15" radius and you'd be set.

The more detail you want the harder it would be to make it, but the more proud you will be of your self to see something look almost real.

It was a typo I was thinking about the the D16sb correct.
the E6-4-4-2 would also be a good model.

But on a side note I must also add that Bachmann could make a killing with doing some motors,
DD1 electric
or MP54s
or the EL emu's

I would like to see some small/medium steam along the lines of a PRR E6 4-4-0 and PRR G5s 4-6-0,  these engines would go great with heavyweight passenger cars on period layouts say into the 1940's and for you 2-8-0 fans a PRR H9/H10 is needed for the freight service.  Just like ATSF SP and UP the PRR is a large portion of the market.

I would like to see more steam that could fit on the average users layout. There are too many articulated and FEFs out there that are limited to the larger layouts.

The idea of installing a bose sound system would be great if bose actually participates in doing so.
My worry would be that the addition of a bose sound system would price any sound loco out of the general market.   As it is now sound is expensive, asking $450.00 for a K4 because it has sound in it and DCC is kind of ridiculous.

If a negotiation could be done and a bose system installed at a reasonable price then I say go for it, It's all the more market for bose if it can go wide spread.

chuffnpuff do you have a you tube clip of this sound system in operation I would love to hear it?

FWIW .
The End Of Train device  was a drastic cost savings for railroads that were trying to compete with the ever increasing truck traffic.

The companies figured out that buy putting this "lifeless" brakeman named "FRED" (Flashing Rear End Device) to the rear of all trains indicating that they are complete, they would no longer need the rear brakeman and conductor to man watch in the caboose. 
Sadly for fan's but in their eyes effectively cutting the crews down to 3 men crews, and as we see today some railroad even cut off the brakeman all together and run with just and engineer and conductor to save money and increase the unemployment line.

In the beginning days of our lifeless brakeman "FRED"  many railroaders of the era; the F in his name had another no so pleasant designation the likes of which I will not post here for obvious reasons.
I am a modeler of the transition era so FRED is not employed by my railroad.

Thanks for the Acela info.

Does anyone know if they sell couplers separate or do I only buy them via an add on car?

I need one Acela short coupler,  I was thinking about buying one add on car and hoping it comes with 1 of each one long and one short coupler.  I have the Acela set with the 3 cars that it came with and that's it.

What car's make up an Acela consist (first class,business class, bar car) and what other cars do I need to buy to make one full length Prototypical consist.

Jim,
That was my idea all along, However I was thinking that if the Bachmann can replace the motor assembly and install a DCC/Sound up grade for a reasonable price then I would send it in,  I does have a lifetime warranty am I right?

In the end I may just buy the new one and get it to work first before I do any shell/running gear swapping.

Are the Passenger Cars that come in the explored and keystone sets modeled after the PRR P70 commuter coach?

My problem is that I parted the motor out 2 years ago when my 2-8-0 stopped  preforming to it's fullest extent. (it was having difficulties negotiating 22"R curves) I at the Time had DC and decided it was best to part the motor out and make it a dummy and keep it on display on the shop track.  I later converted to DCC and have been thinking about buying a DCC/Sound 2-8-0 and swapping out the shells so I can run my Baldwin Loco Works paint scheme  engine. I would Like to send it to Bachmann if possible and have it re built for a minimal charge, not exceeding the price I could buy a new one for.

It's a simple matter of swapping out the running gear.

A friend of mine recently bought a 2-8-0 with DCC on board and the engine make unusual sounds of grinding.  Sounds like impurities in the motor/belt drive system.

Could this be a simple defect or has the quality of the model gone down?

I have a few older DCC ready which now have decoders in them K4s and they run smooth as quite, not grinding sound at all.

I also have a old Bachmann 2-8-0 which had driver problems has has been out of service for several years.  I would like to restore it and have it up graded to DCC/sound.  Would Bachmann do this work or replace it for me, or is it cheaper to just buy a new one?  I can get a new one with out sound for $69.99.