I model the Alaska Railroad, and having a B&O steam locomotive just looks weird.  I was able to buy an undecorated EM-1 tender shell from Bachmann and I have ARR decals, so it looks like the Alaska Railroad, or at least mine, just acquired an EM-1!   

Are the F2A and F7A shells interchangeable?

I started with the Bachmann EZ system, and did not like it.  Could not do anything except move engines and blow whistles.  Could not use standard CV's for locomotive numbering.
Upgraded to the Bachmann Dynamis and again had a totally new set of problems.  Still could not program many CV's, wireless will not work unless there is a line of sight between the transmitter and the receiver and any fluorescent lighting drove the Dynamis crazy.  Again, upgraded to the NCE Power Cab, went wireless with it and I can do anything from anywhere.  Very happy with it.

You are right on regarding the size of the EM-1 and Big Boy.  I have one of each and can only run them on 1 of my 6 railroad lines.  Probably could run on 2 more, but the cab hangs over so far on a turn that it interferes with scenery, curved tunnels and curved bridges with any form of sides.  The one line I do run them on has curved tunnels, but I needed at least a 9" stretch of straight track inside the tunnel entrance or the cab would hit.  Maybe if I had 2 rooms to put the railroad in instead of just 1 !!

What happened to the EM-1.  I don't see it on the list of HO locomotives any more.

They did use the same shell with one little difference (other than making the newer ones much nicer).  I took the shells off both units, compared them and they looked exactly the same inside and overall shape.  The new shell went over the old frame perfectly.  Screw holes matched and everything.  The old shell went over the new frame  but would not sit all the way down.  When I looked inside of the old shell, there were 4 small tabs in the top of the shell (inside) stopping the shell from going down all the way.  I assume these tabs were for holding light bars.  I used a pair of pliers to easily twist and remove them and the shell went down and mated perfectly.  It seems Bachmann did not change the rest of the fit-up at all as I did not see any difference between the old and new shells except for the speaker mount in the metal frame.  All the other internal mechanical features look identical except possibly using a better motor, as the new one runs circles around the old one, used a sound card instead of just a decoder and modified the metal frame to accept the speaker in the fuel tank.  The appearance and detail of the newer shell is much nicer.  The same shells also are inter-changeable between the new GP-40 (#3002) and the old GP-40 (#3018) and between the old GP-40 (#3018) shells and the new GP-38 (#2007) frame as well.

A long time back I purchased 4 Bachmann GP40 DCC equipped/no sound locomotives.  I tried to add sound to one of them, but there was no way to install the speaker without almost completely removing all the metal from the frame.  Now Bachmann has released a new version of the Alaska GP40 with sound, but they only have one road number.  I have three options: 1) use them as is with duplicate road numbers on the layout.  2) try to change the road number with a matching font/size/color decal if I can find one or  3) swap the shells.  Does anyone know if the new GP40 shell is interchangeable with the older GP40 shell?  I'm hoping they kept the same shell design and only modified the shape of the frame to accept a speaker, but who knows?

Yes, I am referring to the white Bachmann reefers, but I want to remove the Tropicana name and emblem to use the cars with different markings.  Don't want the outline of the Tropicana name or the outline of the Tropicana emblem showing through under the paint.

What type of lettering/logo material is used to print on the Tropicana reefers?  I want to repaint some without the factory lettering showing thru.  Don't know if it was stamped ink, decals or what?  Anyone know?

I have some Bachmann Silver Series freight cars where the coupler alignment is off slightly based on the NMRA Coupler height gauge.  The coupler needs to go up slightly.  Typically, I install a small spacer/washer (Kadee .010 or .015 thickness) on the truck shank between the truck and the body to raise the coupler, but Bachmann has made the truck shank outside diameter larger than normal, so these washers will not fit.  Is there a washer/spacer available that will work with the Bachmann design?

There is nothing wrong with using short sections of track.  They are all over our Christmas layout.  Don't try to fix or repair the 1" section.  Spend the small amount of money and buy the assorted pack that the one inch section comes in and replace it with new track.  That will work far better than trying to cut a track section and keeping it together unless you are gluing the track down, as Bachmann track does not lock together at a cut and putting a rail joiner on a cut section means removing some spikes anyway.

This is from the Kadee web site.

1. Stop with the couplers over an uncoupler and back up slightly with the couplers still over the uncoupler, allowing slack to occur between couplers.
2. Pull forward bringing coupler off the uncoupler. Couplers will snap to the delayed position.
3. Back up, pushing the car(s) to the desired location. Do not permit slack to develop between couplers.
4. Pull forward, leaving the car(s) where desired. Couplers will automatically return to normal coupling position.

Here is the site that contains these instructions.

http://www.kadee.com/animation/c1.htm

Will a Bachmann F2B shell fit onto a Bachmann F7B frame.  I have an F2B locomotive with DCC/Sound that I need to convert and repaint and re-decal to an Alaska F7B.

I am converting my Bachmann couplers to Kadee.  The E-Z Mate copulers have plastic shanks that bend and warp easily,  They are extremely difficult to maintain coupler alignment.

You may want to look into this.  Aluminum and brass are not equal on the electrolysis scale and one will cause the other to corrode through electrolysis.  It needs an electrolyte that the limestone and morning dew may be providing. 

If this is the case, I would suggest either covering the rails to prevent moisture from settling and creating the electrolyte or removing either the brass rails or the aluminum rails to make all the conductors the same.  Boats use zincs for this purpose, but I think that may not be an option for you.

Not saying this is your problem, but you may consider it, as I don't often hear of this corrosion problem on garden railroads.