Acela Express Cars

[hoddy4]

Does anyone know if additional cars are available for the Acela Express with hook couplers and where they can be purchased?   I have the power car and the two dummy engines.

[kmcsjr]

As far as I know, ebay is the only source. The good news is you have the power car, so you should be safe buying the others, if they come available

[hoddy4]

It's funny I have seen reviews of the set that say there is a problem with derailment unless you have a large layout.  I have a relatively small layout 304 and have no derailments using Kato track and the two engines with power car.  Perhaps adding cars increases the possibility of derailments.

[ACY]

Perhaps adding cars increases the possibility of derailments.

That is logical and most likely the case. Generally longer trains have a great propensity to derail for various reasons.

[spookshow]

The derailing problems are caused by flash on the diaphragms and the coupler pockets. IE, a manufacturing defect, so not all cars are going to exhibit the problem (or to the same degree). Ron Bearden wrote a very informative article on ways to improve performance on these cars for the March/April 2007 issue of N-Scale Magazine. A good place to start if you're having trouble with your Acela train.

Cheers,
-Mark