# Complete newbie to N gauge - need advice



## CoastsideOgauge (4 mo ago)

Hi all - I am a lifelong O gauger and have a 40’ x 11’ dogbone layout in my attic, both postwar and modern, which my son and I enjoy. 

Lately, he has been asking for an N gauge train for his small bedroom, so I want to get him a simple set for Christmas.

I live in California and like the Amtrak starter sets from Kato. The 106-0017 set looks like it would be good and is widely available. Any opinions on this set?

Also, I would like to add more cars to the train. I see there is a “set B,” 106-3516 that adds 4 more cars. Is this a match to 0017? If so, will the single P42 pull all 7 cars on a flat surface without slipping?

And finally, I see that the engine is “DCC compatible,” and I’m not sure what that means. Will the set work on the small oval without DCC?

Thank you for answering my basic N gauge questions. I’m pretty excited to try out something completely new to me in model railroading.

Kevin W.
Instagram @CoastsideOgauge


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## OilValleyRy (Oct 3, 2021)

Kato starter sets are about the only ones worth the time & money.

And from what little I know of Amtrak, those sets of cars match. 
Although I’ll add that Amtrak like most everyone else has at times mixed & matched in order to get the job done. So even if they were slightly different AFAIK it’s “not wrong.”


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## Conductorkev (Nov 5, 2021)

If the package says "dcc ready" that just means it has a plug adapter directly a dcc decoder. It will run on dc power. If you or your son ever decide to try dcc you would just need to buy the right decoder for the loco. Also have dcc controllers.


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## CoastsideOgauge (4 mo ago)

Conductorkev said:


> If the package says "dcc ready" that just means it has a plug adapter directly a dcc decoder. It will run on dc power. If you or your son ever decide to try dcc you would just need to buy the right decoder for the loco. Also have dcc controllers.


Great, thank you. Is DCC a command system that gives steady speed and sound effects, such as the Lionel Legacy line does in O gauge?


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## CoastsideOgauge (4 mo ago)

OilValleyRy said:


> Kato starter sets are about the only ones worth the time & money.
> 
> And from what little I know of Amtrak, those sets of cars match.
> Although I’ll add that Amtrak like most everyone else has at times mixed & matched in order to get the job done. So even if they were slightly different AFAIK it’s “not wrong.”


Oh, good to know all around, thanks! Any idea if the single engine will pull that many cars? Always a concern in O gauge..


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## pmcgurin (Sep 7, 2010)

I have some of those Amtrak Superliner cars and a couple of the locomotives, SDP40F and P42. Great runners. I added the LED lighting to the passenger cars.


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## Mixed Freight (Aug 31, 2019)

CoastsideOgauge said:


> Great, thank you. Is DCC a command system that gives steady speed and sound effects, such as the Lionel Legacy line does in O gauge?


Yeah, but you don't necessarily need DCC to start out with. N-scale will run just fine on standard DC.
And you can't go wrong with Kato. Go for it!!!


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## Conductorkev (Nov 5, 2021)

CoastsideOgauge said:


> Great, thank you. Is DCC a command system that gives steady speed and sound effects, such as the Lionel Legacy line does in O gauge?



Pretty much. The decoder that's in the train gets a signal from the controller. If tte decoder has sound you can hit the horn or whistle. Plus it also has other sounds like the air breaks. And you can go in and turn certain sounds off if you want to because sone of them can get annoying. As far as speed yes you control tge speed plus dcc allows you to run more than one train. You can also better consist trains with most of the dcc systems. Along with trains you can put decoders on turnouts or draw bridges even turntables and use them with your remote.


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## CoastsideOgauge (4 mo ago)

pmcgurin said:


> I have some of those Amtrak Superliner cars and a couple of the locomotives, SDP40F and P42. Great runners. I added the LED lighting to the passenger cars.


Will one locomotive pull 7 of those cars? Also, who makes the LED lighting kits? Thanks.


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## CoastsideOgauge (4 mo ago)

Mixed Freight said:


> Yeah, but you don't necessarily need DCC to start out with. N-scale will run just fine on standard DC.
> And you can't go wrong with Kato. Go for it!!!


