Ah, but you have to be careful.  Unless the tender and cables and plug are compatible with the particular DCC system for your specific locomotive, you could blow out your board and leds.  Voice of experience, here.

While we're at it, Bachmann's USRA heavy 4-8-2 could  be made over into a Great Northern P-2 with very little trouble (good enough for me, that is).  Bachmann will need to add a Vandy tender.  But please, no Glacier Park scheme - make mine the post-war black with graphite smokebox.  That model would be very useful for pulling a Fast Mail (Train 27/28), or a silk train.

Shoot, if it would be more feasible, I'd be happy with a NP A-3.  Advantage there is that it is currently a preserved locomotive (SP&S 700) used for fan trips.  Problem for manufacturer, though, is that it appeared on just two lines whereas the Z-6 was purchased by three lines and had several variations including letter color for the SP&S (yellow or white) and number boards for the NP.  The Z-6 is just a handsome brute with those flying air pumps.  NP used the Z-6 in both passenger and freight service.  GN used them unwisely in drag freight service on the OT line for which they were unsuited.

ALCo produced a 4-6-6-4, Class Z-6,  for the Northern Pacific followed by identical models for the Great Northern and Spokane, Portland and Seattle (the latter two lines bought oil burning locomotives whereas the NP bought coal-burning locomotives).  One design, three railroads.  A Spectrum-quality model of this engine would be greatly appreciated.

I was hoping some real person from Bachmann might weigh in on this discussion.  Guess they're content to sell their toys and let us play with words.

George in Lynden
getting ready to rewire that 4-8-2 as the gods intended.

Well, now for sure I'm going to scoop out all that electronic glop.  I tried the 89842 tender with the 82501 heavy mountain and promptly blew the led headlight.  And the engine doesn't run, either.  It does run with the original tender so the problem is the board incompatibility.  Out it goes.  This may be the last locomotive I buy account one can't get them simple any longer.

George in Lynden

Thanks, ROGERTRA.  I'm sore tempted to go in there with a spoon and scoop out all the electronic glop and hard-wire the thing for straight DC as the gods intended.

George in Lynden

Is a Bachmann #89842 long vanderbilt tender compatible with a Bachmann #82501 USRA heavy mountain locomotive?  If not, is there a long vanderbilt tender that is compatible with the #82501 locomotive?