# 4 Axle BNSF Locomotive with DCC



## jkitsmiller (May 18, 2017)

I am starting my first layout and don't have a lot of room and the curves are 9 3/4" radius. I figure a 6 axle locomotive would not do well on those curves.

I tried searching the internet hobby stores, and believe it or not there is very little in Austin, TX, and I can't find an easy way to narrow down my search to say a 4 axle BNSF locomotive with DCC.

So I am hoping with the collective power of the forum, someone can suggest one.


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## BrokeCurmudgeon (Feb 8, 2016)

Checkout Fiferhobby.com. http://www.fiferhobby.com/kato-n-scale-locomotives/. His prices are competitive and he will install a decoder in the DCC Ready locomotives. He installed 3 decoders with sound for me and I have been quite happy. I am quite partial to Kato but there are other really good names as well like Atlas or Broadway Limited. Just ask him. He has always been very helpful to me.:appl:


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## Ko Improbable (Mar 15, 2017)

jkitsmiller said:


> I am starting my first layout and don't have a lot of room and the curves are 9 3/4" radius. I figure a 6 axle locomotive would not do well on those curves.
> 
> I tried searching the internet hobby stores, and believe it or not there is very little in Austin, TX, and I can't find an easy way to narrow down my search to say a 4 axle BNSF locomotive with DCC.
> 
> So I am hoping with the collective power of the forum, someone can suggest one.


Are you willing to accept older locomotives, from either Burlington Northern or ATSF?


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## jkitsmiller (May 18, 2017)

BrokeCurmudgeon said:


> Checkout Fiferhobby.com. http://www.fiferhobby.com/kato-n-scale-locomotives/. His prices are competitive and he will install a decoder in the DCC Ready locomotives. He installed 3 decoders with sound for me and I have been quite happy. I am quite partial to Kato but there are other really good names as well like Atlas or Broadway Limited. Just ask him. He has always been very helpful to me.:appl:


Thanks. Since I'm still new to this I don't really know which loco models to look at that are 4 axle (I'm assuming on my layout a 6 axle is too long, if not I have more options of course). The site you referenced, and others, list all the models, and there are lots, and I don't know if they are 4 axle or not, and definitely don't know if BNSF ran them. I was just hoping, greatly hoping, that someone could narrow it down for me. Thanks all.

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## jkitsmiller (May 18, 2017)

Ko Improbable said:


> Are you willing to accept older locomotives, from either Burlington Northern or ATSF?


I'm guessing I may have to, I just like the BNSF paint scheme. I'm not really tired to any, both BNSF and UP run near me.

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## GNfan (Jun 3, 2016)

*BNSF Geeps*

BNSF has plenty of "Geeps", mostly ex-BN or ATSF. This picture of a GP50 was taken not that far from my house:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3971703

He's running reefer cars to or from the Pasco yard to a huge cold-storage facility in the north end of Richland, WA (home to one of the world's largest French fry plants). Telling EMD four-axle from six-axle road switchers is easy: Four-axle models begin with "GP" (for General Purpose, hence "Geep") and six-axle models begin with "SD" (for "Special Duty"). MP15's (switchers on road trucks) are also 4-axle.

I sorted through modeltrainstuff.com and hobbylinc.com and didn't find anything like what you want. I'm afraid that's the reality of n-scale today . . . you either adapt what you want to model to what you can buy; or you learn to paint.


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## BrokeCurmudgeon (Feb 8, 2016)

Although my radii are 11 inches at minimum, I found that when using my DC 6 axle loco I had some problems. I do not have any 6 axle locos in DCC. I have been very happy with these: https://katousa.com/N/F3/
I have two a units and one b unit all sound equipped and they consist easy with my NCE PowerCab DCC system. The only problem is you need to install a "drop in decoder". Quite easy if one can see and their hands don't shake. This is why I paid to have Mike Fifer install them for me. I couldn't be happier with the installation, era and road name. However, I would like to find a WWII to 1960's era Santa Fe Steamer, but they are hard to find. Of course just my opinion and I am sure that many in this forum will have good advice also!:appl:


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## Ko Improbable (Mar 15, 2017)

*Found some, but no DCC*

http://foxvalleymodels.com/NLoco-GP60M.html

Doing my own little search for you, I was coming up blank on *any* four axle BNSF locomotives, other than, strangely, a GP60B unit (meaning, no cab) listed on Model Train Stuff, but no "A units." So, I looked on the manufacturer's website.

This is one of those things that frustrates me about the companies that manufacture stuff for the hobby. Someone, somewhere, should be making replacement shells for locomotives, to fill in gaps just like this one.


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## GNfan (Jun 3, 2016)

*But I digress . . .*

Kato models this in n-scale:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=65544

and Fox Valley Models is going to model this (Thanks, Ko Improbable):

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2800572

For all of the things we might want in n-scale that aren't modeled; these would make a really cool consist pulling a load of double-stacks


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## jkitsmiller (May 18, 2017)

GNfan said:


> He's running reefer cars to or from the Pasco yard to a huge cold-storage facility in the north end of Richland, WA (home to one of the world's largest French fry plants). Telling EMD four-axle from six-axle road switchers is easy: Four-axle models begin with "GP" (for General Purpose, hence "Geep") and six-axle models begin with "SD" (for "Special Duty"). MP15's (switchers on road trucks) are also 4-axle.


Based on this would this be what I'm looking for, a 4 axle?

http://www.fiferhobby.com/walthers-gp38-2-locomotives/

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## GNfan (Jun 3, 2016)

Yes, a GP38-2 will do what you want. Note that those are listed as "DCC Ready" (and not "DCC Equipped") so you'll have to buy the decoder separately. I don't use DCC myself; someone here who does can advise you. Fifer is a member here and highly regarded; if you buy the loco and decoder together he may install it for you.

This is a pic of the prototype, taken about half-an-hour by interstate highway from me: 

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2153884


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## jkitsmiller (May 18, 2017)

GNfan said:


> Yes, a GP38-2 will do what you want. Note that those are listed as "DCC Ready" (and not "DCC Equipped") so you'll have to buy the decoder separately. I don't use DCC myself; someone here who does can advise you. Fifer is a member here and highly regarded; if you buy the loco and decoder together he may install it for you.
> 
> This is a pic of the prototype, taken about half-an-hour by interstate highway from me:
> 
> http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2153884


Awesome! Thanks for all the info on what to look for. Thanks to those that even went so far as to do searches for me. 😊

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