Good to know, thanks!


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## CoastsideOgauge (4 mo ago)

Conductorkev said:


> Pretty much. The decoder that's in the train gets a signal from the controller. If tte decoder has sound you can hit the horn or whistle. Plus it also has other sounds like the air breaks. And you can go in and turn certain sounds off if you want to because sone of them can get annoying. As far as speed yes you control tge speed plus dcc allows you to run more than one train. You can also better consist trains with most of the dcc systems. Along with trains you can put decoders on turnouts or draw bridges even turntables and use them with your remote.


Sounds like DCC is the way to go. I’ll start researching that and we’ll see how much my son likes N gauge and go from there. Thank you for the reply!


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## Conductorkev (Nov 5, 2021)

CoastsideOgauge said:


> Sounds like DCC is the way to go. I’ll start researching that and we’ll see how much my son likes N gauge and go from there. Thank you for the reply!



While it's awesome it can be expensive like most things in this hobby. If you think of going dcc don't go with the cheapest like Bachmann. Keep with nce dcc, digitrax or I've heard mrc is pretty good. 
I personally run nce and I've liked it so far. However I do use digitrax auto reverser for reverse loops.


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## OilValleyRy (Oct 3, 2021)

1 loco should certainly be able to pull 7 cars in any scale, on level track without problem.

FYI Going up a grade (up hill) will reduce the amount of cars 1 loco can pull, by how much depends on the grade %.


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## kilowatt62 (Aug 18, 2019)

Buy extra track first. Then rolling stock. Then dcc. Best way for you economically, to test the son’s interest in the scale


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## Fire21 (Mar 9, 2014)

I agree that Kato is the way to go in N-scale. If you can afford DCC, that also is the way to go...it is easily expandable and much more versatile and less complicated than DC. Good luck, and welcome to the MTF.


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

CoastsideOgauge said:


> Hi all - I am a lifelong O gauger and have a 40’ x 11’ dogbone layout in my attic, both postwar and modern, which my son and I enjoy.
> 
> Lately, he has been asking for an N gauge train for his small bedroom, so I want to get him a simple set for Christmas.
> 
> ...


Kevin;

Long time N-scaler from San Diego here. Yes, one good locomotive (Kato doesn't make any other kind) will pull 10 cars, or more, on level track. The N-scale cars are a lot lighter than the O-gage cars you're used to. Also, they are very free rolling. Probably more so than the O-gage cars, but I'm not sure how well those big cars roll.

Grades are a different matter. Just as on the prototype, the stiffer the grade, the more locomotives needed to pull a long train. In N-scale model terms, I've never seen a train, including some 50 car ones, that two good, all wheel drive diesels couldn't pull, even up a 2% grade. My old N-scale club did this on a regular basis.

The files below have a lot more information on model railroading. Look through them if you wish. They may help you with planning & building an N-scale layout for your son. Also look at our "N-scale section on this forum, for ideas. When you first enter the forum's home page, look at the top right for the words "Full forum listing." Click on that, and it will open up more sections of the forum, including the N-scale section.

The LED lighting kits are made & sold by Kato. I have read here that they can be difficult to install but I have no personal experience with them. Kato products are excellent, but expensive. Some folks have lit their passenger cars with LED strips, rather than the Kato kits. This saves money, & possibly some frustration with installation.

Good Luck & Have Fun;

Traction Fan


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

CoastsideOgauge said:


> Will one locomotive pull 7 of those cars? Also, who makes the LED lighting kits? Thanks.


Nothing is certain except death and taxes. One loco SHOULD be able to manage 7 coaches just fine, BUT if the coaches are pushing close to their minimum curve radius on that set, it COULD cause enough extra friction to cause a problem. Unfortunately, there's no way to know without trying it.

Unfortunately, can't help on the lighting kits.


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## pmcgurin (Sep 7, 2010)

Kato makes the LED lighting kits. The last two six-module kits for six cars each kit were about $44 each on ebay.

