I am new to three-rail trains, but I have started collecting some SCALE pieces for a future layout. Future means probably 5-10 years away. I plan to mostly run in conventional mode, and I don't care if my locomotives have all the bells and whistles.
I have read lots of forum posts here about engines that required new control boards because something bad happened. Either they had to upgrade their engine's chip for a new control system, or the control board was fried or died on its own, whatever) and it concerned me. I was thinking of buying some engines that I like now and storing them for my future layout, but I am concerned that when the time comes to actually run them I won't be able to because the chips will be dead and I won't be able to get repair parts.
As someone planning on primarily running in conventional mode, can locomotives still operate that way even if their chips or control boards die? Am I just being paranoid because all I see are lots of forum posts about this but in reality it is a small percentage of the engines?
Thanks.
