I wanted to add the CW-80's are quite not that powerful so like many have mentioned, I do experience
engine slow down when I activate Bell and Whistle sounds, it's noticeable but not a big enough deal for
me to get all excited about. I can live with it for now and will eventually pick up a WBB BIG Transformer.
I did hook my ZW at one point but couldn't get any of the rail sounds to work.  So I went back to using the
CW-80's

If anyone has any suggestions please let me know!!!!!!!!!1

My advice would be to hold judgement about future WBB engines until after your problem is resolved.

Just before Christmas and after I made some purchases of WBB Locomotives and Diesel Engines.

I have a 1950's ZW and 2 of those CW-80's from a Polar Express set and a El Capitan Set. Most of what
I bought ran well. But I did have a problem with a couple of the units I bought. When I finally connected with Customer
Service I found them very helpful and eager to help me resolve the issues I was experiencing.

When some of the suggestions didn't work out they wanted me to send  the units back for them to look at and
repair. So I have done that and should be having my units returned to me in a few more weeks.

I am really impressed with the quality of their products and how they are so thoughtfully packaged right down
to the red ribbons and high quality boxes which are meant to last from one generation to another.

The other factor is the affordability which I really appreciate. With 5 kids and a whole lot of other expenses its nice
knowing my son and I can add a couple of extra engines and we won't blow the budget!!!

Best wishes

Where do you find good decals??
I would love to have Pere Marquette to some of my Locomotives!

Yesterday I took my son to the "I Love Toy Trains" Store in  New Buffalo Michigan
just above the Indiana border.  It is now under new ownership from someone who
made layouts for the I Love Toy Train People. Wow has he done a great job rehabing
that store. He has a lot more products and he plans to have a few layouts and give classes on constructing
your own layout.

I had a great day.  I had been wondering if Williams had or would make a tender in O-Gauge for the Semi-scale Hudson engine
they produced back in 1950 or 1951. The tender I have has the old trainsound whistle from that era and doesn't work that well. Plus I wanted something other than a lionel Lines. Well I found a Williams new in the box S-2 Tender with a
New York Central name on its side. When I got it home as well as some other Williams rolling stock, I was really
impressed how it was packaged. Both my son and I were Wow'd by how really nice that tender looked!!!! It matches up
really nice with our "Old" Hudson and the new trainsounds are impressive!!!

Just wanted to say Thanks Williams/Bachmann. I have been buying the F-3's, got a GG-1 and am now looking to pick up
a couple NW-2 Switchers and a Berkshire Locomotive !!! I would love to see them produce an Atlantic Steam Locomotive.

Fess Parker also owned a vineyard and produced some great wines.
One of his Chardonnays was ranked 93/100 by Robert Parker who is a
very discriminating wine evaluator.

I mention this because sometimes after the kids are all in bed and it
has been one of those rough days I like to sip a glass of wine sometimes
a Makers Mark and run the Trains. Great relaxation calms me down and
it's fun!!!!!!!!!

I have also introduced my kids to Fess Parker Daniel Boone and Davey Crockett.
A book I recently read mentions Crockett referred to himself as David and not Davey.Also new evidence
indicates he was captured at the Alamo. His Mexican captors knew who he was were collecting
autograph es and begged Santa Anna to spare his life but they were refused and Santa Anna went
so far as to have him bayonetted and not shot!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can the Williams full scale Hudson's negotiate the Lionel Fas-Track?

Since my son collects the Lionel Nation Series from TM Productions, Lionel Nation Number 6
had a what if Ther e were a F-3 series of Santa-Fe done in Black and Red instead of the
classic Silver /red. They emphasized that Santa Fe had never done this but they thought it
would be a great idea if some one did it

WELL!!!!

Turns out Williams did do it and we bought the F-3's A-B-A  in Black/Red because we really liked it and it
is really cool looking.

WELL

In the latest TRAINS Special Edition on Train-Wrecks there in living colour on page 45 is the

Santa-Fe F-3 in the Black/Red  color scheme!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was done and Williams has it

So now there is documentation to prove the color scheme was used and it is not a what-if!!!

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!

When I was modeling airplanes and ships before re-discovering Trains again we called it
"Gis-mology". You can save tons of money and have a lot of fun !
Thanks for the ideas!!!!!!!!!!

I better get get over to Michaels before there is a run on all that stuff!!!!!!!

During Spring Break this last week .

A group of us families went to the Mu seam of Science and Industry in Chicago, Illinois.
I have always loved that mu seam. I have not seen the "new" model railroad display since
it was redone and I also wanted to see the restored U-505 German U-Boat and the Burlington Zephyr.

What a treat we had. The new layout is very impressive my 8 year old son ended up spending about an hour and a half
at that layout. We also were impressed at how the Burlington was so nicely restored. I remember a few years ago going to an Ice Cream  fund raiser to help raise money for the restoration of the B.Z. It was in really bad shape and looked terrible.
Now it looks better than it probably looked originally!!!!!!!!!!!

I like all these ideas

I am looking more seriously at the around the walls as this would free up space in the center.

If I do around the walls I can have a much bigger layout. I will re-measure and post how much room I have.

The more I keep watching layout videos I think we would like 3 lines, it looks so realistic!!!

Thanks again

Does Williams /Bachmann sell just tenders??

I have a 1951 Hudson I inherited from my Dad but I would like to get a tender that has the new
rail sounds

What I try to do is see what Williams or Lionel have available in lines that interest my son and I.
We try to concentrate on the midwest. But we have New york Central, Southern Pacific, I have a real liking for
Atlantic Coast Lines and Rio Grande. It makes this hobby a lot of fun!!!!!!!

Great Ideas!!!!!!!!!!

Thank You

Thanks Lee

We have 12 x 8 feet we can work with.

I'll check out Classic Toy Trains to see if they have any lay-out ideas.

With Little lLeague a week away we figure Spring Summer is a good time

to get our lay-out together.

I have been buying those light weight doors the lumber yard sells for $5 because
they have slight damage. They have predrilled holes for the doornobs  which is great
for running the wires under the table.

I want to put some legs on instead of those cheap plastic horses we are using.

Any ideas let me know

thank You

Recently my son son wanted me to pick up the new Lionel Nation No.7 In it there
was a reference to a F-3 Santa Fe in Black with the Red Warbonnet. The narrator said
there was never a "real " Black and Red.

Wel, Over Christmas I saw anadd for Williams F-3 in Black/Red and I jumped on it!
It was my FIRST purchase of a Williams locomotive. We were wowed and have
subsequently ordered a number or other Steamer and Diesel locomotives as well as a GG-1.

In the course of our readings we read in other sources that Santa-Fe did not have a Blacl/Red F-3

WELL

The other day while grocery shopping my son comes running over to me with the latest release from
TRAINS magazine. He was all exited to show me that on page 45 of the special release by the TRAINS folks
titled, "TRAIN WREAKS" Special2012-Derailments that changed history, There in living color is a Santa Fe F-3
A and B units derailed and in BLACK  instead of silver!!!!!!!!!!!! The caption refers to the train being a "Chief"!!!!!!!!!
Well that black/red is really nice looking on the layout and runs well with both a passenger set up or freight set up.
Williams is way ahead on this one and I am sooooooo glad they produced it. Now you have your documentation to back
this up!!

Thanks Bachmann/Williams!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!