About a week ago I randomly ran into a photo of this 2025 model Märklin NS ES44AC 8101 Heritage Scheme Diesel, and ever since I want this to be my very first piece of a new passion.

I used to own two setups back in the late 70s, as kid, but gaming consoles and the C64 computer soon took over and I never looked back. Until now. These days I rather had enough of the toxic internet, computers being everywhere, and Ai killing a bunch of jobs soon enough.

My house is pretty packed with other hobbies, so there is no room for a classic 8 by 4 setup. What I have in mind, is a wall train track, covering 3 or 4 rooms eventually.

Now, I have seen some wall trains, but my plan will differ. Instead of just running a train on a single track high up, along the ceiling, I want it to be lower, and with periodic "stations" in every room that include a scene with buildings, streets, waterfalls, and a background. More like a train track that goes from one deep shelf to the next one.

Since I fell in love with this ES44AC diesel, H0 and the brand is already dictated. It looks absolutely stunning in my eyes:






Are there any good Märklin retailers in the US? I got an eBay offer out of the UK but I'm not sure if shipping is all that good these days with tariffs and all.

Coupled with 6 of these Rapido cars:

Thank you. I just sent them an email. Its listed in stock.

I figured that I would want the CS3 and not make any compromises on the functions. That display indeed reminds me of my C64s. I still own my first one too, with floppy drive and cassette deck. Had to build a new power supply and replace a few RAM modules. I also own the test harness and software.

Thanks for the list of dealer - I'll check them out.

I'm all set on that specific Märklin NS ES44AC 8101 Heritage Scheme Diesel.

Once I see something I want, I will stick with it.

I'd love to go back to the 80s, and never come back.

We used to do things in the outdoors and only come back for a rental movie on VHS, or a game on the C64. These days the world is way to complex and toxic.

Negative. I'm in the process of going "back".

I'm searching for some acres and will buy a piece of land this year. Something between 10 and 30 acres. Once I have bought it, I will sell my business, my house, my cars, and everything else.

The only items I will keep are my tools, my guns, and my collection of 80s toys and electronics.

I will build an off-grid commercial building that is truly CAT 5 rated. One half living quarters, the other will be a shop with lift etc. The entire roof will be plastered with 600 watt bifocal solar panels. I will build a LifePo4 battery bank that will power the entire building.

Water well, septic field, organic garden too.

All my remaining money will be invested. Dividends will pay my retirement for the rest of my life.

Our governor is working on getting rid of all homestead property taxes. At that point I will be free of any and all bills.

I will build a massive fence around the entire property. It will be a wooded property too - so I won't see anything around me. No neighbors.

There will be no internet in my house, no cell phone, no streaming services, no movies past the 90s, no music past the 90s, no people - only my pet and me.

Besides the tools, there will be 1 Sony Triniton CRT TV, 1 VHS player, 1 HiFi tower with amp / cassette deck / CD player from the late 80s, 1 C64 computer with floppy disk, one land line. I already own all those items.

I will make use of a late 80s Toyota pickup.

I will spend my days working on the property and in the garden. I will have those Friday night horror movie nights right from one of my hundreds of VHS tapes. Mid week I will watch things like 80s commercials or radio recordings - I have a couple thousand hours on hand, or listen to my 80s childhood audio books.

There will be no news, no drama, no fast food, no nagging modern wife, none of the toxic bullshit we see these days.

I will have my own bond fires, build a tree house, connect with wildlife, dig a pond, build cool stuff with my hands.

Since this will be in my state of Florida, there will only be an endless summer, no winters, being outdoors all the time, and I can grow food year round.

I won't be seeing nor dealing with anything from the modern world. This has been in the planing for the past 4 years.

Disesntiser!!!

… I don’t think there are any plans for forum carrier pigeons ?

but we would like to hear your story as you progress