Thanks 671. Good info and will do. Just remembered I have train club meeting tonight so I will do the mod tomorrow evening after work.

Thanks 671 for the update. I am glad to here that 8 amp is ok and I guess i could have put it in the tender just did not think about at the time. Taking the engine apart was a little job in its self. I use heat shrink myself alot great stuff. I will put the slide switch in tonight because I like the idea of being able to turn off the unit. I will have to take the engine apart again but at lease now I know what to watch out for. Also while I  am in there I can change out the foam tape as Joe suggested. Thanks for all the help.

Thanks Joe for the update. I will do that. I was thinking that the foam tape might dry out and loose its hold so I will do your suggestion. One question I would like your opinion own is that the 8 amp should be enough or should I have gotten a larger one? The 8 amp size just fit on that plate and any larger would be a problem I think. Your thought Please.

Well everyone I stopped by Radio Shack today and got a Full Wave Bridge Rectifier number 276-1181 8amp and followed the setup from Dallee. Connected the + and - leads together and cut one of the motor leads and connected it to the Bridge Rectifier on the other two leads and WOW does that baby smoke and run great. The start up voltage is now about 2 volts higher which lets the smoke unit work nice and a very slow started. I am using a MTH Z4000 transformer now. I found a nice locations for the Bridge Rectifier in front of the motor on the flat plate and used some double side foam tape to hold it in place. Thanks everyone for the setup.

M1FredQ I knew you had been traveling a lot and great on your sons team winning the championship. Yep I bet you could have gotten some more WBB engines on the gas money you had to spend but it is worth those memories with your son. I understand that gas is going even higher by August. Anyway the Hudson is the Santa Fe one and very hard to find. My hobby shop found one and I jumped on it. As you know I am not a steam person but this might have me doing some smoking units as 671 said earlier in this thread. I really like the Scale size and spokes wheels and this runs so smooth. I did connect up my ZW-C to the track and it smokes and runs even better with the chopped sine wave. Keep us posted on the ball games and catch you later.

Update on my Hudson. I just happen to have a ZW-C transformer so I hooked it up in place of my Z4000 and man she runs and smokes like a beauty. Smooth as silk and smokes great. I just might leave the ZW-C in place for a while.

Thanks to everyone for the replies and I just might be going over to(smoking side) so more steam engines. I have been running this one now for two days and I seem to always go for the handle to run the Hudson first  . I really love the great detail and smooth running of this and all my WBB engines. I have totally gone WBB all the way.

I have a dual setup for power. I use the Z4000 for conventional mode and then flip the toggle switch to go with 180 brick with TPC 3000 and Legacy to run conventional also. I did notice that the smoke is much better going to Legacy because of the chopped sine wave coming out the TPC 3000 unit but I still like my Z4000 handles because I feel more in control. If I do the mode as 671 suggested then I would be get better smoke that way like the chopped sine does.

Thanks again everyone and I really enjoy this forum and the knowledge found here.

I just got may Scale Hudson this week end Santa Fe and it is just outstanding. I been running it all day. This is my first steam engine because I am Diesel person but this Hudson might change my mind somewhat to get a few Steamers.

That sounds good. I have two on pre-order Seaboard. 

Seaboard
Very nice looking Caboose you built. I would love to have some Seaboard Cabooses myself. I hope Williams make some and maybe a nice L&N one to. 

GP38
The sound system is now installed in the new GP30 engines and it is really a nice setup. I have the GP30 ACL and it is great. I do not think you can buy the system separate yet.

I have two sets of them in Southern and just love them. I bet that when they come back again they will have the new sound system.

Tsched
I do not believe they are totally out but I would think they will be back with the new sound system. I do have one on hold at my hobby store because they are hard to come by now. They are great engines as all the Williams engines. Just hold on and I bet they will be back.

Chum
I do not believe Williams engines uses a battery for anything. I am a little confused at this point. The only pot in a Williams engine that I know of is the volume control on the sound board but there is no battery to my knowledge. Maybe someone else on the forum can help us out here.

Chum
Take the shell off the powered unit and you will see the sound board mounted on top of the reversing board. Look closely and you will see a pot that has a slot in it. That is the volume control pot move it back and forth with a small flat blade screwdriver. That should fix your issue. If not then make sure the wiper arm is touching the inside of the pot. I had the same problem with my FA1 L&N and once I moved the volume control it fixed the problem and it has not failed since. Lets us know how you come out on the fix.