What features have caused you to replace an item with a newer equivalent

The ability to doublehead steamers of different wheel arrangements with Legacy. I’m building a fleet of Rutland steamers and this was a priority. The prototype did this and the models I’m buying it’s probably a good thing as well seeing they aren’t powerhouses. I could have done this with older models seeing everything gets painted and re lettered. I have a sizeable investment now in Leagacy steam. But they were all bought second hand or at a good sale price and they all play well together.

As far as new features such as whistle steam. I seldom if ever run smoke. The compatibility, 200 speed steps and the newer sounds is why older stock didn’t do it for me.

Finding a mint or near mint version of an item to replace one in lesser condition.   Seriously, in those couple of instances where I purchased a new reissue of something I had in an earlier but still new condition I've always kept both.  In each case the upgrade was to have digitized sound as opposed to whatever was on the older version.

Forgetfulness.  Many times bought a new version of something just to find out I have an older version that I forgot I bought years earlier.  Lol. Should start bringing my inventory sheet's with me now.

Even as a person who doesn’t really need all the new gadgets, there are some new features that I can’t really be happy without now.

One in particular is the whistle steam. It’s been around for over a decade now, it’s a staple of almost all Lionel LEGACY steamers, and it’s just really cool to use and see in action. I’ve sold many of my older steamers (either TMCC or PS1/2) for ones with that feature, and probably will again later this year.

Of course, sophisticated speed control is also high up there, especially for multiple unit power.

Two things that usually make me consider replacing an older item are command control and scale. I had an NKP Berkshire and an SP Daylight from the late 70’s - early 80’s. When they were issued, they were state of the art (including the mighty sound of steam!!!). Over the last few years, I’ve replaced both with Legacy versions of both and re-homed the originals to folks who still run/appreciate conventional engines.

I have just replaced 3 Lionel engines over the past 6 months: scale Berkshire, scale Big Boy and scale GS-2 Daylight. I have replaced them with newer Legacy or Vision Line engines because of newer features and better detail. The Daylight I replaced because I always wanted a GS-4 #4449.

Generally I do not do "feature upgrade purchases", partly - mostly - entirely? -  because once TMCC had Odyssey (I prefer ERR, though), locomotives had just about all the features that I use or care about. One important "feature" is scale size, and it seems that I replaced a couple of sub-scale locos with their 1:48 equivalents, eventually.

I also upgrade (or have upgraded lately; getting lazy) non-TMCC locos with ERR Cruise Commanders, and usually sound, off and on. If you are up to that, the choices in affordable locos (mainly, but not limited to, beautiful, scale, well-engineered MTH PS1 items) increases greatly.

Which features? All of them...😉

After re-entering the hobby in the late ‘80’s; I went through my “Lionel phase”. Following that, I entered my “Williams phase”; largely due to the variety of road names and the overall quality of Williams products. After a few years of that; I grudgingly broke down and entered my “MTH / DCS phase” which has consisted one part of buying engines in road names and models that I didn’t previously own and one part replacing Lionel and Williams engines with newer MTH engines of the same road names and models as the earlier conventional engines but, with the latest electronics that make running trains even more fun.

Of course, none of the old stuff went away and, despite the newer MTH stuff, the older models still spend time in service when I’m in a conventional frame of mind.

Curt

The number 1 new modern feature for me, is the use of the electrocouplers anywhere on my layout, combined with running locomotives at very slow speeds, using a handheld remote unit (DCS or LC+), for switching maneuvers. Arnold

Whistle steam.

Some new features are important to me but, since I run my trains conventionally, the "bells and whistles" are not. I started with MTH PS1 when sounds were a big thing, began buying PS2 when speed control came in, and moved on to PS3 so that I don't have to replace batteries with BCRs. I still run my PS1 and PS2 engines, am satisfied with them, and don't think it's worth replacing them with a PS3 version. Same with whatever other brands I own, including my limited amount of Lionel.

MELGAR

I appreciate all of the new features and functions, and they are cool, but this tends to move me backwards, not forwards. I prefer things I can easily fix as this is part of the hobby I enjoy.

@Mike M posted:

I appreciate all of the new features and functions, and they are cool, but this tends to move me backwards, not forwards. I prefer things I can easily fix as this is part of the hobby I enjoy.

That's one of the main reasons I've never and will not ever upgrade the 6 PW engines I inherited from my grandfather. I'm sure they'll still be running the same way they did when he bought them as when I pass them onto my kids or grandkids.