Can Experience Please Tell Me?


McLeod

McLeod

Forest Lurker
I decided in December, to get my grandkids a train set for Christmas, not knowing diddly about trains or train sets. Little did I know that effort would ignite a desire in myself to pursue the hobby in a far more grand scale. It was probably a mistake to buy one of the train sets with that raised black steel track, but, in my defence, I just didn't know.
Now, I'm wondering about that Bachmann GP40 that was provided in the set I bought. I took the shell off to see what it was all about. Can you tell me if this locomotive is DCC ready by looking at it?
BachGP40_02-2020 (2).JPG
Also, I took a photo of a bulkhead flatcar down at our small, local yard. I'm wondering if anyone knows how long the car is by looking at a photo? I can't see it on the CN roster page.
BulkFlat2_02-03-2020.jpg
Because I'm new, and inexperienced, I'll be asking more than a few questions as I go along. I hope you don't mind!
Thanks. Guy
 
Well, I suppose I'll just nail that black track onto a painted board and let the kids run the GP40 around an oval. That's what I was thinking when I bought it anyway.
I now feel that buying the train set was a mistake. I should have researched it beforehand, and bought the proper supplies to develop a small layout with the kids getting involved. Which is what I'm trying to do now.
 
Yep, let the kids beat it up, and get bored with it. then you have a good candidate to practice installing a decoder, and getting your feet wet on a non expensive locomotive. Also could use it for weathering practice. Probably don't want Bachmann for your good permanent layout anyway. Theres much better locomotive brands out there.
 
The flat car you are showing the picture of is known as a 50' Canadian bulkhead flat car, largely used for the transporting of packaged lumber, e.g.
1581119531790.png

If you are planning on building in HO scale, Walthers have made examples in several railroad names.

As far as your model loco and depending on it's scale (HO or N), there have been "drop-in" replacement DCC decoders made for various ones, but whether for that particular one, I'm not sure.. As Mike has suggested, let the kids have fun with that one to judge their interest while you build your empire (you'll find a few on here). Welcome to the infection, McLeod.
 
wvg_ca said:
nope, it's not DCC ready, if it was it would have a 8 pin connector [or similar] to just plug the decoder in to , this one seems to just have a light board ..
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Correct in that it is not DCC "ready," but this one is super simply to convert to DCC should you want to. I have the exact same loco and think it's a great runner. NCE makes a good decoder that will drop right in in place of the light board, the BACH-DSL: https://tonystrains.com/product/nce-5240139-bach-dsl-decoder. It's a simply decoder, but it's literally, I think, four tabs to solder and you're good to go.

AND, on another note, as far as DCC or DC, there's no reason why you can't do either one. There are many HUGE layouts that run DC, tiny ones running DCC and vice versa. You get more bells and whistles (literally) with DCC, but you can still have lots of fun with DC as well.
 
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tootnkumin said:
The flat car you are showing the picture of is known as a 50' Canadian bulkhead flat car, largely used for the transporting of packaged lumber
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Thankyou for that, tootnkumin. We have many of those cars running through town with a pulp and sawmill in town limits. I want to run cars 40-50' on the small, HO industrial layout plan I hope to build. We have oil, coal, pulp-n-paper, and dimensional lumber in the immediate area.
 
KB02 said:
this one is super simply to convert to DCC should you want to. I have the exact same loco and think it's a great runner. NCE makes a good decoder that will drop right in in place of the light board, the BACH-DSL: https://tonystrains.com/product/nce-5240139-bach-dsl-decoder. It's a simply decoder, but it's literally, I think, four tabs to solder and your good to go.
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Thankyou for that link.
At that price for a decoder, it makes sense to me to purchase a DC locomotive and the decoder separately. I'm finding out that you can pick up a DC engine for +/- $100.00, and the DCC seem to hit the $350.00+ range.
 
Since the fire has been reignited, and IF you have the funds and space, I'd say to just leave this one loco to the kids and buy one (non-set quality) loco DCC/sound on board, get a DCC controller such as an NCE PowerCab or other brand, learn either 'open grid' or 'L girder' benchwork (avoiding the flat 4'x8' ply sheet layout ). A great book for this is "Model Railroad Benchwork" by Lynn Wescott), come up with a logical track plan, dig right in to the meat and potatoes of the current state of the hobby, cut your losses, and don't look back..
All the best, M
PS. If you do plan to add decoders, if you want sound you'll also have to install speakers. And this ops is a real toughie, as well as not being a much of a cost saver after purchasing all the components. Bachmann makes some great locos at quite reasonable prices.. Find them on ebay, DCC/sound on board (That is, unless you don't want sound/lighting control)...
 
