This may help you:
http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/ez_content/1_Amp_Decoder_Instr.pdf

I have the same problem with an old blue box GP38-2. I took the trucks apart and looked at the gears. I didn't see flash or burrs but they were dry. I have greased all the gears and oiled bearings. We will see how it is Saturday at the club run day. Google "Athearn tune-up" for ideas and suggestions.

Okay, after reading the instructions myself I think you have a few options. If you are good at soldering, you could solder a piece of wire across the two pads where you cut the trace. You could also CAREFULLY scrape the solder mask off were you cut the trace and put a bit of solder to reconnect the two halves. If you are not comfortable with either of those options, adding a resistor will be the only way to go for the LEDs. You could start with a 680ohm resistor 1/4 watt and see how the brightness is, put the resistor on the negative leg of the LED. Make sure the LED polarity is correct to the connection on the board, the negative side looks like the "flag" in the LED. If you already ran these LEDs at too high of a current, they may be burned up. Hope that helps and sorry if I told you things you already know.

jbrock27,

I will be putting LEDs in an old blue box Athearn this week too along with a DCC decoder. I have found some decoders that have resistors built in for the LEDs. Not that adding a resistor would be hard, I just like the cleaner installation. I kind of enjoy upgrading the older locomotives. I am still debating adding DCC to my old Bachmann N-scale SD40-2.

There was also Lionel HO in the mid 70's although probably not as popular as they were only made for a few years. That was my first HO set in 1977. Five years ago I bought a set just like the one I had back then, still need to set it up. I have read that some of the locos were Athearn. My GP9 supposedly has an Athearn shell but the chassis may be related to Bachmann? I actually bought another GP9 on E-bay this year. Added LED lighting, DCC, and knuckle couplers. I love it for the nostalgia if nothing else  

My first train set was my uncles American Flyer that was handed down to me. I wish I still had it even though the loco quit working. It didn't make it on a move between Michigan and Oklahoma when I was younger

I watched a show that did a story on Frank's Lionel layout at his home in Palm Springs. The show indicated at the time the current property owner had left the layout intact, don't know if that is still the case. Nice layout you have

Quote from: Terry Toenges on July 09, 2013, 11:29:30 AM
The crow on Tonto's head is very disturbing. Couldn't they have just given him a feather? I'm hesitant to see the movie because of it.

I will agree that it is a strange head dress but there is a reason for it and it is part of the story.

AnyRail lists it at 12.75 inches.

I used AnyRail to check my 2' x 4' layout. It is a free download to use for a limited layout, just do a search for it. You should be able to use 11.25" curved track at each end and I think 10" of straight track.

Quote from: RAM on May 18, 2013, 10:12:13 PM
If you can get a day pass for Dallas lite rail system.  It is a fun way to spend a Saturday.

I will second that. Took the DART from a station near my mother's house down to the State Fair. The only way to go, no traffic and no parking. There is also the Trinity Railway Express between Dallas and Ft Worth. I hear if you catch it during the low ridership times, you might get to ride on the old Budd RDC's.

Hi,
The railroad museum is no longer at Fair Park. It has moved to Frisco north of Dallas. The Big Boy may still be at Fair Park or moved by the time you come. See for info: http://www.museumoftheamericanrailroad.org/Home.aspx

If you are going to drive between Dallas to Austin, there is the Railroad and Heritage Museum in Temple. The museum is in the old Santa Fe depot, our club has layouts in the old Moody depot across the parking lot. We have run days open to the public on the first and third Saturdays from 1 to 5 pm.
For info: http://www.rrhm.org/ and http://centramod.com

Here is a link I found with museum listing in Texas, I need to check some of these out myself: http://www.railmuseums.com/namerica/TEXAS/

There is also the Texas State Railroad in east Texas for trips and well as the Hill County Flyer out of Cedar Park (Austin). I think there is also a train in Grapevine between Dallas and Fort Worth.

Have fun and enjoy Texas!

Okay, thanks. It will not work for what I wanted so back to plan A.

I have a question about the crossover turnouts. How long are the sections of track? They look like 10 inches but it is hard to be sure from the pictures.