MY Acella is a beautiful static display model.  It derails through medium turnouts and the lights in the cars and the ends of the train a barely visible in total darkness.  I have not been able to reprogram the loco lights to work properly. 

Part of the problem is that I ASSUMED!  You know th old saying about when you assume.  I assumed that it would run on 9 inch radius track like all the other manufactures high speed.  I did not check this aspect out before buying  everything piecemeal.  The Acela should easily take 11 inch radius curves except for the fact that due to the design of the electrical pick up of the trucks the trucks can not wiggle or rotate slightly about the longitudinal axis and there is no simple fix to this.

Word of advice to others: check the product out carefully before you buy.  DO NOT ASSUME, as I did.

Best to All

It figures: I built a Shay(25 years ago) and Atlas produced an N Scale Shay.  ( I bought 2).  I commissioned Hans Starmanst to build me a 44 tonner( really a 45 tonner) with siderods, and now Bachmann will be producing an N scale 44 tonner.  I will probably buy two; more, if they run well.  I hope the gears don't split.  The 44 tonners will make nice powered tenders to mu with smaller steam locos for extra electrical pickup and tractive effort. 

The one Hans built for me is an incredible working jewel with a geared coreless motor and micro-decoder.