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All I will add to the great answers you have received is "go slow" - don't overload yourself with everything at once - otherwise, it is easy to become discouraged. Visit some clubs and hobby shops (if available nearby) and talk to other modelers - someone here, as well, will help you.

You can purchase many good older (manufactured) locomotives in the 50-70 dollar range from auction sites.
The $350 models are the top of the line: DCC, working lights, and sound.
 
McLeod said:
I'm finding out that you can pick up a DC engine for +/- $100.00, and the DCC seem to hit the $350.00+ range.
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I am guessing the $350 has sound. Sound will generally add about $100 depending on the quality. BUT, If you look around you can find DCC & sound for $130-180.

For example:
A Genesis (top of the line) SD45 - https://www.trainworld.com/manufact...esel-emd-sd45-w-tsunami-r-sound-dcc-cnw-6485/
An Intermountain (very good brand name) SD40 - https://www.trainworld.com/manufacturers/model-train-specials/specials-ho-scale/specials-engines-2/intermountain-49335s-ho-sd40-2-canadian-national-with-dcc-and-sound/

The only locomotives I believe I have paid $350 or more for were steamers with DCC and sound.
 
I may add, If you are starting with DC Try to buy new locos that are DCC ready. I have purchased a bunch of used locomotives at auctions that are only DC which add to the complexity of converting. I own only 2 DCC ready locomotives that I purchased new and wish I had stuck to that.....
 
Thanks to all for the information and advice.
After spending a good deal of time here on the forum, reading and learning, I've decided to enter the hobby in a more cautious 'step by step' approach. I've decided to increase my existing space available in the basement by simply moving a door. That will increase my available clear space to 96 sq.ft.. Of course, I'll also have to paint and prepare that space, including lighting and electrical considerations. So I don't even expect to worry about benchwork until spring arrives.
On the interim, I'll read and learn, and pick up some track items that I can afford as I go along. I'm really leaning toward the Athern Genesis GP9, DCC ready, as it really fits into the 1965 period I hope to model.
Thanks again. Guy
 
A hint for appropriate rolling stock for your time period so you don't buy too late for it. The well marked items for some time now, in the very fine print along the lower sides will have the date the full size maker produced them. Shown as "Date Blt" month and year or sometimes simply "Blt", or "New".
 
tootnkumin said:
A hint for appropriate rolling stock for your time period so you don't buy too late for it. The well marked items for some time now, in the very fine print along the lower sides will have the date the full size maker produced them. Shown as "Date Blt" month and year or sometimes simply "Blt", or "New".
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See the "Weight and Capacity Data" heading here, which also talks about re-weigh dates:
http://vanderheide.ca/blog/2017/09/29/dating-via-the-details/

Also note that if you're targeting a 1965 date, basically everything other heading in this article is something you should specifically *NOT* see on any cars on your layout.
 
Also this followup, in which the main take-away is the date that running boards (roofwalks) and tall ladders were no longer required: 1966.

http://vanderheide.ca/blog/2018/03/16/dating-via-the-details-2/

So if you're interested in a 1965 target, you should avoid anything that lacks roofwalks as "too new".

(Also those 52' bulkhead flatcars discussed earlier in this thread were built in the 1970s, so no good for a 1965 time frame. And that Alaska scheme is definitely newer as well.)
 
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Thank you for the links which have afforded interesting insight, for sure.
cv_acr said:
(Also those 52' bulkhead flatcars discussed earlier in this thread were built in the 1970s, so no good for a 1965 time frame. And that Alaska scheme is definitely newer as well.)
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Yes, I do realize the Alaska GP40 is way out to lunch for my desired time frame; it's the grandkids toy anyway.
Also, I did read the BLT:1974 on the BC Rail bulkhead flatcar, and I'm sure the CN flatcar is from the same decade.
Even though I have not looked much, yet, I mean to search out what cars would have been used in the early 60's as coal, oil, and lumber transports. Those industries would certainly have been the players in this area back then. I believe we may even have had some passenger traffic back in the day. I found a photo of a CN 3rd class depot built in our town, with a 1960 Chev pickup parked beside the building. To me, a nice depot like that, must mean passengers.
 
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