Just about to purchase

[flesland]

Hey fellows, hoping all you guys be well. This time I would like you ask for my next rolling stock and locomotive purchase on MB Klein, and they are:


Athearn HO 92843 Ready-to-Run 50' Combo Box, BN #2

Athearn HO 70147 RTR 40' Modern Box, BN #1

Walthers HO 3557 Pullman Standard 60' Auto Box Car - Single Door, Burlington Northern #355180

Branchline HO 190054 40' Single Door Box Car, 6' Door, Riveted Sides - Assembled -- Burlington Northern #161459

and for the locomotive:

ATHEARN HO 77822 GP50, BN #3108

Do all of them are going to couple each other without problems ? , I mean because the different way of coupling.

Do all of them plastic made?

It seems like the locomotive is totally for DC use, I mean it's not DCC READY, isn´t ?

The minimum curve radio allowable for this kind of rolling stock, would be 22" ?

Comentary, advices, warnings, will be good received !!

Sorry for my english !

Thanks to much for answers !!!

 

[macjet]

Hola! Buenos dias.

Everything except the 60' boxcar would run fine on 18" radius curves. However, if you have the room for 22" curves that would be mucho bueno!

I don't think you will have any problems with coupling. They should all come with a variation of the Kadee #5. I don't think anyone is shipping horn hook couplers anymore. However, there are several here who have a lot more knowledge them me.

Standby for more experienced modelers!

My neighbor is from Republica de Chile and speaks very highly of your country. Welcome to the forum amigo. Pardon my Spanish. Me habla espanol un poco.

 

[UP2CSX]

All the cars will couple together fine with the locomotive. As Mac said, almost no new cars or locomotives are being shipped with anything but knuckle type couplers. You may decide to change some for them to more reliable Kadee couplers in the future but the ones they have will be fine for now.

The Athearn engine, although it doesn't have a DCC plug, can be converted to DCC with a $20 decoder and some soldering later on with no problem. It is a straight DC engine now. If you want an engine that has DCC installed but will still run on DC, make sure you look at the Bachmann Spectrum line. They are less expensive than the Athearn RTR engine but run well and have about the same level of detail.

 

[flesland]

The Athearn engine, although it doesn't have a DCC plug, can be converted to DCC with a $20 decoder and some soldering later on with no problem. It is a straight DC engine now. If you want an engine that has DCC installed but will still run on DC, make sure you look at the Bachmann Spectrum line. They are less expensive than the Athearn RTR engine but run well and have about the same level of detail.

My friend UP2CSX, are you talking about to install the following decoder ?

http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/product_p/bac-44913.htm

it´s unknown for me actually this theme about DCC, I could understand that this Athearn locomotive is ready to install a decoder or maybe is necessary to do something else?

Thanks to everybody !!

 

[UP2CSX]

Yes, although a decoder from NCE would be better quality and cost about the same. They look about the same but the NCE decoder has more capabilities.

DCC means Digital Command Control. It differs from DC because 16 volts AC is sent through the rails and the DCC controller sends and receives signals from the decoder in the engine. This controls everything from speed and direction to lighting. You can run multiple locomotives and trains with no special wiring and trains usually run better with DCC. There's a good explanation of DCC at http://www.tonystrainexchange.com/tonystips/dccprimer/index.htm.