CentralOhioRR posted: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.
For the kind of things you want, the sound and closer to realistic looks, LC+ is likely the way to go. The old conventional engines were wonderful engines, easy to fix, rugged, but realistic they aren't. PS1 was a sound only system, it didn't have command control. LC+ to me is what you are looking for, it isn't as expensive as legacy is, and legacy and MTH PS2 require buying an expensive control system, LC+ comes with a remote (and some of them now support bluetooth integration with an app, which has as an advantage no controller to break). Lionel seems to have committed to LC+ and if the controller breaks, you can get the lc+ universal controller (well, at least 3 engines worth) if need be, or if the engine supports blue tooth you can use the app to control it.
