Loco Bill...thanks so much for the answer...I think it's just what I was looking for.  Didn't even know the terminology.  Will look for "wheel wipers" and see about switching the bulbs to LED's.  For now, I just think I'm gonna put it together and get it on the tracks and let the passengers ride in the dark.  I've been in the dark most of my 66 years and it hasn't bothered me too much.

Thanks again/Bob

thanks for the comeback, but the car doesn't have a battery box and, since I'll be installing the track to run around the top of the wall of my shop, it won't be easy to turn the switch on and off.  That's why I was looking at track power for the car.  If I can't make it work that way, it won't be a showstopper...the passengers will just be in the dark a lot!!

Thanks again/Bob

Hi...I bought a Bachmann combo passenger/baggage car on ebay recently.  It came without couplers, trucks, or railings.  I've now got all that stuff installed and now would like to hook up the wiring so the lights will work from track power.  The car has a metal (brass/copper?) strip running down the inside of each side of the car and there is also a switch on the bottom of the car with one black wire running from it.  How do I get the power from the wheels to the switch to the lights on the ceiling of the car??  Do I need special pickup trucks?  I'm kinda at a loss here.

Thanks/Bob

Thanks guys...the difference is obvious even to my untrained eye!!  Will get some passenger trucks and we'll be on our way.

thanks again.

I'm trying to put some wheels under an undecorated combo passenger/baggage car that I bought on ebay.  I just received two trucks with knuckle couplers that I also bought on ebay, but the couplers are not long enough to stick out from under each end of the car.  I looked and see that they are "freight" trucks...could that be my problem?  Are the couplers on passenger trucks longer or what??

Thanks for any help...bob

Thanks Kevin...will do some more research...Bob

Okay, a few more questions.  Since the tender has "Denver & Rio Grande" markings, would like to try to continue in that vein.  I purchased a generic caboose and a combination baggage/passenger car.  Would those be any specific color for D&RG?  Also, I'll have to try to find some decals/transfers for both cars.  Finally, does anyone know the whole story about D&RG and D&RGW, etc??  Are they interchangeable or were they two distinct lines/periods??

thanks/bob.

Wow..just one day and already lots and lots of valuable info.  Many thanks and please keep it coming. Maybe we can disprove the saying "you can't teach an old dog new tricks".  I'm looking forward to sitting in my shop working on my cars while Annie steams around and around overhead.  Thanks again...Bob

Hi to everyone.  I'm probably your biggest nightmare...an old geezer with a new toy.  I just recently purchased an Annie 4-6-0 (Denver and Rio Grande - number 81097) on ebay.  I'm 66 years old and this is my first electric train.  At this point I just want to have an old steam locomotive running around the top of the walls in my shop (old barn).  I wanted to get the new Plainsman set, but they keep delaying the release.  Since my new toy only includes the loco and tender, I need a caboose, boxcar/cattle car, and passenger car, not to mention a  transformer/speed control.  I guess my initial questions are:
1.  The loco is "narrow gauge".  Do I have to be careful what kind of rolling stock I buy?
2.  The same holds true when buying track.  Is all Bachmann track equal or do I have to get "narrow gauge"?
3.  What kind of transformer/speed control do I need for one loco with no more than four cars traveling relatively slowly around and around on about 100 feet of track?
4.  Since the loco is "Denver & Rio Grande", I'd like the cars to be the same.  Where might I go for decals/transfers for D&RG?