I was visiting the train store yesterday, spending my hard earned Christmas money and i heard this exact conversation going on between the owner and a customer. DCC is a magnet. Just like myself, the conversion happened right there in the store and the customer walked out with a DCC locomotive. The price difference was not enough to discourage the buyer.

I am thinking the original question has to do with the DCC signal itself ( known as the packet ). I am guessing it is for it must conform to standards although I am sure Bachmann has proprietary information encoded in the signal. If you are a locomotive you don't care where the packet comes from as long as it is decodable. Which DCC system to get ? get the most modern would be my two cents worth.

DCC controlled smoke would be great. If i was a design engineer I would run pipes from the firebox, conteaining the smoke generator to not only the smokestack but also to the piston mechanism. ya'll get smoke everywhere if i was one.

Absolutamely....I second the motion ( and third it ). My 2-10-0 decapod sounds soooooooooooooooooo electric.

Well, maybe not. there is code 100 rail and code 83 rail and i don't believe they are compatible without a transitional rail. I saw recently a Shinomara transition rail on ebay.

I just bought a 2-6-6-2 Articulated and I am surprised at how much smaller it is when on the track next to the 2-10-0 decapod ( Susquehanna ). Friction force formulas are entirely dependent on weight, the more you weigh, the more traction you can transfer to the rails.

things to talk about in between breakdowns.

Father was an engineer at Focke-Wulf. I know there is a working henshell 2-10-2 with tender near sao paulo, brazil and the brazilian were allies with the US in their efforts to salvage war booty. In Seattle there are cranes being used that were moved from Bremen. So it looks like i have to go to germany to see one of these teaketles ( or Brazil ) ?

Did any american troops " capture '  german locomotives and brought them here to be used I am sure the boilers were good except those with 50 caliber holes thru them. Maybe Bachmann can offer a 2-10-2T  tank loco ?

I broke the tabs holding the tender body to the tender frame. There are no instructions on how to do this elegantly. Perhaps BACHMNNN can add more complete instructions in their manuals so us rookies can do this without breaking things.

trains and ships, all powered by teakettles. I would buy a 2-6-6-2 and install a sound decoder with double chuff sound. I saw a film the other daqy and it showed an actual 1930's steam powered airplane ( it was a BESLER advertisement ) . we better keep the steam idea alive for the oil barons are going to lie us into using coal again.

Ya'll blow me away with all the stuuf you know about steam engines. No two engines xactly alike ?

that is funny. And similar to my story, albeit cars. I bought a 69 Torino with a non running 428. Guess what / the previous owner had the wrong manual and had the wrong firing order. Sometimes you are lucky, sometimes you are not.

The parts dept at Bachmann industries is very fast and accurate sending parts I needed for a broken 4-8-2 ( front truck and wheels ). thank you

That is why I have several trains. I have the fat finger trains and the serious trains. Different kids, different skills. the nice thing about wives is when they break a train, they encourage you to go buy another, i just have to make sure Mrs Ta152h0 can't see the grin as I am walking out the door and get to go to the train store again.