What is a good make of steam locomotive with DCC and sound? I have a BLI diesel and like the sound. Now I want to purchase another loco but steam. I only have a small 4X8 so I prefer smaller sizes. The smallest BLI that I know of is the Hudson. I loosely model C&NW so I can use any midwest RR line.
Where can I call to have one mailed to me?
Thanks,
BB
Bruce, there are not many choices for factory installed sound in steam. I think BLI and some of the recent P2K Heritage loco’s are it. The P2K’s are expensive http://www.walthers.com/exec/search?manu=920&item=&keywords=0-8-0
You might be better off getting a nice Spectrum steamer and having a dealer install a Tsunami sound system for you if you don’t want to do it yourself. Bruce at Litchfield station has some pics of a 2-8-0 installation http://www.litchfieldstation.com/installation/HO-BAC-280-Tsunami_640x428.jpg
Go to the broadway limited website. They are always in stock with smaller steam locomotives and they always sound so good. There you can get a telephone number and call them.
James
If you can run a Hudson (and I think you could have some issues with 18" curves, although BLI says they are okay for that model), go to trainworld.com and order one of their sound-equipped blowout Hudsons at US $127.
I also agree that a Spectrum Consolidation with a Tsunami would be dynamite. Tough choice, because the BLI Hudson is a very nice loco. The Tsunami is better sound if installed knowledgeably.
Take a good look at BLI’s light Mikado. Not too big, plenty of road names to choose from and very good sound. They should navigate an 18" curve, but that would be the limit. The quality of your track work is almost as important as min. radius. Check ebay for prices. There are lots of them available.
You can’t beat the new Proto 2000 0-8-0 for steam with sound. It looks like a brass model (actually better than some), runs like a swiss watch, and has the best synchronized chuff sound I have ever seen/heard. I own three of them and consider them my best engines - and I own several brass ones! First Hobby has them for $229 which sould be competitive with the combined cost of a Spectrum engine and soundtraxx decoder.
I second two above as being great choices: the
new BLI Hudson and the Heritage 0-8-0. Out of
about 25 sound locos, these are two of my best
that come factory sound. They both look great,
run smoothly and have the QSI typical sound.
There is no way to beat that Trainworld Hudson
deal.
I have just done some Tsunami installs, however,
and like them even better; Heritage 0-6-0,
Heritage Berkshire, Riv. Allegheny and Trix Big
Boy. The sound is great and the effects possible
seem endless.
Hal