Kato Con-Cor Santa Fe Center Cab Switcher 701 B - eBay (item 200566226187 end time Jan-23-11 16:10:33 PST) Google revealed nothing I just want to know if it's DCC Ready. Also, are there any steam switchers (0-4-0 or 0-6-0) out there that are DCC Ready? I really like the new Bachmann ones but it doesn't specify. Thank you!
I think it looks like the DD13. Here's a link to Mark's (Spookshow) encyclopedia entry for the model. http://www.visi.com/~spookshow/centercab.html
that is a Con Cor Kato built Japanese prototype that looks like a 1940's transfer loco, great loco for 1985. As for the small steamersand DCC, only the Bachmann 4-6-0 is it
No it is not DCC ready, Kato stopped working with ConCor way before DCC ready was in anyones mind. Also, the listing looks very suspect, stay away from someone that can not verify operation and has no seller information listed.
It's hard to tell with the unit in the box but it does look a little european. Alco made a prototype centercab swicher that looks somewhat like it. If it is DCC ready it should say it in the listing or on the box. DCC ready has several meanings. Visit some sites like Trainworld, fifer or first hobby and check their listings for the 0-4-0 or 0-6-0 for DCC compatability. My bachmann 2-8-0 says it's DCC ready (meaning there is room for a decoder)
About the only DCC ready steam switcher is the Walthers 0-8-0, the second run were pretty good. Many railroads used old road engines such as 4-6-0's or 2-8-0's as switchers as they were replaced by more modern engines so the Bachmann 4-6-0 or 2-8-0 wouldn't be out of place in the yard.
It means more than that (in this case). You can remove the weight in the front of the boiler and all the wires are color coded to the decoder wires. It's probably harder to remove the shell than convert it to DCC. Jason
Those are also hard to convert from rapido to knuckle couplers since the couplers are truck attached.
