I can relate to that as well I'm a 1955 model myself, On my own RR most of my locomotives are tiny old brass imports. All available space is full of lead, to get more pulling power for steep grades, and most of them have old open frame motors, and would need remotoring to do DCC. I would have never done any DCC except they run DCC on the standard gauge at the club, and so I started messing with DCC. It is not worth it in my book, except for the sound decoders. Tsunamis are dual mode, so they will run on DC. So far the only sound locomotive I use at home is an Hon3 Backstone C-19 that came from the factory with a sound decoder. It sounds so good I want to add a tsunami to a westside C-16 that I have allready remotored, so I can double head them. I may put dound decoders in both of my Southern interchange locomotives, my little geared locomotives, and 4-4-0s will all remain DC. Some folks think the more simplified wiring for DCC is a pluss, but I've been doing block wiring with six throttles for 40 years, and to me it is easier than programing a decoder.
Your Bachman 2-8-0 must be an older model than mine, mine have tender pick up, and six wires between the tender and the locomotive. the new ones The new ones are a ******** to work on, but have a fantastic mechanism. In any case, your conversion work is awesome, you have caprued the look of the locomotive, that takes an understanding of the original, and lots of modeling skill, you done good congratulations.
Bill Nelson
Bill Nelson