# N scale Qs



## Krazikev (Nov 28, 2013)

Hi all new to n scale does anyone know if they make a engine in diesel or steam that smokes and has rail sounds like a proto2 or tmcc?if so how much are these? Details please


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## Ray Haddad (Feb 19, 2014)

I've never seen one that smokes but sound is available. Cost? Can't really say but around $200 and up would be reasonable for a sound equipped engine.


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## Krazikev (Nov 28, 2013)

Ray Haddad said:


> I've never seen one that smokes but sound is available. Cost? Can't really say but around $200 and up would be reasonable for a sound equipped engine.


Thanks , is the sound loud? Being its so small ??


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## Ray Haddad (Feb 19, 2014)

Speaker improvements have made the sound reasonable but there are other methods for sound. Since sound is normally made by prototypes at crossings, some folks hide fairly powerful speakers inside of or behind buildings near crossings and then you can have some room shuddering sound if you want it. It's cheaper that way. All you need is a sound accessory decoder.

Also, you can have shrill toot whistles for steam and deep air horns for diesel in the same decoder and just select what you want as each train passes. Some people get really fancy and use RFID tags on their trains to change the sound automatically for each type of sound.

Decisions, decisions . . . know what I mean?


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## Krazikev (Nov 28, 2013)

Ray Haddad said:


> I've never seen one that smokes but sound is available. Cost? Can't really say but around $200 and up would be reasonable for a sound equipped engine.


Thanks , is the sound loud? Being its so small ??


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## Brakeman Jake (Mar 8, 2009)

Sound in N scale is improving all the time and can be loud enough to be annoying even with miniature speakers.

At the moment though,steamers are the easiest sound option with their tenders to house the necessary hardware,however the possibility of having sound in N scale diesel is increasing as manufacturers are developping sound ready (or equipped like BLI) locos and decoder makers hop along.

N scale smoke...Arnold made a few models years back that were based on european protoypes and did smoke rather nicely given the size.I'm contemplating the idea of fitting DCC to it but space is such a premium in this one (very small tender) that I already know I can't have both sound & smoke.Either option is a major project anyway so I back logged it to care about other priorities.


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## wsboyette (Jan 25, 2014)

N scale locomotive with smoke are hard to find. Arnold made a couple a long time ago, but I believe they were European types. Nobody has attempted to put smoke in an N scale locomotive since.


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## Fire21 (Mar 9, 2014)

*?? on feeder wires*

I'm building a 4x8 N-scale layout. This is my first venture into DCC. I'll be using a Digitrax Zephyr Xtra Set for power, and currently have two Kato PA-1s. I have tons of the small telephone wire, like is used to wire in telephones. Will this wire be adequate to use as feeders from a bus? How often should I install one (how long between feeders)? If these wires aren't adequate, what gauge wire should I use, knowing that I want at least a couple more locos in the future? Hope this is where these Qs belong. Thanks for any help....Bob


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## Brakeman Jake (Mar 8, 2009)

You should be OK with this wire as feeders.It is recommended to install feeders about every six feet of track,personally I install feeders every 3-4 feet on the main plus a feeder to every length of track between turnouts.Then every siding and spurs should have their feeders too.

If you do install many close feeders,you shouldn't worry they'd be too small...you'll never have more than one train fed by a single feeder.

For a layout this size in N scale,18 ga.is OK for the bus,though you may like 16 ga. better.Larger would be an overkill.


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## Brakeman Jake (Mar 8, 2009)

Was forgetting...set colour standards while wiring..it's easy to cross polarity then have a hair pulling short.


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## Fire21 (Mar 9, 2014)

*Thanks for quick reply*



Brakeman Jake said:


> You should be OK with this wire as feeders.It is recommended to install feeders about every six feet of track,personally I install feeders every 3-4 feet on the main plus a feeder to every length of track between turnouts.Then every siding and spurs should have their feeders too.
> 
> If you do install many close feeders,you shouldn't worry they'd be too small...you'll never have more than one train fed by a single feeder.
> 
> For a layout this size in N scale,18 ga.is OK for the bus,though you may like 16 ga. better.Larger would be an overkill.


It's great having teachers who have been there!!


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## wsboyette (Jan 25, 2014)

The current for your locos is not very high, on the order of 500 MA per loco. I think you'll be fine with what you have, even if it's 22 AWG wire. Since you are having multiple feeds, the effective size of the wire will seem much larger.


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