Hello everyone, I'm new to the forum and new to model trains. I recently purchased a thunder valley starter set. I'm looking to get into dcc when expanding my layout but I'm having a hard time finding dcc equipped n scale LoCos. I've searched a few sites but only find a handful of LoCos. Is n scale really limited when it comes to dcc? I'm starting to think i will have to stick with dc instead. By the way, my local hobby shop barely has any n scale products.
You will not find "train set" level equipement with DCC installed in N scale. Most companies are not in the business of designing and making decoders so they leave that up to the DCC companies. Atlas, Kato, Walthers and others offer DCC ready loco's and companies like Digitrax, TCS, NCE, and MRC etc. offer decoders for these locos. Atlas does offer their loco's with DCC installed but most shops don't stock them because the decoders they use are bare bones decoders and for the difference in price, it is better to buy the DC version and add your own decoder.
Bachmann is starting to offer their locos with DCC only. All of the newest steam loco's have come with decoders built in and newly tooled diesels are coming with DCC as standard also.
Bachmann currently makes a GP7, RS3, 44T, 70T, 4-6-0, 2-10-2, 2-6-6-2, 4-8-2 and Peter Witt Trolley with DCC installed in their standard.