I'm switching over to DCC, and wanting to buy new N Scale locomotives with pre - installed decoders with sound, lights and all the goodies. I don't want to have to modify or install anything. Just want them to be ready to run and program them to my Digitrax Zephyr Extra. Any recommendations on who makes them and what are the best ones? Thanks for any help, patriothonor
Athearn should be delivering F45 series with sound DCC. MSRP is around $140. Bachmann makes the DD40X with sound around the same price. In the near future, Intermountain will be delivering sound equipped DCC units: SD40-2 and F units (I think F7A/B, F9A/B). There are probably others but those are off the top of my head.
I love the Atlas GP-38-2 with NCE decoder installed. It doesn't have sound though. The Rapido GMD-1 just came out with sound and it is fantastic.
I have several locos with sound and I get tired of the noise and shut the sound down or off. It is each to their own as to how loud or no sound at all. Do not get me wrong if one has a large area like at a show the sound adds a lot to the display.
Check out this site http://spookshow.net/trainstuff.html Every locomotive ever made is listed here along with reviews .
If you want them to have DCC without the hassle, there are Hobby shops that will install the DCC board for you. Just throwing it out there.
Intermountain generally come with decoders pre-installed. Do not be afraid top open up a cab and replace the motherboard with a drop in decoder. You know Kato locos tend to be the best running out there and you are missing out. As a retailer and a modeler, if a customer buys the loco and the decoder and it is a drop in, I will install the decoder at no cost. I could charge maybe up to $25 to do this but it is all about building customer relations.
The diesel options from BLI seem to be limited to E-units and PAs at the present time. They do meet the dcc and sound criteria mentioned. I have some in B&O for passenger service and they are the basis on which I decided to have dcc and sound added to steam locomotives.
You should be aware that a Digitrax Zephyr Extra (as I have) will usually not read CVs for non-Digitrax sound decoders. I had to add a PowerPax unit between the command station and the programing track.
The easy fix for this is to get the Digitrax PR3 ($69) and JMRI DecoderPro (free). PR3 has the ability to read sound decoders, and it powers the programming track directly. I use one and a couple sections of Kato Unitrak on my desk to program all my locomotives, sound or otherwise. Once I am done I can take the locomotive over to the test loop and verify the operations. Makes decoder programming using the computer so much faster and easier.
Sorry for the somewhat off topic question, but the PR3 is also what you'd use to load new soundsets on a digitrax decoder yes?
Wow! This is good information. Thanks, everyone. Any additional info is helpful and welcomed. I really want to avoid buying a Loco and then discover I have to do all kinds of things I'll have to do to it to perform things like engine sounds, lights, horns, whistles, etc.
Cool, being able to use it as a jmri programming track as well takes a little of the sting out of getting one for just a few locos.
I have three locos with sound - Athearn Challenger (great factory sound), Broadway Limited E7 (great factory sound), and a Kato F7 with a MRC sound decoder I installed (not great sound). I also have about a dozen Atlas GP9s with factory decoders and they all work flawlessly. I also like having DCC and sound factory installed - the older I get the lazier I get ;>) John
