Can someone sound off on what pros and cons are about dcc Locos from either Atlas or Kato? I have been looking into both and am confused and which are better or more reliable. I see that they both have Locos that come with DCC installed, which is great. I do see price differences and was wondering what the more seasoned guys think?
ATLAS DCC or KATO DCC??? N scale.
- Thread starter ajaxusa
- Start date
WCWBrassHat
Member
The Atlas DCC engines are very good. They usually come with either a Lenz or Digitrax decoder. If you have or pick a non-DCC engine, they can be converted with drop in decoders from a variety of decoder manufacturers. The Atlas "Classic" line is more difficult to convert, but TCS has come out with a new decoder to make it easier.
I don't think that Kato is selling DCC equipped engines. They are DCC ready and will take drop in decoders from several manufacturers.
I haven't tried one yet, but MRC makes sound decoders for most of the Atlas and Kato engines.
Glenn
I don't think that Kato is selling DCC equipped engines. They are DCC ready and will take drop in decoders from several manufacturers.
I haven't tried one yet, but MRC makes sound decoders for most of the Atlas and Kato engines.
Glenn
Blacksheep
Member
I was also curious about some of the manufacturers DCC "ready" locos. I have some Kato F7's, real mint but I'm not sure their age. Do you know how far back Kato went with their DCC ready units or is there a way I can tell?
Thanks!
Thanks!
The latest releases are DCC friendly. I think that goes back to about 2005 or so. If you don't have the newest Super Chief or Zephyr locomotives, they are probably not easily DCC-able.
More F3's have been recently released that are DCC friendly, BN, WP, DRGW, CB&Q and others.
I'm thinking the ones with the customer-installed number boards are DCC ready/friendkly.
Blacksheep
Member
Thanks for the heads up, I kept hitting a brick wall on this. I finally found the boxes from Kato last night in storage (My stuff is in train cases around the office) and ran the model numbers. Even though these are New out of the box, they are from their 93 release I believe. I got them from my dad a few years back, he never had an N Scale Layout and never had power to them. All three of the A-B-A units are powered.
Anyway, I'm just kicking tires here, thinking of a new layout and its between On30 and N scale. Love the On30 but I have a pile of N Scale Rolling Stock and some locos so with my limited budget I'm still deciding what to do. What ever I do I want full sound and DCC so thanks for the help.
I wonder how hard/impossible it would be to DCC these units.......
bluetoolman302
New Member
I have both Atlas and Kato Dcc equipped locomotives, the Atlas ones are not as easy to install as the Kato. The Atlas locos you have to take apart to install the boards whereas the Kato, you remove the original board and install the Dcc board.The Katos are 2006 Vintage,the Atlas 2005.Depending on the age of you locomotives,you may have to wire in the decoder.
DCCinstalled
Member
Atlas has switched from the Lenz to NCE decoders in the newer releases.
I'm about where you are in terms of confusion. From what I can tell DCC in N Scale is a work in progress and if you want sound just hide and wait. Only the most recent Kato diesel locos will accept DCC and even those may not accept DCC with sound. Do NOT buy MRC! I was told that MRC would "drop in" to my Kato EMD SD70M and that didn't happen. I ordered a Kato SD70 ACe that I was assured would work with the MRC unit and discovered that it didn't work either. I did some precision milling on the frame of the ACe to fit the speaker and now I have a spare parts loco. I don't have any experience with Atlas but I can say that I bought an Athearn EMD FP45 with DCC and sound and I couldn't be happier. I think all of us in N Scale are stuck waiting for technology to catch up to your small sized locos.
John
John
