Well, tuning worked! Now all 4 of our locomotives work prefect. I think now that I can run them with the Cab-1 correctly, I'm beginning to see why people like command control. Guess we'll see as time goes on just how deeply the bug bit me.
As for the tuning, using Dale's excellent instructions, it seems it was already at the edge of my son's good locomotive. It didn't take much for it to not respond. Once I turned it the other way everyone started responding. Upon close inspection once I had the base open, it seems that someone may have been in it after all. There was a bit of that blue lock stuff they put on adjustable electronics on the case of the pot, but it was missing from the screw like it had been scrapped off.
And my one bad Cab-1 seemed to be working correctly too, but I'm still weary of it for now. Dale M., do you repair those as well as the command bases?
Anywho, thanks all for sticking with it and helping me get back on the 'right track!'