thanks rusty, i got them working.

i just received my n&w class a today and it is a very beautiful engine.  i ran it on dc power and it ran and made sound. i plugged in a bachmann decoder to run on the layout. it still ran and made sound.  i have a nce powercab. i decided to do a consist to run the two engines together. i couldnt quite figure out to operate the consist, so i tried to start running the trains seperately again. it would run, but it wont make sound. both the class a and the santa fe.  anyone got any suggestions?

well, ill try to describe it.

yes, you have to undo the recessed screw.

second, there is also another screw behind the rear trucks and the coupler that you have to undo.

third, i guess you would call them tabs but you have to spread the two sides of the tender away from the body and pull up to get it free.

(you may also undo the weird hooking device between the engine and tender for a little bit more freedom with moving the tender around)

I hope this helped some Yampa. 

Hi Yampa Bob,
thanks for the information. i finally got it open.

how do you get the tender shell of of the ho J?