N Scale Steam Question

[tmlbk]

I hope someone can help me.  I recently tore down my modern era room size layout and am strongly considering building a new late steam era shelf layout based in the Southeast US.  Can someone tell me which N scale steam engines can make 11" radius curves and are DCC friendly?  Recommendations and links would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Southeastern stuff? I think that new bachmann ten wheeler, with DCC already in it, is going to be your ticket, provided it can hack the curves.

Other than that, I don't know. 11" is kinda tight.

[Mark5]

Southeastern stuff? I think that new bachmann ten wheeler, with DCC already in it, is going to be your ticket, provided it can hack the curves.
.

Hmm late steam era? The 10 wheeler is kinda of archaic for that era.

So I guess some important questions - are you looking at mainline steam, or shortline type stuff (late steam era).

Most steamers will negotiate 11" no problem in terms of operational aspects.

Mark

[victor miranda]

the list of DCC friendly locos is a little short.
most plastic steamers will round 11 inch radius

If it has a tender the decoder is usually easy to place there


best bet is the dcc installed b-mann 2-8-0

one of the issues is how specific your question happens to be.
the best steamer in n-scale is the Kato Mikado.
and it is not considered DCC friendly

there are other locos that can make it around the 11 inch radius
and are friendly to DCC, but they look a little strange doing it.

the Kato GS4 and CC 2-10-2 are good examples of that.

I am unhappy to tell you that right now b-mann makes three locos
that fit your list.
run them before you buy them.
b-mann quality control leaves a lot to be desired.

the three: 0-6-0 and 2-6-2, (the same thing with different tenders)
the new 4-6-0  has DCC installed, and the 2-8-0 which has a new release with DCC.

and If you need a pacific or biiig american or mogul
there is the items from Model Power.  

luck
v

[93cram]

My Bachman 2-8-0 handles Kato's Unitrack 282mm radius without a hitch (though I've rather running on larger radius  ;D)
I suppose your choice of radius copes with a 2' wide benchwork ?
This engine can run superbly, provided you test it before buying, as mentioned.

The models has been said to be very similar to some ICRR engines, but I'd guess it can be used
for any freelanced steam shortline in the 40/50's which could have bought it second hand from a
larger road in the 20/30's.

With both the 2-8-0 and 2-6-0, you would have a neat basic roster for a shortline with 'everyday
ex. Sun mixed' service down South 

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Having have read the Lucious Beebe book, I can tell you, that 4-6-0 is not archaic for such a circumstance, and the Bachmann 2-8-0 is actually a fairly large locomotive to be found in that situation.

Look at it compared to a 40' boxcar, then look at some of the equipment in that book next to one and you'll see what I mean.

If it were me, I'd go with the 4-6-0, and possibly one of the Russian Decks when they come out (which I now hope again they will).

[Mark5]

Ed, as you might imagine, late steam for me means 40s-50s.  

We still don't know if he means shortline (ala Lucious and the Ma & Pa), branchline, or mainline steam.

[tmlbk]

Wow!  Thanks for all the good information!  My concept is to show an interchange between a run-down shortline and a mainline, so both types of engines could be used.  The emphasis will be on the short line however.

The tight turns will be hidden within hills at each end of the layout (14' x 24").

[Mr. G]

Wow!  Thanks for all the good information!  My concept is to show an interchange between a run-down shortline and a mainline, so both types of engines could be used.  The emphasis will be on the short line however.

The tight turns will be hidden within hills at each end of the layout (14' x 24").

Get yourself a copy of Beebe's "Mixed Train Daily".  There are several lines in the book located in the Southeast in the late 40s that were running 4-6-0s by burning yellow pine or turpentine roots.  Since the announcement of the Bachmann locomotive, I've been thinking of getting one, an MDC combine and a slew of ragged 40' wood boxcars to recreate my own little version of the Marianna & Blountstown or one of the many other small Southern railroads.

[FloridaBoy]

Many years ago, I worked for a City that had a dispute with the Florida East Coast Railway which ran right through town and in front of City Hall.  We wanted to beautify and landscape the right of way which was in poor condition, to which they resisted.

We had ongoing negotiations over a 14 month period, and at one time, Red Wyckoff, the President noticed my desk set with an FECRR loco, and some locos on display behind my desk, and a friendship was formed. Whenever he came to negotiate terms, he would bring scrapbooks of the entire road along the Florida east coast which I never lost interest, and made many copies.

What was interesting was that FECRR ran big steamers, like Mountains, Northerns and such to pull long trains on even grade.  I would never have guessed they would use such power, but for your southeast based rr, the Bachmann Mountains and ConCor Northerns with FECRR decals could be used.

Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

[SebastianLee]

Wow!  Thanks for all the good information!  My concept is to show an interchange between a run-down shortline and a mainline, so both types of engines could be used.  The emphasis will be on the short line however.

The tight turns will be hidden within hills at each end of the layout (14' x 24").

You could easily do The Lancaster & Chester Railway  original 29 miles of track.

[93cram]

the Bachmann 2-8-0 is actually a fairly large locomotive to be found in that situation.

True enough, that's why I hinted the said shortline would have bought it from a larger road in the 20's or 30's, which
implies that the shortline's traffic base is quite healthy indeed