Concerned about buying new engines for future layout

I think you're being somewhat paranoid.  While there are failures, once you have an engine and it's running past what is known is infant mortality (a few hours of running), it's pretty unlikely that boards will fail for no reason.

If you plan on conventional operation, and you truly don’t care about bells & whistles, then you’re in a good position even if you do have board failures,….the last 20 some odd years has seen some of the smoothest running equipment manufactured to date, and if you do pop or lose a board, you can be back running for pennies with a bridge rectifier ( one direction only ) or simple reversing boards can be had on the cheap,……I have dozens of my own scale equipment that do not have electronics in them yet, but for .39 cents ( bridge rectifier )  and light bulb, I surely enjoy running them till I get around to putting an electronics package in them……you’re in that group pretty much where you can’t get hurt as long as the mechanics are good,….😉

Pat

This forum has a tendency to exaggerate the failures and under report the successes in nearly every possible way one can in this hobby. 

In my music hobby, I have a 1975 Oberheim synthesizer that has never had any repairs and it still works.  I'm more concerned about the mechanical aspects of my locomotive wearing out over time from use over the flavor of the day electronics inside. 

Nothing to worry about.  By Williams Bachman NIB or lightly used, with dual can motors, 1990s to 2010, test them out for a few hours, lube them, and then put them away.

You are worrying about something that isn't really a worry, in my experience.

Mannyrock

Unfortunately, this post brings up a bigger picture. The author actually asked about his concern. I wonder how many have not and just decided to not proceed in O Scale or model railroading at all after reading some negative entries. I certainly hope that this is an isolated event.

Dave

@luvindemtrains posted:

Unfortunately, this post brings up a bigger picture. The author actually asked about his concern. I wonder how many have not and just decided to not proceed in O Scale or model railroading at all after reading some negative entries. I certainly hope that this is an isolated event.

Dave

I tend not to be an official member of the doomsday squad,….I’m having way too much fun to contemplate the above “thought” …….as many problems have arrived,  there’s been twice the amount of remedies,……if all one does is worry, worry, worry,…maybe this hobby ain’t for them out the get go,….I thought the sole purpose of this hobby was to escape worry,…….more than one way to skin a cat with a broken or inoperative piece of equipment, …..and they’re all not doomed to failure,…..run trains, have fun, repeat,….If one breaks down, so be it,…it can be fixed,…

Pat

I have tons of locomotives, a vast majority of them will run for many years.  Yes, some will experience various levels of malfunction, I'll deal with that as it comes.  I'd hate to see them become perfect, I wouldn't have anything to do!

@GG1 4877 posted:

This forum has a tendency to exaggerate the failures and under report the successes in nearly every possible way one can in this hobby.

You got that right, Jonathan! Of course, that is pretty much the case with all social media forums and groups.

Thank you all for your insight and input! Much appreciated.