One more thing if you decide on the digitrax decoder,the sdn144ps I think that's the decoder #, has the 8 pin harness attached to it. It's listed for n guage but will work in ho. Same sound scemes as the sdh165d.

I bought soundtraxx decoders in the past from Acculites(accu_lites.com). They have discount prices and good service. On programming decoders, post the town or city you live and ask for help from some one close by. I use a digitrax dcc system and bought their PR3 programmer. This can be hooked up to a computer with decoder pro down loaded to it and be used to program decoders. This would be a good way to program decoders with out buying a new system. Joe

The digitrax decoder is a lot less than the soundtraxx one, but it has/ had some problems: low sound levels, slowing the loco down when the horn/whistle is blown. To program any cv's you need a more advanced DCC system than the basic EZ Command. I have one of these in a Connie and am saving up to buy a soundtraxx. Joe

Dear Yardmaster, does Bachmann have any undecorated bodies for the GP7 or GP9 available?  Thanks.
Joe.

On this web sight on the product page find the search window and type in Pro box. This is whats needed I believe if you want to use more than 1 throttle. The receiver is what the infared beam hits to send the signal to the command station. Pretty much the only things that ruin a decoder is an electrical short caused by wireing one up  wrongor haveing the wires on the decoeder touch each other or metal on the loco  that is connected to a power source. It's hard to ruin one programming it. There is a cv that resets a decoder to factory settings. Usually a value of 8 to CV8. I'm 58 and swithced over to DCC 3 years ago. I'm still learning. 

The Dynamis is infared. It works by line of sight. You need to add a Pro box and additional infared receivers to expand the coverage of the signal. On the loco, you might have to reset the decoder to factory settings. There might be a CV that was changed to run on DC only. Model Railroader did a review of the Bachmann GP7 last year I think and the review mentioned changing a CV to get it to run on DCC. Hope this helps.  Joe

Is there a chance Bachmann will expand the line of value added sound loco's? /Maybe the RS3's and GP7/9? Thanks.

Do the Bachmann HO RS-3's have a space in the fuel tank for a speaker like the GP7/GP9's do? I'm thinking of getting 1 or 2 of them but want to add sound. Thanks for any help.