You know Rod, it isn't a matter of "never go back to conventional". It's the love of the hobby and the memories I have of cranking on those two throttles when I was 8 that says, "let's do it again". I agree that the DCS remote system is so far advanced over the old sytle conventional there's no comparison. But I want to be able to crank on some throttles just once in awhile.
Here's an example of what I feel. When I was much younger, my first new car was a 1966 Corvette (I was 24 years old). I ordered it from the factory through my local Chevy dealer. My intentions were to take it drag racing which I had been doing for about 5 years. It was time to step up.
I ordered a 427/450 horse, 4 speed, side open pipes, knockoff spinner wheels, and a 4.56 to 1 rear end (no heater). At that time the car cost me $5200 new.
The night I went to pick up that car, the dealership was closed and the owner met me there after closing. As we walked the 150 feet of his underground garage to get to the car I started to get shaky in the knees. I was so excited I could not contain myself. When I got into the car and started it, I almost wet my pants from the excitment.
I drove home that night from Baltimore, Md. to Washington, DC and got 3 tickets that night for goofing off all night with that car.
I could be driving a way more advanced Corvette made today. And in so many ways, it is a far superior vehicle to my 1966. But it wouldn't be the same as the raw power of what I feel when I tromp on that 450 horses.
That's the kind of fun I want again (not on that scale) with my model trains by having the ability to wrench on those handles once in awhile. It will probably be the lesser of the time, but none the less, "good memory fun".
Corvettte
