If you're comfortable doing your own soldering, and understand using dropping resistors with LEDs, it's a lot cheaper to do it yourself. You also have a bit more flexibility in which LEDs to use, e.g., yellow for an incandescent bulb look, white for situations where fluorescent tubes would be used.

Len

In flickr if you right click on the image, then click 'inspect' the details of the image come up. You'll see links to the small version of the .jpg file and the large version. Clink on the 'large' line, then right click and select 'open link in new tab'. Go to that tab and copy the URL, which should be: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53474461709_2850a3e94d_k.jpg

Put that between the img tags and you should get this in your post:




Len

Getting a "URL Not Found" error on that link. If you put the complete URL between [i m g] [/i m g] tags, without the spaces, the pic should show up in your post. You can use the "PREVIEW" button to see if it works.

Len

Krylon clear matte finish in a spray can works well. And you get almost 3 times as much for less than a can of Dullcote sold for.

Len

Be advised that when operated with a DC power pack the decoder will "eat" around 5 volts before the loco starts moving. So the throttle position will be higher than with a straight DC loco. If the rest of your locos are straight DC, you might want to replace the decoder with a dummy plug if it's connected via an 8-pin sockt.

Len

I've found some of these A-Line drive couplings will work in Bachmann diesels:

https://ppw-aline.com/search?q=coupling

Some experimentation may be needed.

Len

Some info on superelevation.

https://www.trackplanning.com/superelevation.htm

Len

Appears to be the same motor. You'll have to swap out the universal connectors for the gears from the hi-rail.
https://estore.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=70_114&products_id=293

You may have to shorten the motor shafts a bit with a Dremel cut off disk.

Len

The information here may be of help:
https://tonystrains.com/news/complete-guide-to-consisting/

Len

There's a prototype for everything. The Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Potomac Railroad ran some 72ft passenger cars. So you could use some more or less modern 72ft passenger cars and say your railroad purchased used from the RF&P.

Len

The 'Time Saver" is actually a switching puzzle. The name comes from completing the 'puzzle' in the minimum amount of time. Alternate rules call for completing it in the minimum number of switching moves. An explanation of the rules, and alternatives, can be found here:
http://www.wymann.info/ShuntingPuzzles/Timesaver/timesaver-rules.html

Len

This is the truck mounting screw he's looking for. It works for the original Williams diesels too.
https://estore.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=77_219&products_id=5395

The semi-scale body mount screw may work for the original Williams E7 also:
https://estore.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=77_219&products_id=4586

If not, a 3mm self tapping screw should work.

Len

It's not just a constant 12V on the track, it's 12V with a DCC signal provided by any of the many DCC systems available. A 'dummy plug' replaces the decoder and connects the socket holes as shown on the right here:



A quick look using the key DCC DUMMY PLUG in the search engine of your choice should bring up several places to purchase one. Or you can use small gauge solid wire to connect the socket holes together as shown in the picture.

Len

Almost all of the screws used in the Williams/Williams by Bachmann diesels are listed on pages 6 and 7 of the 'O/Williams' "Universal Parts" lisings. There's not a lot of variation in the screws used on different diesel locos:

https://estore.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=77_219&sort=20a&page=6
https://estore.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=77_219&sort=20a&page=7

All of the screws are metric. The only real difference I ran into when things switched to 'Williams by Bachmann' is for some reason the pilot mounting screw on the front truck was changed from 3mm to 3.5mm

Len

DCC equiped locomotives normally expect to see a constant 12V DCC signal on the track. When operating DCC equiped locomotives using a DC power pack the decoder is looking for at least 5V on the track before it passes any power to the motor. This means the throttle on a DC power pack has to be turned considerably higher to get a DCC locomotive moving than a straight DC locomotive.

If the PCB has an 8-pin socket for the decoder, you can replace the decoder with a dummy plug tna it will operate at the lower voltages of a regular DC locomotive.

Len