looking for N-scale 4-4-0 or 2-6-0 steam loco

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

My layout will be modern but for the fun of it I wanted a “fancy” steam locomotive from the old west days (Wild Wild West!), for the tourists of course. I also want it DCC decoder equipped/capable. I’ve been searching, including the latest Walthers N Scale Catalog, and have yet to see any except in a Bachman train set (I want a good one [;)] ) and those weren’t decoder capable.

Does such a thing exist? I’d prefer it to be already painted, but could paint if necessary.

I’d also want a passenger car to go with it, but I think those are easier to find.

Glen

2

I believe that Atlas is going to reintroduce the Micro-Ace Mogul. Not clear on the specifics, but you may want to look into it at their website. It’s going to be a challenge to DCC-equip one of the early locos, they’re tiny. I’ve got one of the Bachmann 4-4-0s in B&O livery in a static display at my office. It’s amazingly small.

3

I guess they would be tiny. While at the local store I saw what I wanted on their test track behind the counter. When I said I was looking for just such a thing, the clerk went towards the HO section. When I told him I wanted it in N scale, he came back and told me that was an HO scale loco I was looking at.

sigh maybe I’ll get one to “look pretty” on a siding. But I had such high hopes of running it on the tourist loop+loop+backing up the mountain to the old mining shack where the story of the Ghost of the Miner could be told. [:)]

Glen

P.S. Hmm, I wonder if they make HO/N scale locos (HO scale, runs on N scale track)?

4

MDC/Roundhouse is planning on issuing an old-time 2-6-0, a little bigger than the one to be offered by Atlas.

Jim Kelly had an article in Model Railroader about converting a European-prototype 4-6-0 into an old time, US-style 4-4-0.

5

They did on October 2, according to the web site new product list:

http://www.atlasrr.com/highlights/new.products.asp

Even comes with 1880’s era paint schemes, so fits your wild wild west criteria!

Andrew

6

That’s it! Thanks guys! Think I can get a decoder in it? Guess I’ll have to wait and see.

I might have actually seen it before, but dismissed it since I didn’t see any decoder information; but that was early in my search when I had high hopes that such a loco existed.

Now to find a James West (white guy, sorry Will Smith), Artemis Gordon (could be anyone since he does the disguise thing), a damsel in distress, and a villain. [:D]

Another addition would be a water tower with petticoats hanging out the top. [:o)]

Glen

7

There are Nscale decoders for just about everything, and I would bet that Atlas at least thought about it for this loco. There are even Z scale decoders, so I am sure you can get one in there.

Andrew

8

I doubt if you could find a DCC decoder in a N scale steamer. May be some in the european catalogs by Arnold or Trix. The Bachman 4-4-0 can be a poor loco that stalls at every turnout. There’s barely enough weight to provide any traction, and you need every wheel to provide steady current to the motor.

I hope you can find a good model of a wood water tank. A snip of fabric would make garments. Just be sure to put a tavern on every corner.

9

Tavern?? We call them saloons out here under the Big Sky, greenhorn!