Amherst 2026 Recap, Kato GP35 Rapido E8, Blunami Lighting Hacks + RGS 20 Chasing (S3 E3)

George and Tom recap the 2026 Amherst Railway Society Show! Despite plenty of snow, the turnout was strong, and the show was a great success.Tom shares his plans for a Kato GP35 Phase I B, debating whether to make it a GP28 or a GP35M and install a Blunami decoder. Meanwhile, George dives into his latest project: a Rapido E8. He removed the factory red class lights, repurposed them as a cab light, and added Blunami for full sound and control.The two break down how Rapido configured the class lights, Mars light, and emergency light—and how George plans to separate and customize their control. He also demonstrates how to program a cab light to automatically illuminate when the locomotive comes to a stop—a feature you can set up with any lighting effect on any Tsunami2 or Blunami decoder.Plus, Tom chased the RGS No. 20 coal-fired locomotive and shares some great footage from the trip.Snowy railroading, decoder upgrades, lighting tips, and prototype inspiration—it’s all in this episode.Related Videos: Operations 101: Class Lights (Episode 9): https://youtu.be/l0i5vqmFYWM