I have read most of the posts about this subject. I know about the loose motor bolts, loose gear box bolts, motor burn outs, stripped gears, gears slipping on the axel, counter weights and connecting rod failure. My question is, how much will these engines will safely pull without damage?
I have the four Jackson sharp passenger set cars, which the engine has no problem pulling even on minor grades. With the engine disconnected and pulling the cars by hand they are very hard to pull, in fact 350 grams worth. I raised all the contacts on the wheels except the last two on the observation car, that keeps the drum lit, now my pull is 25 grams and I am shure poses no problem for the engine but I would like to have the lights . Any Suggestions

Thanks Jon, My jar of EZ Lube  gear grease just does not look right to me it is very light and seperates if it sits very long and I have to stir it to blend it back together and then it is still very thin like water and will not stay on the gears. When I open a factory gear box for service there is grease still hanging to the sides of the gears and on to the sides of the gear box. My question, does you EZ Lube gear grease look like mine. or is mine defective?
Do you have a preference  on the sound board I should use? 

I bought a jar of Bachman EZ lube gear grease, it is very thin, I stir it before use and it still looks very thin. Is this what you use on your engine gear trains?
I need to know what I need and how you install sound on a 2-8-0 G scale consolidation outside frame? The instructions says it is equipped with a plug for sound.