Tuesday, August 12, 2008

DCC, DC, DUH.

So, I've been quickly learning that HO locomotives are almost as hard to find as limited run structure kits. I thought I could just look on the Athearn or Atlas website and just order what I was looking for, only to find out that the runs are short, get sold out, discontinued and require reservations. I guess I haven't picked up many locomotives in the last couple of years and hadn't payed attention. I also have a habit of skimming text when I read ads, because this past week I acquired two new locomotives from Broadway Limited's Blue Line, a BNSF SD40-2 and a CSX AC6000, my seemingly walnut sized brain failed to read "DC Sound, DCC Ready". I was too excited by the fact that these locomotives were even available; I assumed they were DCC Ready with Sound. A slight distinction discovered when I tried to program them...anyhow, in the future I'll read more carefully., maybe take a Hooked on Phonics class... in the meantime I've sent them off to have decoders installed.

The above pic is from the layout, Photoshop background...once some more scenery is in, I'll take some wider shots. I'm also still trying to decide if I'm just modeling a region in Illinois were BNSF and CSX roam together, or model two areas, Illinois and New Mexico, even though they would be a few feet apart...

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Doug,
You'll find it's not just locomotives that are limited runs, similar to CKs. It's now rolling stock, such as the line I'm modeling, which is the RF&P. They have LE Locomotives AND 4750cuft covered grain hoppers. I was lucky enough to get one of each road number of the grain car, no joy on the locomotive (GP7 #102) on Ebay, since every shop I went to only had enough for those who reserved them. It's a flippin' plastic, pre-build car for cryin' out loud! As for the new DC Sound, DCC Ready, the print's getting smaller each time... my 2cents!