05-06-2010, 07:44 AM
As for cost....$400.00 is a "little" over the top. I bought my D'trax Zephyr for $160, and decoders nowadays are running about $23 a piece....These are just your plain motor/lights decoders, which is all you really need for steamers (no sound, of course). There is no need to do the conversion of the whole stable of locos at one crack. Pick a few favorites (we all have them... 
) and go with those. After some time, do a couple of others, and so on....Finally, I've chosen to leave a few that won't ever have a decoder put in them (old...not so good locos), but that I like to run now and then, just for ol' times' sake. That's why I decided to do a DC/DCC setup. With the flip of a switch I can run these ol' timers for a few laps, and then back they go to their storage tracks....
) and go with those. After some time, do a couple of others, and so on....Finally, I've chosen to leave a few that won't ever have a decoder put in them (old...not so good locos), but that I like to run now and then, just for ol' times' sake. That's why I decided to do a DC/DCC setup. With the flip of a switch I can run these ol' timers for a few laps, and then back they go to their storage tracks....
Gus (LC&P).