A while back I purchased an antique Penn Line F-7 b-unit. As I usually body mount my kadee's  without any issues. I figured there shouldn't be an issue. Enclosed the fuel tank as both ends were open cleaned up the frame and painted it flat black. Drilled & tapped the holes for 2-56 hex fittings, clipped the trucks back into place and went to check the height, it doesn't even come close to where it's supposed to be (It's way to high). The bottom of the coupler lines up with the bottom of the door sill on an Athearn b-unit. 

 I've been back in the hobby for the last 30 years, and have struggled with it most of the time, mostly due to available funds. So I've had to settle for things that might not be quite right. ie: matchbox & hot wheels, (roughly .94$ instead of those that are to scale at say $14.00. Will I ever see DCC? From the prices I've seen probably not. My preference if I could ever afford it, would be Rail-pro. It just appears to be a whole lot easier, to get started than fooling around with cv's, but that's just my opinion.

Much has been said by experts and novices alike that one MUST use actual prototypical pictures to accurately model items on your layout.  While I believe that this is a great idea for rolling stock I don't believe that it is necessary to have proto / actual pictures to model landscape and structures to please the modeler.  Notice that I said "please the modeler" - not to be accurate.

Does anyone think the day will come when track wiring will no longer be needed and we will be able to reliably run remote control battery powered locomotives?  Sure would make things simpler....Mick C