Try Brooklyn locomotive works or Ebay Joe you have to watch ebay like a hawk they have a lot CSX stuff I also model CSX.
I only have TWO BACHMANN locos and I wanna keep it that way. And believe me I have over 100 locos. That is all I wanna say about Crapmann I mean Bachmann.
Kato does offer plenty of locos its just that they offer the newer locos like SD70's, AC4400CW's, SD40's. I have a pair of AC4400CW's and I also have a pair of CSX SD70's in the YN2 and YN3 paint scheme from Kato (you can check out my album). I'm waiting for the YN3 SD70ACe's to be released. So in a sense you are correct that Atlas has a lot more CSX locos cause I have a lot more Atlas on my layout then Kato. But you can't rule out Kato either.
Been looking more around and have found some CSX Atlas engines for a good price, like $109 for an CSX Dash 8-40B from Atlas with DCC. Question is, if I buy an Atlas engine with the DCC already installed, will that work with any DCC CAB/COMMAND unit I may buy later? Joe
Many Atlas locos that have decoders come with Lenz decoders, and I don't think I have ever heard of an incompatibility problem with any of the major DCC systems. I run them on Digitrax with no problems. I have heard similar reports from users of NCE and Lenz systems. Good luck!
My vote goes to......................[drumroll]..................Lifelike. Yep, LifeLike. I got LifeLike FA/B1's, FA/B2's, Erie builts, GP18's and GP20's and all of them pull a ton. The only problem is converting them to DCC as they are not designed for plug and play decoders. But other than that, LifeLike locomotives have very good slow speed characteristics and did I mention they pull a ton? I did? Okay.
These are all good LL models. I would add that PAs and C-Liners with the split frame mechanism are also very good.
I have a few Atlas DCC locomotives with factory installed Lenz decoders and they work just fine on my Digitrax DCC system. However, I do not care for the Lenz decoders because the headlights are very dim, even when adjusted to their max brightness. I prefer Digitrax or other third party decoders because they seem to have better features and they have nice bright headlights--just the way I like them. Jamie
If your modeling CSX I would recommend Atlas for 4 axle power & Kato for your big 6 axle power. Unless you find an Athearn SD70M for a great price.
In addition, I have two Atlas loco's with the factory installed Lenz boards and both require a resistor circuit to program. :thumbs_down:
As some have said, the decoders should work on just about all systems. You may have to tinker with it a little for programming though. One misconception - Atlas does not use a Lenz decoder anymore. The decoders have been made by Atlas in China using early Lenz components and firmware. There has not been a true Lenz decoder in an Atlas locomotive for about 6 or more years. Lenz has offered to upgrade the the decoders for Atlas, but they have not accepted the Lenz offer. The SD50 I bought with a factory decoder in 2002 says Atlas and not Lenz on it. The point here, is that you would do better, as others have said, to get a better decoder, infact, often you can buy the DC locomotive and the superior modern decoder for less than the Factory installed version even at the Internet discount prices. But fear not, sites like: woo woo woo Klien - woo woo woo - Model Trains and Model Railroad Accessories Brooklyn Locomotive Works - Brooklyn Locomotive Works -- Your N Scale Source TexNRails - A Hobby Shop Source for Model Trains and Model Railroading, TexNrails is it. NScaleSupply - http://www.nscalesupply.com and so many more have CSX locomotives in stock for you in all of the major brands. You should have no problems finding CSX products. So welcome to N Scale and Welcome to Trainboard, and do not fear DCC, it is not as bad or as difficult as most people think. Your success with DCC will be directly related to the quality of the controller you get. That is your first and most difficult decision. Now sit back and enjoy the ride!
I think its fair to state here though (particularly for a non-DCC person) that you really can't rely on brand names in this scale. The legacy models (maybe except for Kato) are all over the map for quality from the same company. You simply can't imagine two models that are further apart from the same company than a legacy Bachmann GP40 and a new Bachmann 44-tonner. Or the original Bachmann 2-8-0 and the Bachmann spectrum 2-8-0. Use Spookshow's locomotive encyclopedia. He's our N scale 'consumer reports', if he doesn't know he'll say it. If he has had one, he'll give the straight scoop. He's got stuff in there that many of us have only heard about and never actually seen. There's really standout new models from manufacturers that are othewise average. Bachmann's SD45 got panned because of a variety of issues, the 44-tonner came out and everybody went 'WOW!' except that stupid dummy coupler. Now they appear to be showing up with couplers, so never mind... The MDC/Roundhouse/Athearn 2-8-0 has been a stalwart. I personally think that Intermountain F-units are AWESOME, but I'm not really thrilled by the SD45-2 series. Remember that there's manufacturers (Kato) and importer/designers (Atlas and others). Atlas has imported stuff made from other companies (Micro-Ace 2-6-0), and also comissioned stuff that is unlike anything else ever made (Anjiin Atlas Shay). Other than the name on the box, there is NO SIMILARITY in design, material, and sometimes, quality. And if you're shopping in the auction sites, PLEASE, so that we don't loose you in N scale, keep Spookshow's site handy so you don't have to log on and say 'hey, got this great-looking locomotive, but what's up with the one-truck drive???"
I favor Atlas because I favor EMD GP38, GP40 and the Dash 2 variant types and thats is squarely in Atlas` wheelhouse, I own over 20 models of this type and they run fine. Plus I own about a dozen of their 6 axle types as well. But I would have to say my smoothest runners are my Kato Amtrak Genesis and Kato SD45`s..
Thanks for the links. I asked about the DCC decoder locos because I figure I will be buying them before I buy a DCC controller. I have a few questions about DCC controllers (like for a 3'x7' layout I don't need a booster, right?) but I figure this is not the forum to ask them. Joe
The Atlas B40-8 is a great engine, I got a bunch of them, but the decoder is not that good. If you can find DC version you will be happier by installing a quality decoder from one of the top decoder manufacturers. But if you must have the one with the decoder install I have seen them for less that $95 here: woo woo woo - N Scale Dash 8's Atlas Dash 8-40B Both have a good selection of CSX engines at fair prices.
Thanks for the info. I will be just a beginner with DCC and N scale so I don't need the best. But what do you mean when you say the decoder is not that good. What makes a decoder "bad"? I have alot of computer knowledge so if it is related to its programming I may not have a problem. If this was HO scale I would think about installing my own decoder but these N locos are so small and everything is so crammed in, I would not want to tackle this right off the start. I have too many other things to be doing. Joe
Joe, the older Lenz decoders that came stock with Atlas locos are not the best. I've had many problems with them. Forgetting addresses, resetting the speed tables, stuff like that. More of a pain than anything. Save your sanity and install your own aftermarket decoder. And don't worry about having to "cram" them in. Alot of manufacturers make drop in decoders, where all you have to do is take out the stock light board and put in the new decoder board. Simple 5min exchange. Mike
