O.K!    That last article was the missing link, and from it I've learnt it's an American not a Jupiter, and it was made in China between 1998 and 2014.  It's not a very smooth runner , the shaft makes a lot of noise, It's my first N scale, and for $18 for the loco plus 2 beautifull passenger cars I can't complain. I wonder whether it's worth opening it and installing the decoder in it. If I could somehow improve the running when I open it by cleaning it and what not then I think it will be worth it.
later the same day ........I take it back, after running awhile I felt it was running better, I turned down the throttle very low and it kept on going, very slowly with very little noise and without derailing. The lubricant was probably dry from not running.

I have read the articles in Trainbuddy.com  "Bachmann 4-4-0 decode with Train Control Systems M1 decoder Space" and also the article "MORE 4 4 0 Jupiter questions."
Yet I feel I need more foolproof graphic step by step instruction on opening the tender of the Jupiter to be able to insulate  the motor and connect it to the decoder. Preferably with pictures or a video.
Too much to ask? I hope not because I really want to hear that Jupiter shuffing. I don't need space because I will install decoder and speaker in the following car, I just need to get to the motor.

.

Track with foam stuck under it is surely very nice but definitely not my cup of tea.  l have found out doing a little research on the net that I am not alone in this. Research that I should have done before committing to buy. I am in the process of returning the ez track and switches before they arrive. Many people prefer to work with flex track for various reasons. I sympathise with those who prefer flex track. Since Bachmann makes many a wonderfull thing  but  flex is not one of them I shall atempt to start a thread in nscsle.net on help choosing track and live or dead frogs or switches for n  DCC.
Thanks everyone.
PS   
I have started my first thread in nscale.net under trackage.

As you will see from my worries I am a total newbie to n scale. I just ordered a fair amount of BACHMANN NICKEL SILVER EZ TRACK on grey bed. It appears it is only sold with the grey bed. I would prefer not to use any track bed at all. Have I wasted money on the grey bed? Is the grey bed glued to the track or just on it? Must I use it?

I apologize Yardmaster.

Please note that at the beginning of this thread I inquired if I was infringing the rules with this subject. Please also note that during this discussion Bachmann products have been strongly praised, especially so in the comparison between the two locomotives mentioned in the title of the thread, where I have been utterly convinced by the other participants of the total superiority of the Bachmann 2 8 8 4 over the mallet I compared it with.

However I am guilty of admiring not only Bachmann  products, variety is the spice of life.

I do respect and understand the principle that this forum being part of the Bachmann page is for the discussion of Bachmann products.

Therefore I ask you and the other members to recommend an N scale  forum where if we wish we can continue this nice topic because I do not know of one.

Mark and brokemoto,  in case you missed it I take the chance to point out I added a PS to  reply #6.

Thank you.

Thank you so much brokemoto for your help, and spookshow for the link to your amazing page which I have been studying carefully.

I never realized there was so much in the tiny N scale Steam loco world, so many manufacturers, I really appreciate reading your appraisals brokemoto and spookshow.
I must say you don't sound too enthusiastic about any of the locos on my list brokemoto , tell you the truth I just looked at ebay for good looking N steam locomotives and selected what I found interesting first in looks, then in price.
I must get what I want clear in my mind, but this is always hard to do in a to me new world full of choices. I have bet on two more locos on ebay since my last post and have missed them both.
This has made me reflect. Did I really want to buy them?
Do I really want a big N scale loco? I think not, I am very attracted to the mallets, but in N not because of their size or pulling power but because of their looks.
I still find what I bought for $18,  the Jupiter and cars the most attractive, so I have been thinking I should keep it along the line of the Jupiter but of better quality.
After going thru spookshow's  list I think I will probably go for either the Atlas 4 4 0 or the Athearn 2 6 0 both of which have good reviews. And very reasonable prices.
What do you two think?

PS.
Rereading my first post about my  Bachmann Jupiter I found that brokemoto right at the start recommended an Atlas mogul and a Athearn mogul or consolidation, I don't know if they are the same Atlas 4 4 0 and  Athearn 2 6 0 that I write about and am interested in here,  but it is cleat that  brokemoto  predicted my inclination for the early era before I realized it myself! 

I have a new fear about DCC:
Someone wrote (I think in this forum but am not sure ) that there is a standard for DCC and that therefore all decoders work with all Stations.  Someone else in another forum is writing that he has decoders that do not work well because they are incompatible with his Stations.

I have bought a SDN136PS / Digitrax decoder and am about to buy a Bachmann DCC  EZ command control. It would be very disappointing   if my first try with DCC was a total flop because of Station to decoder incompatibility.  Please help before I buy .

