Steam Loco kit suitable for DCC

[9396CLAS]

I'm just starting on a OO9 layout and would like a Steam Loco kit I can fit a DCC decoder to for testing the track. Ideally in a Ffestiniog style. Or a diesel if there is more space for the decoder. I'm assuming the chassis will be a Kato type.

[JulienW]

The easiest options are the latest Bachmann ready to run locos that have the facility for plugging a decoder in (Next18 interface and onboard speaker on most of the range apart from the Quarry Hunslets and Baguley Drewry diesels that both use a 6 pin if I recall correctly, but no speaker).

If you specifically want a kit then have a look at the Fourdees range of 3d printed locos, as those using the Farish 08 chassis will take the more modern version of the loco that has a socket to take a decoder (I think another Next18) and have a built in speaker.

They also do a number of kits for the Kato chassis - both the 4 wheel 'tram' chassis and that from the 'England' locos. These do not have a socket for a decoder, but an internet search should give you a good idea how to go about fitting a hard-wired decoder.

Otherwise it's possible to fit a decoder to pretty much any chassis, with some being easier to convert than others. At worst you'll need to hard wire the decoder and maybe isolate the motor from the chassis block (older Farish chassis for example), but the beauty of 009 bodies (brass, white metal, printed or whatever) is that they usually have much more space to fit a decoder compared to the original N scale one that came on the chassis.

I hope that helps.