Recommendations for First HO Steam Engine with Sound

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dlobmwm3

Member
Hello everyone.

I am in the market for my first steam engine for our layout. We have a inside and outer mainline with the inside being 20" radius turn and 22" for the outside. We have main Kato diesels and like the quality with one Atlas Gold Series and one Proto 2000 with sound. Any recommendations would be grateful. Thanks for reading.
 
Blueline
athern
proto 2000

all are DCC ready or DCC equiped and are very good products

Blueline has DC and DCC sound. you need to buy a special controler to use the sound functions on DC. on DCC it will work off the dcc controler

most of these MFG have made their locos to run on 18" radius. I have a BLI heavy mike and it notonly pulls great but looks good for the price
 
An Athern Genesis Challenger would be nice except they are out of production. The Challenger will work okay on the 20/22" curves.
Big Boy and UP FEF's don't like curves less than 22".
I like the Genesis locomotives and have 2 Big Boys, 1 Challenger and 1 FEF-3. The sound is very nice on all but the 8-coupled wheels limit minimum curve radius.

Then again you could look for any DCC ready steam like a Pacific or Bershire and install a Tsunami sound decoder.
 


Hey lmackattack, do you work for Mack? I worked for Volvo Trucks NA for about 5.5 yrs. Were you in the Allentown HQ? What about MTH? Good brand?
 
I'd get a Bachmann Spectrum 2-8-0 and swap the decoder for a Tsunami sound decoder. The engine is inexpensive, well detailed, and runs good. There's plenty of room in the tender for the speaker and the Tsunami decoder should be almost an exact replacement for the Bachmann decoder in terms of size.
 
dlobmwm3 said:
Hey lmackattack, do you work for Mack? I worked for Volvo Trucks NA for about 5.5 yrs. Were you in the Allentown HQ? What about MTH? Good brand?
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Hello
I Never worked for mack but put many of miles in them. I currently own 2 of the "real" Macks. ;)
1977 RS700L
1965 B61
IMO Volvo is destroying the Mack name... they just sold the old HQ a few weeks ago:mad:

One thing we shold ask is if you want to run on DC or DCC.
most will agree with me saying DCC is the best way to go if you want to control the sounds.

MTH are very nice locos they have great detail sound and smoke systems. they are pricy. I dont own one but down at the club we have alot of PRR fans that have the light mikes and they are great performers. the smoke system they have is one of a kind.

Bachman spectrum
Blueline
Athearn
Proto 2000

they all have great details and perform well, so you really cant go wrong. check ebay or factory direct trains for some good deals
 
IMO, the Swedes have destroyed Mack also, thats why I left. The culture was more family at Mack when I went to Allentown.
 
UP2CSX said:
I'd get a Bachmann Spectrum 2-8-0 and swap the decoder for a Tsunami sound decoder. The engine is inexpensive, well detailed, and runs good. There's plenty of room in the tender for the speaker and the Tsunami decoder should be almost an exact replacement for the Bachmann decoder in terms of size.
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Would this be the one with the sound already?
 
If you want the best of all worlds, go with Broadway Limited/Precision Craft. The QSI sound system is better than the MRC one in Athearn steamers, though not as good as the Tsunami. (close though I think!;)) Their mechanisms are better than the Bachman Spectrums. Blueline models are OK, but they are targeting modelers who want sound but don't want DCC. I prefer one decoder per model, but that's me. BLI Precision Craft also pull well. MTH is basically 3 rail O shrunk down to HO. Too toylike for me!

Just my opinions. YMMV.
 
You didn't mention the price range or if that matters. If you want a medium priced loco, then the combo Jim mentioned is ideal. For more money, then the I go along with Alan and the BLI Paragons or Precision Craft Models. Regardless, I would stick with Tsunami, QSI, or Loksound sound decoders. (BTW Alan: My PCM's use Loksound decoders and I would rate them near the Tsunami and better than QSI.)
 


Espeefan said:
MTH is basically 3 rail O shrunk down to HO. Too toylike for me!

Just my opinions. YMMV.
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:confused:I was talking about the higher end stuff of mikes train house they have some really nice stuff with the proto sounds and the steam action matched to the chuff rate. I agree that the low end stuff is not very intresting to me.

Trent
 
Nope, I meant it all:) I've seen their GS-4 and the GS-6 (actually a GS-4) and a few others. Not to disrespect your tastes, but I find the lack of complete functionality on DCC & needing their DCS system a major turnoff, as well as the terrible drawbar spacing on the steam models, and some of the sound effects. Passengers saying goodbye?:confused: Seems to me like he's targeting those who like three rail but want HO. The ones who like the toy train stuff. If that floats your boat, enjoy ;), it is after all, all about having fun. It's just not my thing:)
 
Alan, I was just thinking about the MTH DCS system and how their locos would not give the full sounds or functions on NMRA standard DCC.
 
dlobmwm3 said:
Would this be the one with the sound already?
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No, I would buy the cheaper model that has DCC but no sound. The sound equipped models aren't bad but nowhere near as nice as a Tsunami. You can pick up a DCC equipped 2-8-0 for about $60 and a Tsunami decoder for about $120. This is about the same price as the sound equipped 2-8-0 but you'll have much better sound and a much better decoder.
 
Rex, an even better deal then. One of the guys down here has the Bachmann Consolidation with a Tsunami and it sounds amazing. The decoder also seems to give much better motor control than the Bachmann standard DCC decoder. The Bachmann sound equipped Consolidation has a Soundtrax decoder and doesn't sound bad but you'll pay $170 for it compared to $155 for the non-sound Consolidation and a much better sound decoder, in addition to having a basic decoder left over to boot. :)
 
Good thread guys! Keep the recommendations coming. I only have diesel so far but hope to acquire a DCC/sound ready steam in the few months. This
information is very interesting to me as well.:o
Dan

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
Winston Churchill
 
M.B. Klein's has been unloading Spectrum steamers with sound, but I would seriously consider a Proto 2000 Heritage Bershire with sound or one of the 2-10-2 models. They are beautiful and have a QSI decoder to boot. Get the chip puller and the upgrade chip from Litchfield or from Tony's and you have a top drawer engine.

My 2 cents.
 


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