Mark is right. If I were you, I would purchase either a sound package from reputable DCC sound installers out there, or get one that already has DCC and sound built into it.

You'll need to replace the decoder. Currently, Soudntraxx and ESU make sound decoders small enough to fit inside a hood diesel. Check out the ESU LokSound Select Micro and the Soundtraxx Econami.

Roger, my advice is to flip the locomotive and run it upside down with the wheels up. See if it does the same thing. See if you can catch on the driver rotation where it's hiccupping. Another thing you night try is to take off the bottom plate and all the drivers to see if there is a piece of ballast in the gears. That could be what's causing the problem.

It may be the 'slop' that is built into the locomotive to handle tight curves (i.e. lateral motion). Not sure how to fix that, per se.

If you want to upgrade the lighting effects, you'll either need to replace the decoder with another sound decoder or add in another function only decoder like a Digitrax TL1 or TL4.

Mark, you're a genius!

You have to break the torque on the screw to get it loose in order to install the new traction tire.

Don't solder that because it's plastic. Get a cheap GP40 on ebay if you want to replace the engine.

You just have to find turnouts that are DCC controlled or get a DCC accessory decoder.

DCC in this engine is a pain in the butt. You have to switch tenders (the one it comes with is worthless), and then wire up the DCC decoder after you isolate the motor. I've done it. It's not fun.

Pick it up and check movement of the trucks: lateral, side to side, and up and down. If anything is blocking it, use a Dremel to grind away part of the shell to that there is clear movement.

Yep, but only about 0.04A.

You can run 4 locomotives at the same time, but no more. I've safely run four sound equipped locomotives at the same time with the Bachmann system, and they draw more current than a regular DCC equipped locomotive.

1. Clean the track.
2. After you clean the track, clean the wheels.
3. After you clean the wheels, replace the tender with an all-wheel-live tender.

Isolate section of the reverse loop and you won't have a problem with the pickups.