I run some small steam in N scale. My best small steam engines are the Athearn 2-8-0’s with the drive shaft going to the tender. I have 4 of them. But they aren’t DCC. (I can run them on my DCC system as DC, so they do work, but). I don’t think they are convertible to DCC.
I am considering Bachmann’s 2-8-0 Spectrum. I can’t really convert it either, but it IS DCC able.
Does anyone know where I can find a supplier of the Bachmann 2-8-0 DCC converted? I also INSIST on knuckle couplers. Micro train preferred. I am not price sensitive.
I’m not sure if this is true to n scale, but In HO scale Digitrax makes a conversion set to switch old athearn BB to be dcc ready. Maybe they might have something for N scale.
The biggest problem for N scale steam is, where to put the decoder. I’ve converted three Kato 2-8-2’s to DCC. The decoder went into the tender.
I’m not at all familiar with any Bachmann products, I’ve stayed away form them.
The important questions are: Is there room in the tender and where is the power drawn?
The Kato’s pickup off the tender wheels, so it was easy to make that connection, with only two wires going to the locomotive for the motor. I didn’t get fancy with the headlight and the space available inside the boiler shell was very limited.
You are out of luck for the pilot coupler unless you go Z scale. In terms of who would do this, I have no idea. Perhaps Tony’s Trains or some other DCC install service?
The Bachmann 2-8-0 is one of the easiest DCC conversions out there. You can do then in your sleep. Try this: http://mvns.railfan.net/dcc//bach280_dec_inst.pdf I did mine with a Digitrax DZ123, but I had to cut a little on the frame as the decoder is a bit long. It’s still not hard though.
The Bachmann Consolidation is a snap to put a decoder in. You just have to know your colors, and have a bit of heat shrink tubing to insulate the joints. Just make sure you get the later run of the model. The earlier run doesn’t have the removable block in the boiler weight to create space for the decoder. You can usually tell by the road number which run it is.
As for an operating front coupler, I completely rebuilt the front pilot to make it look more like a Western Maryland prototype. It took some scraping and filing to create a new coupler pocket for an MT 1015 (IIRC). Not impossible, just a little above average on the difficulty scale.
I can build benchwork, I can lay track, I can build scenery and I can build models passably well or better. I cannot seem to do two things I need to do. Install couplers and install DCC. I’ve tried twice with each, none worked. So, admitting my limitations and seeking help I have two excellent Atlas Shay’s with decoders I bought off Ebay and one DCC 4-4-0 that cant get out of its own way, as well as 5 Atlas diesels that came with DCC (excellent). The Atlas stuff is pretty good. I’d love to find someone who could convert those Athearn 2-8-0’s to DCC. I am in the process of buying a Kato Mikado DCCd off Ebay. I’ll get there, just don’t have anyone reliable…yet. Maybe, just maybe I can figure out how to do it myself, but I have my doubts. Every time I try, I break it. Pile of broken engines anyone want to buy? Oh well. thanks…
Again if anyone knows of good N scale small steam DCC supplier, let me know.
I know a guy who might be talked into it. Tell them Autumns Ridge from the Atlas forum sent you. He is quite handy in N scale. He scratchbuilds small steam in N. I don’t know if he’ll do it, but you can ask. I’ll Email you the address.
EDIT: I just realized that you don’t have an Email address on your profile. Get into my profile and Email me and I’ll respond with Randy’s address.
