Thank you all again for the help. Many of you have ID’ed another issue, the tension between a realistic model and it being too fragile for a kid. I grew up around HO trains and feel that one draw of steam engines is the moving running gear I also know how fragile they can be.
I’m leaning toward the LC+ B&O Mike. Sounds like they are reliable engines that can be expected to operate when I pull it out each year. My only real concern was the remote - I don’t know what happens if it dies after 10 years. But it does seem like a great set it and forget it engine so I can hold my kid and keep him from going King Kong and ripping it off the rails.
