recommendations. If they steer you wrong, they should be
willing to make things right. If your dealer isn’t DCC-savvy, then
you need to be, or take a friend who is. Get them to open a
loco before you purchase it. Check it out. Look for: DCC socket,
room for decoder, and LEDs. These usually mean that you can
plug a decoder in and go.
Swap meets
You are never certain what you get at a swap meet, unless you
know the seller very well.
Be aware of locos that already have decoders installed. Who did
the installation and what were their workmanship standards? If
it isn’t a very recently relelased locomotive, what generation of
decoder is installed? Decoders evolve. Three-year-old decoders
are frequently not on par with current offerings.
Hopefully, this will help folks better understand what to look for
when purchasing a locomotive.
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Until next month, I wish you
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