O scale protosound steam locomotive

[countershot]

I am 13 years old and i have made freinds with two people that have a 3800 sqare foot layout [:I]any they have a countless number of locomotives and they would like me to get a loco for me to run how every i want on there layout.
they get touchey when i am driving a $1300 4-6-6-4 CHALLENGER.[:D]
they recomended a Protosound locomotive, I would like a steam locomotive at least a 0-8-0 the problem is i am not made of money [V]I need help to find loco for under $200 does any body know where or how. I check Ebay every day i placed bids but they always go higher than i can go. Help me?[:0]

[Anonymous]

Hey, Countershot! I see you are thirteen. I'm twelve and live in Pennsylvania. Where do you live? You want to get an O scale steam loco? Go to your local hobby shop and browse. I don't know about steam, but you can get some diesels for maybe $130. I'm not sure. I don't model in O scale, I model in HO scale. [xx(] If you have any more questions, I'll try to answer them!!!

[ben10ben]

First of all, if you're just getting started in O gauge, avoid Protosounds like the plague. Protosounds were made by MTH in conjunction with QSI from about 1994 to 2000. They were an okay system at the time(although Lionel Railsounds was light years ahead by 2000), however they have one inherent design flaw. All protosound engines require a battery to operate. This battery was in the form of a NiCad rechargeable battery. Unfortunately, the charging circuit in the engine was always on above a certain track voltage, and always charged the battery. NiCad batteries suffer from something called a memory effect, whereby if they aren't allowed to fully discharge before being recharged, crystals form in the electrolyte, essentially making the part not discharged dead. In a protosound engine, an engines batttery capacity was quickly reduced to usually about 90-95% of its original value.

With such a small amount of charge in the battery, strange things start to happen. In certain engines, powering the engine up without a sufficiently charged battery can cause the circuit board to "scramble", making the engine useless. The board can be reset by MTH or by many service centers, but, unless you are the original owner of the engine(as in you bought it from an authorized dealer and have the original sales receipt), it will probably cost you to have it reset.

The somewhat permamant fix is to install an NiMH(nickel metal hydride) rechargeable battery, which does not suffer from the memory effect, and won't lose capacity in a Protosound engine. The board can still scramble, though, if the battery is allowed to run down and you attempt to run the engine. The battery will run down if you let the engine sit without running.

To avoid this, you're really better off getting an engine with Lionel Railsounds or MTH Protosound 2. If sound is not a must to you, there are also plenty of steam engines with just a whistle, whistle and bell, or no sound at all. MTH Rugged Rails steam engines with Protosound 2.0 can be had right in your price range, at about $190-200. Lionel makes a number of smaller engines with Railsounds(no command control) that sell for under $100. Finally, Williams( www.williamstrains.com ) makes steam engines with just a whistle and bell that sell for pretty low prices.

For a good start, take a look at www.charlesro.com or www.davistrains.com . It would also do you well to pick up a copy of O Gauge Railroading or Classic Toy Trains magazine and look through the adds in those for the best price. Most hobby shops and books stores will carry one or both of these magazines.

[countershot]

see that is what he said protosound 2 i must have left it out. you pennsyperson i put a post on your shay. i also am mostly HO.