Something for the model train fans following me: It's my newest locomotive, an EMD BL2 in N scale by Life-Like. I bought it at the international model railroad show in Gangelt (international because Gangelt is right on the border between Germany and the Netherlands, and so about a third of the exhibitors were dutch).
Now, "new" is doing a lot of heavy lifting here, this was bought used. Based on a website I found, this appears to be the 1991 version of the design. Detailing and so on isn't exactly at the highest end, it was a budget model even then, but I think it reproduces the overall shape nicely. You get why the BL2 was apparently called the Ugly Duckling.
Getting DCC into this machine will be tricky, as will be new headlights. The current approach has one single light-bulb that shines both through the front and rear, and is visible through the plastic shell, and that will definitely cause issues with DCC. I'll also need to change the couplers to Micro-Trains ones, and for that I'll have to see whether I have any appropriate ones around.
Still, for 50€, you can't complain. I'm really happy with it, I didn't even know anybody made a BL2.
