I have a K-Line version. I'm not sure if there are any differences between K-Line and USA other then the name.
It needs clean track and clean wheels to work, and then you have to crank up the track power fairly high to keep it going. I personally don't like the power wipers. Too flimsy, and they get bent easily. The speeder also seems underweight. After adding weight, performance improved but she still would sputter at certain track spots that were not that dirty. It appeared that if the wheels, which can move side to side a bit, got too far one way the speeder would stop working.
I got so fed up with the running characteristics that we just cut the track power wires and wired up a 9volt battery with an on-off switch directly to the motor and light. I wrapped the battery in black tape and taped it to the speeder roof. You can barely see it because of the black tape, and it sort of looks like some kind of air conditioner inside the cab. Interestingly there seems to be a molded spot complete with screw holes for a small on-off switch in between the speeder seats. That's were we put our switch.
With 9 volts you get a very realistic constant speed, the headlight looks ok, and it doesn't sputter or stop anymore. You just have to watch her if you go the way we did since there's no speed control.
Almost forgot, the speeder fits perfectly into the
1/24 scale Pacific Coast Garden Railway Supply handcar shed (#9703)