Trying to figure out how to remove the shell from  a NYC Sound value F7A.It doesn't slip off as I expected; complicating things is that the front coupler needs to be removed before the shell will come off, not sure how to remove that coupler. Back coupler looks like it s part of the chassis.  Any suggestions would be helpful. I'm thinking some of those screws on the bottom might be involved, but I am not sure.
Thanks,

Mr. Mick

A friend asked me to repair his Bachmann 4-6-2; specifically, the locomotive ( Engine No.5475) dropped it pilot ( 4 wheel bogie) and the screw went one way, the spring somewhere else. This must be old because I checked your pat inventory and the engine does not show up. Can you tell me the screw size and suggest a spring for this?  The decoder also smoked, i am just going t replace the decoder; i don't know if the two problems are related ( e.g., pilot causes a short circuit that causes the decoder to cook). Any thoughts would be appreciated, Thanks, Mr. Mick

A friend had me over to look at the layout he and his son are building.  Track is down, and they have just purchased an MRC Express DCC system.  They have a Bachmann F40PH which runs fine on DC, and they tell me that it can also run on DCC. They initially had hooked both system up at the same time, but they kept getting the dc controller to overload, and the engines would not run.  I had them hook up their DC controller (MRC 260) and the F40PH ran fine on DC.  They then removed the DC and hooked in the DCC, and the loco, does not work.  He showed me what looks like an Bachman decoder installed with an 8 pin plug.

Is there something else that we should do to get the loco to run on DCC? Or, is the decoder probably fried?.

My experience with DCC is limited.  I have an MRC Express  system and I have installed some Digitrax decoders and they work for me. I have no Bachmann experience, but it appears I need to gain some so I can help them out. I am used to programming in the loco address, and then just runnning it, I was not of much help.

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

Mr. Mick
York, Maine