I like them both, but if I had to pick one, it would be the earlier version. As has already been posted, the one minor drawback are the sliding shoe pickups.
The earlier 2026 has a rather unique smoke unit arrangement. The puffing is controlled by a cam that is cast into the back of one of the drive wheels. The smoke lever is mounted between the motor's side plates and has a finger that follows the cam. I don't think any other Postwar locomotive smokes that way.
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