Old thread, but still very much relevant…
I bought the first generation Bachmann climax and like others, was very angry about the fragility of the gears, given the price I paid for it. I have since then gone to brass and have never regretted it. Although some can be noisy and unrealiable, the models I got were great (PFM, Katsumi and United). If you want brass, I recommend that you try the model first or buy from a reliable source. The only other challenge is to install DCC, which most likely involves a remotoring operation. It’s not that hard and there are a few good tutorials on the Web. As for the Heislers, Rivarossi really did a good job - I have two that were built in the 70s and 80s and they run great. DCC can be installed without changing the motor. I have no doubt that the Hornby models are great. No need for brass there in my opinion, unless you want a unique model.
I’m still waiting to see if the Bachmann 3-truck and newer 2-truck are reliable… Any more opinions on them?
Simon