naaa, people are too lazy and unskilled to build a kit. I was asked to build one for a guy about 25 years ago. I HAVE the mechanical skills and built it without problems. Since then I've built and superdetailed about 40 engines. Mostly PRR I1's and K4's but several of all their kits. I have to I1's and a K4 and a Challenger and an H9 2-8-0, which I think was their best kit. I have a few USRA 4-8-2's as N&W K2a's, and I have lettered the Challenger as PRR too, but just to irritate my PRR buddies. I Used Helix Humper replacement motors and DCC in all my Bowsers. They pull great, they will run every day for 12 hours for about 2 years before needing the valve gear rivets replaced. Every month we would turn the loco and train the other way to keep the wear even. This was a layout in the front window of a Hobby Shop BTW. I used to re-quarter all the Bowser drivers and "Make Sure" about the friction points all over the mechanics. I'd oil the poop out of 'em and run 'em in bare metal for an hour or so tosee if anything fell off or bent, then they would get cleaned up, and preped for painting and wiring for headlights. I isoated the enging and tender and directly connected the DCC harness wires directly to the frames. the motor and light were 4 wires to the engine. I uesd a 4 pin Miniatronics connector and stashed the DCC decoder in the tender. My Bowser I1 2-10-0's together will pull ALL the cars I have, which is over 240. (like 264 or so I think, but some have missing parts soa didn't go for the ride) 240 cars, and 160 of them are coal hoppers, 40, 55, and 70 ton N&W hoppers as used in the 1930's.
