I’ve got a certain amount of Christmas money and birthday money coming to me, and this is where I need your opinion. If you were in my shoes, which option would you choose?
1.) Get a Soundtraxx TSU-750 for medium steam locomotives (specifically a Model Power N scale 4-6-2 Pacific), plus speaker. Estimated cost - $130. Why I would not get it - I already have a Digitrax SDN144PS Decoder in the tender of the Pacific, but it’s way too huge, and the capacitor is in an adjoining small passenger car. The sound seems pathetic and you can barely hear the whistle.
2.) Get an Atlas Conrail SD-50 and MRC #1828 sound decoder. Estimated cost - $155. Why I would not get it - I already have a Kato SD40 in Conrail, and a slightly larger locomotive might look a little out of place on my small 2.5’ by 4’ layout. However, the Conrail SD40 I have now has a Digitrax decoder in it which I think is crap (starts and stops intermittenly with clean wheels). The other MRC decoder that I have has been perfect and flawless. I know that the opinions of some board members are regarding MRC decoders, but I personally have not experienced them, so let’s leave the negativity out of this thread.
3.) Get some misc things for my layout, like a couple of Conrail boxcars, an ATSF caboose, some building fuel tanks, another small Woodland Scenics building, and some NJ International Dumpsters. Estimated cost - $130. Why I would not get it - it’s not a new decoder or a new engine.
What are your thoughts? If you were in my shoes, which option would you choose?
If your engine (the diesel) “starts and stops intermittently” it means the engine isn’t picking up power correctly. It’s not going to matter what make of decoder you put in there. I’d take the engine apart and look it over, it may be there’s a loose connection somewhere inside it so maybe only one truck is picking up power.
How do you expect anyone to answer this? It only matters to one person, you. No matter what anyone recommends, it will be the wrong thing in your opinion.
I really think that no one cares what you spend your gift money on…we just hope you enjoy whatever you decide to do.
I find it amusing that you offer an option then immediately say why you would NOT get it…must mean you really don’t want it after all.
Or, you could SAVE the oney for some future purpose…college, retirement, a house and let SANTA know what you want for Christmas and maybe…just maybe if you were good enough this year…he might bring IT instead of a piece of coal!!!
