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THere are a million locomotives for less than $100. Now hold on there before you get all ready to buy the first locomotive you see. Look on the internet, go thru the websites such as Walthers. Decide which locomotives you would like to own on your railroad. At the show dont be afraid to stand up to the dealer. You "Does this run well?" Dealer "Yep! Shore Does! Real smooth and sweet... mpurty too!" You "Do you have a test track to run this engine?" Most shows provide a test loop or circle with a volunteer to run it. Usually this volunteer has no connection with the dealer. Ask the volunteer to operate the engine slow, fast in between and possibly haul a few cars with it. Ask to "pop" the body and look under it excess grease or no grease and wear may indicate problems that may become apparent when you return home. I forgot to put this in spacemouse's thread but there are dealers who obviously are in it for a living. These will probably sell you the item at a price very close to retail. Ssssshhhh. dont say the word "ebay" some of these folks get kind of upset for a variety of reasons. Try to avoid engines with just one power truck, limited power pickup, dirty wheels (it seems they all have dirty wheels) perhaps a quick alcohol wipe (travel pack) may clean them up long enough to perform on the test track. Sometimes you may feel like settling for a particular engine simply because every single table has "piles" and "stacks" of the same engine. My last GATS show I visited was walls and walls of Erie built Proto 2000 engines. I feel as if I must buy one of these for some really dumb reason. Even today I cannot see one without feeling the need to buy it... the power of suggestion at work here. If you spot a person who exhibits signs of a first love over a what you think is a "junk" item please very carefully back away and leave them be. One man's garbage is another's mother lode. There is always one or two dealers who will have a stack of all kinds of engines and talk with you until you decide which one to buy. Sometimes this may take more than a few minutes as they seek to close a sale. Any engine in a box marked Tyco or other brands which you dont recognize as a current model offering, examine these very carefully.. you may find some of these no better than trainset toys. Desiel engines will have: 1- all wheel pickup 2- flywheels at both ends of the motor 3- a can motor 4- DCC ready and even already installed. You may notice a nice desiel coming down the track with what appears to be ditch lights and gyralights flashing. These are sometimes additional work by the owner and not standard equiptment. If you are interested in a engine, test track it. Hold it in your hands, look it over really good. It is a good chance you and the engine will be together for 10 or more years. Relax and enjoy!
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