I am not sure if this is the place for this question, if not I'm sure someone will let me know. I am looking to buy a new loco and am leaning twards a P2K from the internet. I do not know if they are DCC ready or just DC the adds do not say. I would like to have DCC ready with bright white LED lights, and all wheel pick-up and all wheel drive. I am looking at a BN GP 38-2. Can anyone shed a little light on the subject. I have heard the P2K are good lococ, is this correct? Thanks Mike
Need advice on buying new loco
- Thread starter Traintown
- Start date
IronBeltKen
Lazy Daydreamer
Mike,
Both types of locos (plain DC and decoder-equipped) are available from P2K. Are you buying this geep on eBay or from an online hobby retailer? If eBay, you should be able to email the seller to find out those answers. Otherwise, the retailer's online catalog listing should state whether the unit is decoder/sound-equipped or not. The price is usually a good indicator - any P2K over $250 is usually fully equipped.
The detailing and paint on P2K locos is excellent IMHO, although many of their early production units had quality issues (worms gears would crack). Can't help you on the LED color, I'm afraid...
Both types of locos (plain DC and decoder-equipped) are available from P2K. Are you buying this geep on eBay or from an online hobby retailer? If eBay, you should be able to email the seller to find out those answers. Otherwise, the retailer's online catalog listing should state whether the unit is decoder/sound-equipped or not. The price is usually a good indicator - any P2K over $250 is usually fully equipped.
The detailing and paint on P2K locos is excellent IMHO, although many of their early production units had quality issues (worms gears would crack). Can't help you on the LED color, I'm afraid...
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Found it on the Walthers site but no further info.
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/433-30778
PK2 loco's are really nice quality, I have two sw8's and a 2-8-8-2 very smooth and quiet.
Ken.
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/433-30778
PK2 loco's are really nice quality, I have two sw8's and a 2-8-8-2 very smooth and quiet.
Ken.
Smoke
Southern Railway lives on
Here is the a P2K Gp38-2 with 88" nose for $67.99.
http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/manufacturer/llp2kenginesclearance.html
They also have a ton of other clearanc stuff. Go here to get to the rest of the clearance items.http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/ The HO scale stuff is listed down the middle of the page.
About the quality of these enigne I just bought a Gp30 and it pulls 19 cars up a 2% grade. The detail is good. I actually stripped mine and it took about half an hour to get all the detail parts off.
dekruif
http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/manufacturer/llp2kenginesclearance.html
They also have a ton of other clearanc stuff. Go here to get to the rest of the clearance items.http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/ The HO scale stuff is listed down the middle of the page.
About the quality of these enigne I just bought a Gp30 and it pulls 19 cars up a 2% grade. The detail is good. I actually stripped mine and it took about half an hour to get all the detail parts off.
dekruif
HaggisKennedy
Coal Shoveler
P2Ks sometimes comes in what I call 3 flavors: DCC Decoder equipped (those have decoder and sound, the most recent releases), DCC-ready (these have the 8-pin NMRA plug already there), and (my term here) DCC-convertable. This last one doesn't have the plug, but you can take off the existing board and hard wire a decoder in it's place (i.e., not plug 'n' play). May also have to check for motor grounding and the like.
I may have this loco at home (or, at least one with a number close to it). I'll check, if I remember tonite. But, if I had to guess, I'd say it should have the plug; I thought the GP38-2s were recent runs. Recent being within the last 2 yrs or so...
Kennedy
I may have this loco at home (or, at least one with a number close to it). I'll check, if I remember tonite. But, if I had to guess, I'd say it should have the plug; I thought the GP38-2s were recent runs. Recent being within the last 2 yrs or so...
Kennedy
New Loco
It depends on how old the model is. The original P2K models were not really DCC ready. I have replaced the entire light board on all of mine. The new ones are usually "plug & play". From the price, I'd say yours will be an "install your own" This can mean plugging in a decoder, or replacing the factory board with a DCC one. The guys at First Hobby may make you a deal on a decoder that will fit. You don't state your ability to do this kind of work, so I'll ask. Can you handle a soldering iron? You can also try "Tony's Train Exchange". They do installs and offer package deals. Do a google search and you'll find their website. Good luck.
Alan
It depends on how old the model is. The original P2K models were not really DCC ready. I have replaced the entire light board on all of mine. The new ones are usually "plug & play". From the price, I'd say yours will be an "install your own" This can mean plugging in a decoder, or replacing the factory board with a DCC one. The guys at First Hobby may make you a deal on a decoder that will fit. You don't state your ability to do this kind of work, so I'll ask. Can you handle a soldering iron? You can also try "Tony's Train Exchange". They do installs and offer package deals. Do a google search and you'll find their website. Good luck.
Alan
