OK Guys. here's the scoop. I ended up buying one for $220 DELIVERED thanks to Gunrunner John's find on the Bay. This seller claimed, "This engine has only been run once and spent its' life in a display cabinet from that point. There are no missing or broken parts, not a mark or scratch anywhere. A smooth and quiet runner." He has 99.5% positive feedback with over 3,000 sales. I felt much more comfortable going with one that actually ran, unless of course it was a new model from a retailer and under warranty. If it performs as stated it will look good hauling my larger Pecos River & Atlas cars.
Mind you, I'm not even Reading collector. I'm an old PC guy who conducted on the NE Corridor from 1974 - 1987, so I typically go for NYC, PRR of PC stock. But I really like the looks and size of this unit. Besides, my 8x8.5 layout is too small to model any particular line anyway.
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Remember, the guy I was questioning stated "Brand new never out of the box. Therefore untested no returns." and wanted $320 Delivered. He never even got back to me when I asked him to check for zinc rot!
Thanks tons for all the feedback and advice! When she arrives I'll post a pic and/or short video. BTW - what sound can I expect operating with an older ZW?
Ponz
