I had to expand the width & height of this kit to accommodate my ON30. There was just enough wiggle room to solder the wires (copper bands) connecting the sides to the rail bed for connection, but i was afraid of getting the heat of the soldering iron near the circuits under the blinking light (i'm still a novice at soldering), but was able to use a small bit of extra wire soldered to the sides & do a compression type connection like the original setup.  Well, after months of working fine, one day after replacing the train itself, something either got bumped or jiggled too much from vibration & i saw a little puff of smoke come from the light on top.  YIKES!!!
After some testing, discovered the light hadnt blown & still worked. Figured i needed a more permanent connection, so after removing the light itself from the top rails, i attempted to solder a little wire to it, but the solder would not stick to the little square compression pads on the light.  Masking tape works but of course that looks awful & will likely wear loose in no time. Tried different glues but they just insulated the contacts & eventually i got a deadly short.

To cut the story short, i ordered a new truss bridge (just for the light since nobody sells spare parts). Question is, what's a good way to connect the sides to the top with a very short strip of wire that is secure so i dont have to worry about it coming loose & shorting out the circuit board again?
Thanks for any input - stay safe & sane...
Jerry,
Largo, FL

Well, the new NR American Christmas arrived yesterday - & yes, it was new in box - really surprised (& joyous) coming from ebay & at half the list price here. Parts & pieces all still wrapped in plastic, tucked with foam rubber & styrofoam.  The Great Northern caboose from another seller came the same way.  Rare for ebay...

Anxious to try it out, i just removed the Wonderland Express & set up the new stuff on existing track with existing power supply & controller. Fired right up but definitely had to make some adjustments to landscaping such as gravel & rocks around the track & move a couple of light/telephone poles, trim back one wooden parts of a loading dock (thankfully only popsicle sticks) - mostly stuff on curves.  Luckily no bad crashes to jar anything loose.  The WE was missing it's cow catcher plus some other cosmetic parts so layout was designed so it'd just slide by.

After that, i had a problem with going up the embankment to the rr bridge - cars would disconnect after the tender. On the WE, i just used really thin florist wire to secure the couplers together but that was a pain in the tush to do & would eventually wiggle loose. So on the AC, a drop of hot glue on each coupler & now it climbs & descends with no problem & no issues going around curves! Readily more easy to remove if needed than wire or superglue for sure.
Had one issue where either the front wheels of the loco, tender or 1st car would come off track in the same place every time.  Low & behold, close inspection with my glasses & a flashlight there was a small drop of hot glue (bout the size of seamstress pin head) stuck to the inside of one rail. Likely from when i added lamp posts to the platform a couple days earlier.  Popped that off & no more derailing.

Today, i replaced the old controller & power supply with the new one (same stats mind you) - WOW what a difference. Coach lights are brighter & i dont have to rev it up full force to get over the bridge - just over half way.  & that makes it a lot quieter too.

So happy i lucked on these super great deals (or should i say steals?). Basically $250 for a brand new set up including the caboose & i've got the extra track i can either add to the WE to make it a complete set  to sell or resell each separately.
Have a great weekend everyone.

Thanks for all the replies fellas.

Think i read either here on the board or somewhere else a couple years ago about the smoke gumming up the tracks & display - didnt know if there'd been improvements or not. Oh well, will use my imagination or spray paint a puff of cotton grey & black & stick in the smoke stack!!

As for the caboose, its just more a nostalgia thing than proper for a passenger train - beside i wanta add a freight car or two if i can luck up on Christmas themed ones at a decent price so it'll be a combo train. It goes all the way around my 16x4 village (the 'Express' as Alexa knows it) passing a warehouse area & a passenger platform that also for a slower passenger train that just serves downtown (local yocal). But i was also surprised to find a caboose that lights up & being red fits the Christmas theme, & the price was in my budget!

Everythings supposed to be here Thursday - gonna make sure i take those first few loops nice & slow to make sure it clears buildings, platforms, trees & rocks, telephone poles, etc & especially the railroad bridge (which i enlarged just enough for the Wonderland).  If it is brand new as described, i dont want a major wreck on the first trip & have to buy stock in superglue   

Hoping once things calm down that the local train shop reopens & they can tell me if the Wonderland Express is worth rehabilitating for sale (it still runs but finicky & needs cosmetic repair too) or better to sell for parts.

Stay Safe, Stay Sane, Stay Smilin...
Jerry - Largo, FL

#25023 On30 Norman Rockwell American Christmas for $212 including shipping. Way cheaper than others listed/previously sold & supposed to be new in box.  This will replace an aging Wonderland Express that needs a major overhaul (bought it used but hasnt performed or held up well).