One Kato P42 Genesis loco pulls six of these Amtrak cars made by Kato, and they have LED modules in each. I have three Kato Amtrak locos, an E8/9, an SDP40F and the P42 Genesis. Each will pull all six of my cars easily, and a seventh car would be no sweat, because I have used each to pull a ten car Amtrak smoothside set. That's a set of early Amtrak cars. Non prespirius (no sweat).


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## CoastsideOgauge (4 mo ago)

Conductorkev said:


> While it's awesome it can be expensive like most things in this hobby. If you think of going dcc don't go with the cheapest like Bachmann. Keep with nce dcc, digitrax or I've heard mrc is pretty good.
> I personally run nce and I've liked it so far. However I do use digitrax auto reverser for reverse loops.


I still need to learn about auto reversers and things we don't use with 3 rail systems. Good advice on getting high quality dcc gear. Thank you!


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## CoastsideOgauge (4 mo ago)

OilValleyRy said:


> 1 loco should certainly be able to pull 7 cars in any scale, on level track without problem.
> 
> FYI Going up a grade (up hill) will reduce the amount of cars 1 loco can pull, by how much depends on the grade %.


I don't plan to have any grades in the first iteration of this layout, which will be quite simple, so one locomotive should do fine. Thank you.


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## CoastsideOgauge (4 mo ago)

Fire21 said:


> I agree that Kato is the way to go in N-scale. If you can afford DCC, that also is the way to go...it is easily expandable and much more versatile and less complicated than DC. Good luck, and welcome to the MTF.


Interesting. Could you explain how dcc is less complicated than dc for N scale? In O gauge, it seems to be the reverse..


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## CoastsideOgauge (4 mo ago)

traction fan said:


> Kevin;
> 
> Long time N-scaler from San Diego here. Yes, one good locomotive (Kato doesn't make any other kind) will pull 10 cars, or more, on level track. The N-scale cars are a lot lighter than the O-gage cars you're used to. Also, they are very free rolling. Probably more so than the O-gage cars, but I'm not sure how well those big cars roll.
> 
> ...


Thanks so much for all of this info - very helpful! I am going to take everyone's advice and start simple and see how much my son likes it. If he's super keen, I'll start planning the expansion!


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## CoastsideOgauge (4 mo ago)

pmcgurin said:


> Kato makes the LED lighting kits. The last two six-module kits for six cars each kit were about $44 each on ebay.
> 
> One Kato P42 Genesis loco pulls six of these Amtrak cars made by Kato, and they have LED modules in each. I have three Kato Amtrak locos, an E8/9, an SDP40F and the P42 Genesis. Each will pull all six of my cars easily, and a seventh car would be no sweat, because I have used each to pull a ten car Amtrak smoothside set. That's a set of early Amtrak cars. Non prespirius (no sweat).


Good to know, thank you!


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## Conductorkev (Nov 5, 2021)

CoastsideOgauge said:


> I still need to learn about auto reversers and things we don't use with 3 rail systems. Good advice on getting high quality dcc gear. Thank you!



Figuring out where you need them can be tricky if you have a complicated track plan with a lot if tracks coming back on themselves. But you just trace the whole layout in your mind thinking red for right and black for left. If they meet back on each other with the opposite side you will need a auto reverser. Same goes for dc you will need a switch to change polarity. With dcc it's easier to wire. You gap where the reverse is you install underneath your layout the control board for it. You have your bus wires connecting on the in. On the out you will wire your whole section that you gapped off. When a train enters that section it will cause a short the reverser picks that up and instantly changes polarity.


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## Oomowmow (10 mo ago)

Here's a Pic of my small N scale layout (no real grades on mine either). Folks on here are probably tired of seeing it, but here it is again! I regularly run consists of 12 to 16 cars with one loco (my grandson will run 20 sometimes) with no problems. Almost all my engines are Kato.








Note: the loco in the Pic is my only Bachmann. I don't recommend the older ones, although this one runs well. It won't pull as many cars as the katos. Maybe 14 tops.


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## sid (Mar 26, 2018)

never get tired of seeing layouts . in fact we need to see more of them . its nice to see there progress and ideas that was put in them.. so please keep showing there always changing form....


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