Modern Power

 My interests are mostly in the early to mid transition era, from post-war to about 1965 or so, and for that reason I don't have a lot of modern diesel power. However, when I was watching the videos about the ferry move of N&W 611 to Strasburg a couple of years ago I purchased a Kato Norfolk Southern SD70ACE so that I could duplicate that train.

Some time later I decided that I wanted another SD70 in the Erie heritage paint scheme, so I went online and found out that they were completely sold out everywhere. Kato made one and so did Fox Valley Models. I was fortunate enough to find one of each, already DCC equipped, on that online auction site. I put a bid in for the Kato because it was cheaper, lost the auction, and purchased the FVM outright.

This FVM is a very nice loco, with an intimidating package of detail parts that I opted not to install. I did run it at New Bern along with the Kato that I had speed-matched it with, and they each took their turns at escorting the J class as well.

I was watching some YouTube videos recently and found that there is also a PRR heritage unit, this one an ES-44AC and not an SD70. Fox Valley makes a model of it, it is likewise sold out everywhere, but one popped up on one of the mailing lists I belong to for a not-horrible price, so I went ahead and bought it. I also found another Kato SD70, this one an M, with the straight radiators, on Amazon for a not-horrible price and bought it as well. It's in CSX livery, so it will be the first non-NS modern loco in the roster. I have seen foreign power on NS trains, and CSX runs with NS in my area (Raleigh NC), so it fits in with the overall scheme of things.

 

So far I have purchased all of my modern diesels for less than retail, but I have to put decoders in the last two. I'm going to try my hand at putting some sound in the Katos since Digitrax has sort-of drop in sound decoders for them, but the FVM's take a 6 pin so the PRR unit will not get noise. If the sort-of drop in decoders give me too much trouble I will probably go the non-sound route instead. Sound is kind of an interesting thing for the first few minutes, but I generally turn it off after a while anyway so it's not that important.

But lest you despair that I am wandering down the path to the Dark Side, I've also picked up a couple of Kato Mikados with accompanying GHQ L1 kits to put on them, so the steam program on the PVRR is alive and well. I'll work on documenting at least one of these builds as well as the decoder installs.