Anywho, does the 2-6-0 loco on the 25023 produce steam? i couldnt really tell by writing on box. Also, any chance the lights are LED? Didnt see the Spectrum logo on the box pix either (tho i'm not exactly sure what Spectrum means other than finer detailing).

i also lucked up on a Spectrum On30 Great Northern lighted caboose (NIB) for $39 to add to it (to me a train aint complete without a caboose!!) & may get a freight car or two later since it'll pass a warehouse loading dock as well as a passenger station.  See freight trains go by here several times a day & they look "nekkid" compared to ones i used to see as a kid out in the country.

Thanks & stay safe,
Jerry - Largo, FL

Thanks for all the tips.  James (howdy neighbor), those sites you mentioned have some really nice stuff but my wallet started hemorrhaging! i may check out a couple of hobby shops around (once everything is sorta back to normal) to see what they suggest.  Otherwise, just have to monitor Ebay.
i'm gettin pretty good with tweakin stuff to where it works for my layout - had to make the Bachmann Train Bridge with light a bit taller & wider for my ON30 set. Amazing what ya can do with some solder, popcicle sticks, dowels, glue & paint!
Take care all & stay safe.
Jerry

i'm looking for a kit or even just a diagram of parts of a ski lift or ski gondola setup that would be scaled right for my Christmas village.  Lemax makes one but they are rare to find & pretty pricey when ya do.
The mountain section of the display layout doesnt have room for a working train, maybe a trolley/street car but i doubt it could handle the pretty steep incline.
i've tried googling every phrase combination i could think of but nothing pops up similar to what i'm looking for.
Thanks in advance,
Jerry - Largo, FL

Thanks for the update...

Thanks Rich,
i'd checked the diagram earlier for a cow catcher for one engine & didnt notice any actual wiring schematics. Just double-checked & it doesnt indicate a cab light. It shows the head light but doesnt indicate its a replaceable part or how it's wired inside the shell.
I've got a local train repair shop nearby so i might check to see if they could add one for little cost. Just thought it'd be a neat idea to have it light up.
Jerry

This is likely a silly question that just deserves a simple "No" answer, which is fine, but figured i'd throw it out there.
I've got two Bachmann On30 Christmas trains - Wonderland Express & Rockwells Holiday Express (latter acquired today). Both have almost identical 2-6-0 engines. Noticed neither has a lighted cab but the headlights work on both. Is there just not a cab light or is it possible both are faulty? Cant find any docs to state if there is/isnt one.
Thanks in advance.
Jerry W - Largo, FL

Thanks Terry. i've got it on my watch list

Thanks for the quick reply Terry. I've actually already got the Wonderland Express that i'm waiting to finish the village to loop around the outside of the bottom tier once the expansion is done soon.!
But yes, that is a very good price. Luckily, i bought mine from a train guy & he repaired the engine at no extra charge, including shipping it back & forth.
i might try to figure out if i can make a figure 8 of sorts & cover both tracks with one train.

Well, i got the new oval track installed in the village & the HO Jingle Bell Express running.  But boy is it small!! Didnt realize there'd be such a noticeable difference - the village figurines are taller than the train. Plus, the JBE is more a cargo train vs passenger & since it loops around the downtown & stops at the train station where passengers are waiting, doesnt make since (unless they all cram in the caboose!!).
Was wondering where i might could search for an ON30 engine & maybe one passenger car - tried Ebay, but they just have Thomas Kinkade stuff or whole Bachmann sets & they're pricey right now.
Wondering also if one of Bachmanns street cars would maybe work on the closed loop of regular EZ-Track? Instead of going back & forth, just go in a circle...

Thanks again in advance for all the great advice.

BTW - i did figure out an issue on my own the other nite - sitting watching the village & the street car started squealing - that same metal to metal sound of a real train! Checked the wheels, nudged the track, still squeaked.  Put a couple drops of beard clipper oil on a cotton ball & rubbed it on the entire track. It's only about 6 months old but the cotton ball came out dark grey!  But no more squeak.  & the lights in the trolley stopped flickering & it stopped hanging up at the reverse point to boot!

Happy Fall (course that's January for us in Florida!)
Jerry W - Largo, FL

Thanks for the tip - i'll give it a try a bit later.
Actually, that is a ski chalet at the top, but that's an old wooden toy Santa on a sleigh tree ornament. The new set up has a slope with a skier & some kids on a sled.
Would love to get a ski lift but the ones i've found are way outta my budget - maybe one day.
Thanks again for the posting trick.
Jerry W - Largo

Thanks - i appreciate the assistance - maybe one day i'll figure it out

Guess that didnt work as there's no pics showing in my reply, so, sorry to say, i'll just have to paste in the link    https://photos.app.goo.gl/JTQ97r1MGPUFr1HVA   for you to copy/paste in your browser.
Sorry, but apparently this former web designer doesnt understand how this forum works