Favorite locomotive

[daxdog]

I have five locomotives that I have collected so far (including one that was DOA and I am still waiting on getting it repaired).  Two are DC, two are DCC, and my most recent purchase is DCC with sound.  When I put that loco on my plain track last night for the first time, it was like I was a kid all over again.  Immediately it became my favorite even though it is a switcher with limited function for my overall layout.

I must purchase another DCC with sound engine for hauling long consists around the track.  I am probably also going to buy the Bachmann Dynamis controller to access more of the sounds with my new loco than my EZ DCC controller can.

What is your favorite DCC locomotive (steam or diesel) with sound?  I want one that will handle 18" curves with no problem.  I am looking more for fun than some sophisticated rare locomotive that represents some obscure prototype from one particular year.  

[Barney R]

Hello Daxdog-
I know exactly how you felt when you first operated a DCC with Sound Loco. To answer your question about favorites, Mine is a PRR K4 - 4-6-2 Steam and it handles 18" radius just fine.

Barney

[jward]

i don't own any sound equipped locomotives yet (too expensive) but i have heard a couple that are dead on. i grew up railroading when 4 axle diesels ruled the rails, and to me a good sound decoder will take me back to those years.....

my friend has an intermountain fp7 with sound that sounds just like an f unit. the same decoder would also be apporpiate for a gp7 pr gp9.

there is also an aftermarket decoder by mrc which is marketed for the atlas s2/s4. it is all wrong for the atlas switchers, but dead on for an rs3. i noticed when i bought my bachmann gp7 there were provisions for a speaker in the fuel tank. i will try to pick up an rs3 at the train show this weekend, and if it has the same privisions for a speaker in the tank, i may try the mrc decoder in it. if i do, i will post back and let everrybody know about the conversion.....

[jonathan]

daxdog,

Long consists and 18" radius curves makes your choices pretty limiting.  As far as steam goes, the 2-8-0 consolidation pulls well and will handle 18" curves with no problem.  Bachmann use to produce a Spectrum 2-8-0 with sound.  They can still be found on ebay, or other sources, from time-to-time. I have a friend who added sound to a 2-8-0.  It was a fairly simple process.  There's a spot in the tender for a speaker, and switching out the stock decoder for a sound decoder is not hard.  It sounds outstanding.  Bachmann does make smaller steam with sound, but how useful they will be depends on what you consider a long train.

The largest diesel I would recommend is perhaps a GP40 (or two for double heading).  I think BLI made one with sound, but I couldn't say for certain. Athearn makes some nice F unit diesels with DCC and sound.  Check their Genesis series online.  They pull well and should negotiate 18" curves without issue.  I am not a collector of F units, but the ones I have seen and heard on the club layout are very impressive.

Just a couple of ideas for you.

Regards,

Jonathan

[bobwrgt]

Atlas, Broadway Ltd., Intermountain, and Life-Like Proto all make very good QSI sound diesels with DCC that will handle 18in radius. I have several and they can be had at deep discounts if you look around. $100.$125 .
You can get a 4-6-4 Hudson, 2-8-2 mikado, or 0-8-0 with QSI that will do fine on 18in radius.
The SD24, SD7/9, U28/30B, U18b, RS27 and SD40-2 with Qsi will also do fine on 18in radius.
Broadway Limited Blueline engines, Steam and Diesel, are also very good but you have to add a decoder for DCC. I like their sound very nice. The steam 2-8-2 will do fine on 18in.
I also have a Bachmann 2-6-6-2 that runs fine on 18in radius but would look better on 22in or larger.
Bob

[jettrainfan]

I own a bachmann 2-8-0 and it runs perfect, got it to haul a 20 car consist on a helix. Add a sound chip and bullfrog snot ( I plan on doing this soon) and it'll be perfect!

[jward]

jet

i am kinda curious as to why you'd want to add bullfrog snot to a locomotive that can pull 20 cars up a grade? how much more do you want it to pull? are you willing to risk the problems with electrical pickup thhat may result? remember dcc locos are extra finicky about electrical pickup. you said it runs perfect, i wouldn't mess with that.......

[Pacific Northern]

My favorite steam engine is the Bachmann 4-6-0 with sound.

This engine is the predominate type on my layout followed by the Shay engines. The 4-6-0 handle the
mainline traffic and the shay engines service the mines and sawmill.

The 4-6-0's will handle 4 passenger cars and an express refer on a 2 1/2 % incline. The engine will sometimes slip if I try to go too fast. My freight trains are mixed and not really that long. Ten cars, maximum, counting caboose.

[jettrainfan]

jward,

A person at the CV&WS was talking about my 2-8-0 when he said it looked like it was slipping and some bullfrog snot would help. I thought it was just because the wheels are a bit faster at rotating but i figured he had more experience so i took his advice. It was only pulling seven cars plus a bobber caboose too.

Thanks for straightening it up.

[jward]

i just bought a roundhouse 2-8-0 that appears to be of late 1800s vintage. i will have to do some tests on it, but i figure as small as it is, 7 cars on a 4% grade with 18" curves would be great. this locomotive is much smaller than the bachmann 2-8-0, but the boiler feels like it is metal so it should pull pretty well. i've never been a fan of traction tires to begin with, given the problems i've seen them cause. i just can't see putting something on the wheel treads that doesn't conduct electricity, then trying to work around that. maybe we need magna traction like the old lionels had.....

btw, this locomotive has provision for a speaker in the tender but very lttle room. i may try a sound bug in it.....

[CNE Runner]

Hmmm, favorite locomotive...I guess that has become my Bachmann Spectrum 45 Ton workhorse on the Monks' Island Railway (which, incidentally, I purchased on the advice of several posters on this forum...thank you very much). This little jewel runs like the proverbial watch (on DC or DCC), has the capability of being upgraded to sound, and handles the task of switching with ease (an added plus is that this loco is small and light enough to retrieve cars off the ferry without an idler car).

The Monks' Island Railway is currently operated on DC (although a switch to DCC is simply a matter of putting all the block electrical switches in the same position and hooking up my MRC Prodigy Advanced system). If I were to go to DCC, I guess I would have to include my Atlas MP15DC switcher (great sound and smooth running).

'Not into steam currently; BUT when I had the Newburgh, Dutchess & Connecticut (set in approximately 1890 and DCC), I absolutely loved my two Bachmann Spectrum American 4-4-0s. These are outstanding examples of the best from Bachmann Trains.

Cheers,
Ray

[jward]

as an update on my previous post, that tiny 2-8-0 pulls 7 cars on a 4% grade around 18" curves. makes me wonder how many cars on level track........i was just running it with train a few minutes ago.....

[uncbob]

My favorite is the 4-8-2 USRA Heavy on my 24 " curves but for 18 " curves I would go 2-8-0

[rockymidlandrr]

I would have to say my first ever steam locomotive, a IHC 4-6-2.  My favorite Bachmann is going to have to be a tie between the Heavy Mountain and the Berkshire.  Now if I could only get the 4-6-0..., in te UP scheme of course.

[Pacific Northern]

I would have to say my first ever steam locomotive, a IHC 4-6-2.  My favorite Bachmann is going to have to be a tie between the Heavy Mountain and the Berkshire.  Now if I could only get the 4-6-0..., in te UP scheme of course.

The 4-6-0 low driver engine does come in UP markings, I have two. As I mentioned the 4-6-0 is my favorite, the sound is fantastic IMHO and I become mesmerized almost watching the valve gear. I only which Bachmann would offer the 4-6-0 in the Russian Iron colours like they do the 4-4-0, if they did I would get a couple more.