Thanks again for your informative responses. I also realized, and you should know, that (because of a burglary/theft of my locomotives) I am starting from scratch; may just as well spend the $$ now for DCC. You are correct - I will probably run more than one train; and also want to take advantage of on-going advances in technology and our hobby. Thanks again,
"Georgia Flash"
They took your trains? Boy that sucks! Around 3 years ago my train tool box was stolen out of my car. Must have been kids because they left a case of beer? It would have been worth the lost if I could have seen there faces when they open the tool box and saw it was full of wheels, couplers and other train stuff!
Cuda Ken
I hate Rust
If I were to start over, I would try (probably wouldn't succeed of course) to buy fewer engines, but spend the money for quality engines with DCC / Sound installed at the factory. Right at the moment I have a moderately small layout with 30-40 engines. Since I only need one or two engines at a time to run the layout, I find I only use the ones with sound, so perfectly good DCC-equipped engines sit on the shelf because I haven't had the money and time to add sound to them.
Yes, it is the way I approach the hobby, too. I identify quality engines that I really fancy, and will often not purchase engines that are also very good that my railroads ran. Many just don't appeal to me, but when they do and I order one, it has to have the sound. Keeps my purchases to about two a year.
Although is is a well dated system, I purchased the Super Empire Builder when I switched to DCC, and I still like it very much. It is worth spending some good dollars to get a good, growable, DCC system with features you know you will use.
-Crandell
If you are in the position where you are forced to start over and it's not just well should I update or not I can't see a good reason why you wouldn't want to go to DCC.
Since I have made the switch I have adopted the less is more philosophy, like Selector I now op for suerior quality equipment rather then superior numbers. I have to discipline myself to not buy any locomotive that at least isn't DCC ready. The lure of nice looking DC equipment at much lower prices then DCC is hard to resist but once you get into running with DCC you will never look back.