Crossing The Tiber

I’m not quite sure where to put this, so mods/admin, please move it if it’s not in the right place.

Well, I’ve done it! I bought my first HO scale model locomotive as an adult. Sure, I had a few trains as a kid but the lack of space for any sort of serious layout and a lack of money limited my involvement in the hobby.

Flash forward some 35-40 years and after having collected and run Plarail and Trackmaster trains the past few years, the call of scale model railroading has become hard to resist. Fortunately, there’s eBay a lots of people selling off older but still cool models for really cheap (or at least much cheaper) prices than new. So yeah, I bought an HO scale GP9 “Stage 3” with dynamic brakes. I’m hoping to find an RS11 too, since I’m a fan of early generation high nose diesels. Photos hopefully coming soon!

*Crossing The Tiber is a term in modern theology that refers to people becoming Roman Catholic after being Protestant. I guess it’s similar with rail fans moving from toy trains to models, although I still really like the toys. I dunno...!

I only have the Hornby flying Scotsman, but still can't help but feel as if I in a limbo between two forms of model railroading, Plarail and HO.

[Super]

 Oh...Nooo!

I wouldn’t be too concerned, Super. Lack of space and money will probably conspire to keep this in check. Those $250+ DCC and sound equipped engines and the attendant control systems are way out of reach.

What I’m hoping to do is have something for my son (and daughter too) to step in to as the Thomas fandom starts to wane. And maybe it’ll give me chance to use my long dormant modeling skills. But I still love Plarail trains, so I’m not planning to leave this hobby any time soon.

Yes, the equipment required for the already expensive engines is notoriously pricey too. At the end of the day, Plarail will always hold a special place in my heart..

DCC is nice, but be aware you can run a DCC equipped loco on a atandard DC controlled track without an issue, even the sound equipped models work fine including the sound. Admittedly you lose the fine control, like being able to run the sound or lights on when the loco is stationary, or execute specific sounds at will etc... But apart from that they do work well, or at least the ones I have do :-D