High Rich G How does your 2-8-0 run? Mine has about two hours on it & it runs very well though it's still a little jerky coming off the line. Your dead on about the lack of detail. As Jim Pasha ( I think it was him) on an earlier post said, they make great kit bashes. Sadly Bachmann has still not come out with Ma & Pa 23-27 which would be much nicer. Still, you can't beat that price with a stick. While not prototypical, it pulled 17 free wheeling 36 ft freight cars & 5 50 ft free rolling passenger cars (all new Roundhouse) very easily. Paul