Steam/diesel engine questions

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Hi Folks
I’d like to learn a bit about steam\diesel engines and I have a few

questions if use can please give your input
I’m going to be shopping for a few stean engines DCC is an absolute mus

in HO.

  1. I’ve seen a few popular manufacturers of steam\diesel engines how do

they all compare to each other for quality and what is the quality

being compared?
I’ve viewed the athern Genesis, Atlas doesn’t seem to have anything

special other than the consolodation, Bachmanns dash8 is real nice

looking for diesel , I’ve looked at the bachman spectrum for steam,

then I seen the Broadway Limited and they have a real nice looking

steam.
So which types would you’s find more reliable and better

quality\detailed and upgradeable for dcc?

2 when you purchase a dcc equiped engine can you upgrade it say down

the road to a better dcc chip?

3 when they list an engines radius it often seems to be 22" Radius is

this something they always plugin as a must have or are some steam

and diesel more forgiving than others? What style of steam can a

person get away with ie 2-4-0 would this run fine on a couple 18"

radius minimums copared to a 0-4-0 compared to a 4-6-4 so what types

would definately need which radius’s

4 Also if use may have your favorite manufacturers that I haven’t

listed here as these seem most popular to myself’s readings?

5 last question for now is where would one find a good supplier well

priced and when I say price I don’t mean a cheap engine I’m looking

for good quality products only

Lynn

2

Lynn, www.trainworld.com has some super prices on a Broadway Limited Imports 4-6-4 Hudson with QSI sound (so that means it is DCC already). If you can still get one, it will do marvelously on 22" curves, and is rated for 18" curves as a minimum. I have one, but it did not seem happy with its stated minimum of 18"

The Broadway Limited steamers are very good. Also excellent, are the Walthers Proto 2000 Heritage Steam series of locomotives. They make a topnotch 0-8-0 switcher with Sound, but it will cost you more, nearly double, as the trainworld Hudson. It should be able to handle 18" curves since it is a switcher. Otherwise, Bachmann Spectrum engines, like a 2-6-0 (I think they make one) will be a good engine.

Some locomotives come with a factory DCC chip in them so that you can run them using DCC systems. However, the chip is for motion control and light control only. If you want sound, pay more upfront for a factory installation (my advice), or have a trusted installer get you a suitable chip for your loco and install it for you (count on a cost that matches your initial loco purchase if you do it that way).

Does that help?

3

] Best Steamers are LL Heritage. Broadway Ltd. and Bachmann’s ‘Spectrum’ - in that order[.

Yes

Too general - The more coupled drivers, the wider the radius is needed - and varies brand to brand. 90% do 22".

4 “Favorites” are generally ‘cheapest’, not the best.[/b[.

5 last question for now is where would one find a good supplier well
priced and when I say price I don’t mean a cheap engine I’m looking
for good quality products only -
Lynn
**
[/quote]
[b]Trainworld**

4

My LHS has BLI with sound and decoder at low prices, better than mail order if you count the shipping and he talks to me as I learn how to opperate them. BLI is my favorite over Spectrum. IF you have a good LHS coder the persnal touch before you write them off.

5

Yes that does help one question I do have though is will the 2-6-0 or the 0-8-0 have any problems on the odd 18" radius?

6

I just seen the BLI today for the first time ever and fell head over hills for it
Where’s your local hobby shop maybe they can line me up

7

I can’t say for certain about the 0-8-0, but I believe that, due to it being a “switcher” locomotive that would rarely venture out of a yard (in other words, never on the main line), and due to its having smaller 55" diameter drivers, the model should be able to negotiate 18" curves with little difficulty. As for the 2-6-0, or a BLI K4s 4-6-2, they will be okay. By the way, the BLI 4-6-2 (called a Pacific type) is somewhat expensive, but is an exquisite mode. I have one, and would love a couple more. Next lottery win, for sure.

-Crandell

8

In terms of steam, the better manufacturers are BLI, Bachmann Spectrum, Life Like (now Walthers) Heritage, Trix, and Athearn. I prefer BLI, but buy whichever manufacturer has the engine I need.

Atlas has never made an HO scale steamer, and they’ve publicly said that they never will.

Bachmann’s diesels are garbage, but their Spectrum line of steam is first rate.

All of them are upgradable to DCC. All modern steam model releases are at least “DCC ready”. A few, like BLI and Trix, come with DCC and sound already installed.

Yes. Of course, most might have their DCC elements hardwired in, meaning that the conversion won’t be as easy as pulling one connector and adding the new board, but it’s not a very complex process.

Minimum radius is the smallest curve the ENGINE can negociate at “toy trainset speeds”. Usually, it’s just marketing fluff that really means nothing. A general rule of thumb is to only run short four axle diesels and short eight-coupled steam on tight radius curves (16"-22"), and restrict the

9

Orsonroy:

You’ve hit on a subject that I’ve really been intersted in. I’m just getting back in to the hobby, want to do HO-DCC, so much $$$ like everyone’s concerned about. There’s a really good LHS here in Columbus, OH–since I haven’t even started my benchwork yet, I haven’t had to buy anything yet.

So, does showing internet price/ads to the local hobby shop work? I, too would like to support my LHS, but with all the stuff I’m going to need to purchase, it’s hard to ingnore the price savings over the internet.

Jim

10

I find internet prices very good but even better when you can buy as much as possible from one single source otherwise shipping adds up
Lynn

11

I have Broadway Limited USRA light 2-8-2, Bachmann 2-8-0 & 2-10-0. All opeerate very well on a 18" radius curve.

12

Did they come with DCC and sound or could they be converted ?
Where did you find them ?
Lynn