# Mid-century Engines w/DCC to Service a Mining Operation



## ontherivet (Dec 18, 2015)

I'm building a layout with/for my kids and wanted to focus on a rocky mountain west mining theme. I don't need to stay true to a prototype but wanted to cover the steam/diesel transitional period so I can play it a bit loose with equipment. Will have a layout with some continuous runs and a bit of switching to keep things interesting. I would love to just find D&RGW mid-century engines and be done with it but I have't found many options that are DCC with sound (gotta have sound). 

I'm very new to this so don't have any particular leanings toward eras or a specific prototype; primarily focused on something that's fun and works for the kids and dad. Any suggestions on some engines that could fit the bill? I'd like to maybe start with one steam and one diesel with associated rolling stock.

Thanks
Don


----------



## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Scale change?*



ontherivet said:


> I'm building a layout with/for my kids and wanted to focus on a rocky mountain west mining theme. I don't need to stay true to a prototype but wanted to cover the steam/diesel transitional period so I can play it a bit loose with equipment. Will have a layout with some continuous runs and a bit of switching to keep things interesting. I would love to just find D&RGW mid-century engines and be done with it but I have't found many options that are DCC with sound (gotta have sound).
> 
> I'm very new to this so don't have any particular leanings toward eras or a specific prototype; primarily focused on something that's fun and works for the kids and dad. Any suggestions on some engines that could fit the bill? I'd like to maybe start with one steam and one diesel with associated rolling stock.
> 
> ...


 ontherivet"

Since your post is on the N scale section; I'm assuming you want engines in that scale.
If you want to model a standard gauge railroad, I'd recommend Kato brand' F unit, or E unit, diesels and a Mikado steam locomotive. I own several of each. They're excellent runners and have fine detail. Kato is a very high quality brand. The Mikado and possibly the E units will need 16" or larger radius curves. The Mikado 16" recommendation is based on my own real world experience. The manufacturer says it will run on 11" radius, but I found it derailed a lot on my 12" radius and had to switch to 16", which works fine. I don't know if any of these are available with factory installed DCC sound decoders. I have put a "drop in" sound decoder in one of my F units. Soundtraxx Tsunami has many sound decoders available for a scales. They have just introduced a lower cost one called "econonami", which has received good reviews.
If you plan on modeling one of Colorado's Narrow gauge railroads, I would suggest switching to HO scale narrow gauge(HOn3). There are HOn3 locos available with room for a DCC sound decoder and speaker. I don't know if any steam locomotives even commercially available in N scale narrow gauge (Nn3). Trying to squeeze a decoder and speaker into such a tiny loco would be "challenging", to say the least.

Good luck;

Traction fan


----------



## kevinh (Jan 26, 2015)

I don't have any experience with sound, so I probably won't be able to provide you with particular recommendations--certainly nothing first-hand. (Sorry!) That said, it might help if you could provide a bit of an idea of the size of your (potential) layout, with particular attention to the (minimum) radius of curves, the presence of any steep grades, and the length of train you're hoping to see.

Tight curves will limit the size of locomotive you can use--and the rolling stock, too. (Long-wheelbase locos and cars will look silly on tight curves, if they don't derail entirely.)

Going the other direction, if you want to see twenty or thirty or fifty ore cars lined up then that's going to call for some beefy motive power.


----------



## rrjim1 (Mar 12, 2015)

The only n-scale D&RGW locos I could find and both will be sound equipped are the Bachmann SD45, and the Atlas S2. You might try Ebay. If your layout will be small two S2 would look great pulling coal or ore cars. I have a 40 car ore train on my layout and I usually use Atlas C628, C630, C424, or C420s for power.


----------



## ontherivet (Dec 18, 2015)

Thanks for the information. Trying to plan a scale and layout is proving to be way more difficult than I could have imagined. I can buy a new car in 15 minutes without even a test drive but I'm really struggling with where to go with this and I'm anxious to get a plan so I can reengage the kids.

Since my original post I've decided to tear down my original layout which (just built) is a 4x8 plus a 2/5' x 4' L addition and move to the attached plan. In the previous plan I was largely locked into N but with the new layout I may be able to entertain moving to HO which could give me some different options and considerations. I would welcome any thoughts about N vs. HO anyone has as well. I do want to keep the curve radii as broad as possible and be able to run long trains (how long can I reasonably go on such a layout, 3'? More?) New layout is an irregular 10'x10' (1' grid in attached).

In terms of basic ideas on the new layout I can probably have multiple industries beyond the mine and have a nice area for a yard (angular area maybe?). I may cross-post the layout from here to the layout section for broader input as I'm really stumped.

Confused in Colorado!


----------



## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Yes, as you are discovering, HO scale offers many more choices in
locomotives and cars, more road names, more railroad eras
And more different types of DCC sound locomotives.

For example, the HOn3 (track is HO) has shays and other smaller
locomotives for logging and mining operations.

The new basic design of your bench work would make possible a very
nice layout in HO. You could have an irregular, or curving single
track main with passing sidings that basically follows the edge
of the bench work, veering here and there to pass between hills,
go into a tunnel or pass by small industries served by spurs off
the main. You would also have room for a nice yard and many
industrial spurs.

I would want to put a 'lift' or hinged 'bridge' somewhere convenient
to room access so that you would have a comfortable access to
the center where normally you would have your command center
and turnout control panels. I have a crawl under layout and I
would wish that on anyone.

Don


----------



## rrjim1 (Mar 12, 2015)

Yes there is a lot more models available in HO, but N-scale has plenty to chose from. The big advantage with N-scale is you can have a lot more railroad in the same space.


----------



## Fire21 (Mar 9, 2014)

In N-scale, I have two Kato D&RG PA-1s. They are DCC ready, and I bought MRC sound decoders for them. Since you're not insistent on staying prototype, you could use these passenger locos for long ore trains.

I'm confused by your photo...is the layout space the gray area or the inner white space?


----------



## kevinh (Jan 26, 2015)

A suggestion I've heart is to design an HO layout--and then build it with N-scale track instead.

The very-tight-in-HO 18" radii that you tolerated as a compromise instantly become broad and comfortable for even your largest rolling stock in N. Your industries can sprawl. There can be some rural mainline between the towns. The trees are twice as tall, the rail yards are twice as long.

Of course, there's also proportionally more square footage, so it will take that much more time to detail the whole project--which can be a blessing or a curse.


----------



## ontherivet (Dec 18, 2015)

Fire21 said:


> In N-scale, I have two Kato D&RG PA-1s. They are DCC ready, and I bought MRC sound decoders for them. Since you're not insistent on staying prototype, you could use these passenger locos for long ore trains.
> 
> I'm confused by your photo...is the layout space the gray area or the inner white space?


Sorry for confusion, layout will be the gray area.


----------



## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

If you are insistent on sound my experience is that it is less than wonderful in N. You have quite a large space so I suggest you go with HO. Bachmann produce some excellent sound value budget locos. Some also find working on N too fiddly. Try to find some inspiration from online plans or buy one of Kalmbach's (Model Railroader) books on the subject. If you can't decide just get some track and turnouts and get something running. You then need to decide on track. I would go for flex track, but pick a reliable brand as it will save you heartache in the long run. Good luck.


----------



## rrjim1 (Mar 12, 2015)

If you want to run long trains, IMO 10' x 10' is no were near larger enough for HO. You will need 10' - 14' just for a yard long enough to hold a N-scale 30 car train. 
I have some B units that I turned into dummy sound units using HO sound decoders and two speakers. You need to visit some of the other forums, there are some guys that have posted videos of some really great sounding N-scale locos using a sugar cube speaker.


----------

