There is a blackener available from MicroMark.  It works OK but tends to rub off with time.  I've been told that gun bluing will work if you can find it.

A lot of chemicals that used to be available via mail order can no longer be shipped due to the possibility of environmental contamination.

Orlando, Florida here.

I'm not exactly a rivit counter and maybe there was a time when whether or not the UP had high nose GP50's or low nose didn't matter but I don't remember that far back.  And it is being billed as a featured product.

Just when I'm telling people that Bachmann is getting their act together I see the picture of a Union Pacific GP50 with a high short hood.  No such loco ever existed.  Now I do like the fact that it is available as a Southern unit and a NS unit for which the high hood is correct.  Does UP know about and approve of this foobee.

Let's not forget the Star of India either.  She still sails!!!

Upon further checking Donald McCay's "Lightening" was probably the fastest Clipper.  It would depend on how you calculate "fastest".  I think the determination was made based on best 24 hour run logged.

Actually Donald McCay's clippers Flying Cloud and Sovereign of the Seas were the fastest clipper ships.

I too built the Revell Cutty Sark several times and I agree she was one of the best looking clippers.  The news today says they are planning to continue with the restoration.

This show is on the History Channel tonight 05-16-07 at 8:00PM EDT

I watched a program recently about their previous record run.  It takes 20 miles to stop from that speed safely.  Thats why they limit scheduled passenger service to around 200 mph and it still takes 5 miles to stop.

Is the Southern GP50 a retooled model or the same toy from previous releases?

The answer to your final question is that you need to buy a basic decoder that has an 8 pin plug.  There are several options out there and since yours is a relatively small loco you should look for as compact a decoder as will handle the current load.

About flywheels, they are used to smooth out the motion at low speed and they also provide a little momentum when stopping.