Brokemoto .That was extremely interesting and very informative, thank you ,  and thank you ACY.
Now I feel a little bit worse for having missed a brand new EM 1, on ebay . Winning bid was $151.06 today at 3pm. My bid $151.51 was placed 3 seconds before ending time and did not win. Explanation which I'm sure is correct  "my bid was too low due to ebay's increment system. If only I would have bid $153!
No other new or second hand  EM 1s for nearly that low a price in sight just now.
Must ask you about some other models,  I hope you don't mind, but if you do mind I quite understand. Maybe just  short comments would be very helpful if you don't feel like writing much.
From Bachmann: Southern 0 6 0, Santa Fe Northern 4 8 4, Usra Light 2 10 2, Baldwin 4 6 0,
From KATO: C58 2010, C 57 4 6 2
From Atlas: 40000734  4 4 0, 0 8 0,  4 6 2.
Micro Ace A9537,
Life-Like 2 8 8 2.
Rolling stock from Arnold Rapido Trains, Atlas Trains.

Thanks.

I understand the Con-cor  Rivarossi 2-8-8-2  n scale is no longer in production so I hope I am not infringing on Bachmann forum rules.  Would be nice to know how they  are different , how they are alike, specially in size and detailing , but also in other ways.

Thanks a lot everyone, and a very special thanks to brokemoto, I've learnt a lot thru this thread, not only about N but also about DCC.

I don't feel lost in N or DCC anymore, I think I can take it from here...

Once I have bought everything. If I manage to install the decoder and get everything running I will post a video on this thread in case anyone wants to watch it.

As I mentioned I have  no experience with DCC but it appears DCC is a must for N sound. I have been  tonight and this morning reading a little about what DCC is and how it operates and I feel much better.

Stubbornly I am sticking to the original plan because I like this little locomotive .
So I am now considering a box car behind the tender for all electrical components. (More space than passenger car.)

I would much appreciate if someone could sketch or describe  the electrical pickup installation on an N box car to make both trucks live in the car. What parts are needed and how to install and wire them.

I would also appreciate recommendations for buying an  inexpensive simple  DCC command station, and what more I need for my simple DCC setup.  Do I need a DCC command booster for just one loco and one loop? I am considering a Digitrax SDN136PS Decoder.

I am a bit confused about brokemoto's recommendation of wiring the power from the extra power pickup on the passenger or  boxcar  to the motor. Does this not defeat the point of isolating  the motor? As I understand in DCC the throttle is controlled by the decoder in the loco. So should not the motor be  connected only to the decoder?
Or perhaps my confusion is because when  brokemoto writes "connect it electrically to the locomotive's motor." he refers to the decoder and not the car ?

It is time for me to thank everyone who has in this thread  contributed to getting me on the right track, thank you all sincerely.
I see that here as always it is essential to be very clear and explicit in order to get the right help.  I have not been sufficiently so.
I have some experience with G which is my main interest. I run eight locomotives from my smallest a kitbash in 1/29 to my gigantic Aristocraft 2 8 8 2 mallet and many cars and enough track to go with this. I have sound in many of these, from various manufacturers. I am not interested in DCC for G scale which is why I understand so little about DCC.  I run everything with StationMaster and   Yard Master units for automation.
I definitely do not want any other track gauges.

In fact all I want in N is to run this tiny loco on a simple loop. I am rather fascinated with the idea of sound from such a tiny loco.

If I can do this without DCC even better.    I am not clumsy, I have installed sound on G scale, so if I know exactly what to do, what wires to solder and where,  I can probably do it . I like the idea of the speaker and sound electrical components on a separate car, I do not know if there are electrical pickups to pick up electricity directly from car wheels. I do not know if the sound modules for N can be tuned to make the chuff sound correct just from track voltage. I suppose that if someone makes a sound card  for DC  in N it must  be possible to tune the sound to the voltage.

If I manage all this with DC or if not possible with DCC are there micro connectors so that I can disconnect the car with sound from the loco?

It was thoughtless of me not to figure out that the locomotive must be connected in order to be controlled by DCC, of course it must. It seems that what I  was hoping for is perhaps not such a good idea, It appears that many of you believe I would be better off buying something like the Bachmann Baldwin  4 6 0 with decoder if I want sound on a Steam early 20th century loco.

l so  much wanted this loco to have sound.

The  reasons  I got interested in DCC for N is that I saw in a video that very smooth gradual acceleration was possible with DCC, and I thought sound was only possible with DCC in N.   I don't for the foreseeable future want any crossovers or switches of any kind, just 1 loco on  a simple loop or circle and chuff sound. Which leads me to the next question. Are there N scale sound systems  that can work on DC? If so is the sound quality and chuff to speed synchronization  any good?

But it is possible to place everything in a car right? and if it has metal wheels that can be fitted with electrical pikups no wires need go to the loco?

 
I just bought a "Jupiter" - 4-4-0 American Locomotive & Tender + passenger car and Post car.
I would like sound for this, I don't really understand  DCC  very well so I have a number of questions:
Are battery powered locos a must for DCC or can it all run from track power?
I believe that to have sounds  one must have a decoder , a  sound module and a speaker correct?
If none of the above fit in  the loco or  tender and I suspect they don't, can one fit them in the passenger car?
Which would be the most adequate sound system? Which the cheapest?

OK, Peace of mind at last. Since I've already bought the Bachman  Stock car with steel wheels,  I'll probably go for  the LGB's this time  , 2 sets for $13 and  free shipping , The BB's would be 15 each , thats $30 plus shipping. I'll sleep on it, Good night.