Ok guys, I’d like to pick your brains just a bit. Now that the subterrain, plaster cloth and hydrocal is just about done, I’m starting to rewire my layout with an eye to DCC. I’m getting a Radio Chief from Litchfield Station within the next 45 days. I’m looking for a engine to start off with. I’ve got lot’s of great old units which will be converted a little at a time. Some with sound, some without, but all DCC. Starting with a new Digitrax unit I should break it in with a new engine. There is no time period of my layout and its a little of everything I like ( a circus on one end and a army base on the other (the clowns like to sneek attack with cream pies). The setting is a valley surounded by wooded mountains with a very small yard. It’s a very simple layout. I like diesel, not too long, my turns are wide enough, I just don’t like them long. An Atlas Gold, BLI, Precision Craft, etc. I’m not too worried about price. i’m only buying one and I want to enjoy it. What do you think? Give me some ideas with pro’s and cons. I wan’t to know what you like and why? I may run freight 75% passenger 25% but use the same engine. I wan’t to have fun without the work. The work will come when I convert my 25+ engines I currently have. All work and no fun makes me tired and cranky. Thanks in advance.
Mike Rapp
P.S. I need it to run on DC and DCC since i’m getting it before the Radio Chief! Thanks.
For passenger and freight it is hard to beat a basic GP. The other choice would be a set of Fs. I say “set” because a single F just looks strange. Other than that all of the units currently made with sound are almost strictly passenger or freight.
The problem with the Proto-2000 GP9 units with sound is the incorrect prime mover sound. Most people don’t seem to notice.
I’ve got a Broadway F7A-B set, and am pretty happy with it, but waiting for the QSI upgrade chips to get better control of the lights, the proper engine sound, and RTC (regulated throttle control). I don’t know if recent shipments from BLI have their version of the new chips, but apparently they are never going to ship with RTC, so if that’s important to you, budget an extra $30 per unit for the upgrades. I’ve also got some Genesis and Intermountain F units with older Sountraxx decoders, waiting (and waiting …) for the diesel Tsunamis. They’re good, too. If it’s important to you, the BLI and Intermountain F-units have lighted number boards; the Genesis doesn’t. The BLI also has a cab light, and the others don’t, but could be added to the others. The Tsunami diesel decoders, when they finally come out, will also have RTC (the steam versions already do).
Well, I guess that depends on how you define it. QSI and Soundtraxx (and many others) use wording like: it’s the process of using Back EMF (Electro-Mechanical Feedback) to vary the voltage delivered to the motor to maintain a constant actual speed while at the same speed step. Basically, if the engine slows down, the decoder can detect that from the changed EMF level, and increase the actual voltage.
As an example, I have a couple of BLI Mikados. Like many steam locos, even the good ones often don’t run very well at slow speed through bumpy track, especially turnouts. They slow noticeably, then speed up again. Sometimes they stop altogether. They sometimes don’t start very well, either, even when you very slowly raise the throttle setting from 1 to 2, then 3, etc. Sometimes they’ll begin to creep at step 2, other times they don’t budge until stop 6 or 8, then jerk into motion.
I installed the upgrade chips about a month ago – now they crawl very slowly at speed step 1, through turnouts, bumpy track, whatever.
Both BLI and Soundtraxx allow you to adjust the settings, so the effect can be less at higher speed. If you want your trains to slow down automatically and noticeably when going up a grade, particularly with a big load, they will. They’ll even sound labored. And they’ll speed up when going down, just like they should.