I'm still at the planning stage of my first 009 layout. It will hopefully be a DCC layout.
Apart from the Bachmann and Heljan locos, can anyone tell me which other ones are available as DCC ready - preferably with the option for sound?
I think the answer to that one is no.
Looking at ready to run locos those from Minitrains will need a hard wired decoder as will those from Fourdees (who essentially use a 3D printed body on either a Kato tram chassis or Farish 08).
With kit built locos most of the body kits need a chassis that predates DCC (so hard wired chips again) though it's possible some of the bigger locos may (or could be modified) to fit a more modern chassis that comes with a 6pin socket for a chip (Farish 3mt & 2mt?), and the complete kits (like the SRB kits for the Peckett, Deutz and Baldwin gas mechanical) will also need a hard wired chip.
With any of these fitting sound will be an added complication as not only will you need to find space in the body for a chip you'll also need a fit in a speaker along with the motor and any ballast weight. You'll also have an issue getting the right sound files (unless you are happy with a generic 'steam' or 'diesel' soundscape recorded from a standard gauge loco).
With the forthcoming introductions from Heljan (L&B 2-4-2 Baldwin) and Bachmann (Quarry Hunslet and RNAD diesel) I would expect that they will be DCC ready and there will probably be a sound option, so it may be better to wait.
These are H0e not 009 but they are DCC ready:
Roco outside frame 0-6-0 loco. All the Roco HF-110-C locos are DCC ready with a socket in the cab.
(The smaller, and somewnat cheaper inside frame Roco H0e steam and diesel locos are not.)
Roco 0-8-0+4 Mh.4/399.02 locos also have a DCC socket.
I also think that the Liliput D15 bogie diesel is DCC ready, but I could be wrong??
(None of the other Liliput H0e locos are in production at the moment.)
Most of the newer Lilliput is at the very least DCC ready, if not DCC fitted. I wondered about mentioning them but the OP did say an "009" layout! One Lilliput loco that would suit an 009 layout and is used by many 009-ers is the Lilliput 0-4-0 diesel shunter which comes in a variety of colours and even with a flashing light, it comes with a blanking chip which is easily replaced by a proper DCC chip but it's not fitted for sound. Cost s/h is around £50/60 plus the chip.
Quote from: Hobby on November 09, 2020, 10:57
Most of the newer Lilliput is at the very least DCC ready, if not DCC fitted. I wondered about mentioning them but the OP did say an "009" layout! One Lilliput loco that would suit an 009 layout and is used by many 009-ers is the Lilliput 0-4-0 diesel shunter which comes in a variety of colours and even with a flashing light, it comes with a blanking chip which is easily replaced by a proper DCC chip but it's not fitted for sound. Cost s/h is around £50/60 plus the chip.
As I mentioned I think only one version of the bogie diesel is in production and available at the moment. All the rest of the Liliput H0e locos are either out of stock or pending delivery.
But I could be wrong?
Thank you for your help chaps, and also for your suggestions. Much appreciated. :)
Don't know about out of stock Brian, but having said that I often buy from Germany and have no issues.
Quote from: Hobby on November 09, 2020, 17:06
Don't know about out of stock Brian, but having said that I often buy from Germany and have no issues.
That is probably a good idea Blair, I guess the chances of German retailers ordering more items for stock than the UK retailers is highly likely.
As you well know it is hard to keep track of what is available and what is not as everything is made in China in small batches these days.
A particular loco may only be available for a short time, sometimes just a few weeks and then go out of production for a while again.
When sellers are sold out it can be some time, if ever, that they produce the loco again.
As Julien has chipped in (there's a pun there) with a remark about Fourdees locos I'll add my experience. They are cramped, but I had Dan send all four of mine directly to one of the UK DCC shops that do fitting, and they sent them on to me with Digitrax DZ126T decoders, which I think are the smallest available. So it can be done, but I don't think I could do it myself. The shop I used also did my Bachmann Baldwin 4-6-0T, which is DCC ready, but couldn't connect the DZ126T to the speaker. (I need to use Digitrax decoders for my block occupancy detection dreams.)