N scale DCC trams?

[Markakis2014]

Does anyone know of any DCC n scale modern trams? Preferably in the Japanese or Spanish (CAF) style if at all possible. I'm having trouble finding them from english-language suppliers (Bachmann had a short run of American old-school trolleys in DCC that are somewhat hard to find these days, but that's it), but it's possible there are some japanese manufacturers I do not know of.

 

I have my home DC tram layout, but my club uses DCC and so I would like to have a tram to run on their layout (right now I run an Amtrak P42 with amfleets).

 

Thank you!

[cteno4]

Mark,

 

I’m not aware of any dcc slot or dcc installed trams from japan or really anywhere else. A few trams like the Kato portram a small Japanese company has created a swap out board for the dc power regulator board supplied with the tram to convert them to DCC.

 

there are a few tram experts on the forum that may know of some dcc native trams out there. Otherwise it’s a hand install of dcc.

 

jeff

[disturbman]

I'm afraid you are out of luck. Japanese are not too much into DCC and of all the Japanese manufacturer only Kato does a few DCC-ready or friendly models. The only solution to run DCC trams is to DCC them yourself, or pay someone to do it for you.

[brill27mcb]

Mark,

 

Take a look at www.trainweb.org/n-trolleys/.

 

Hobbytrain offered Korean-made Duewag M6 and M8 modern trams that had a digital+sound option, however I don't recommend this brand as they (at least in my experience) had major and basic reliability issues. Until very recently, Hobby Search Japan still had a digital+sound one in stock.

 

An older epoch model that is still produced and sold now with a digital option is the Arnold (now part of Hornby) Duewag GT6 in several liveries:

https://uk.arnoldmodel.com/search?resultType=product&langPath=arnold-uk&category=all_products&sub_category=combined&q=duwag tram&sort_by=0&page=1

U.S. sources include EuroLokShop (https://www.tee-usa.com - search on arnold gt6) and Reynaulds Euro Imports (https://www.reynaulds.com/search.aspx?term=gt6&submit=). New versions were announced for 2023, but are now due in 2024.

 

To my thinking, the Bachmann Peter Witt Streetcar was the best digital-equipped trolley/tram offered, in terms of quality and value for the money. I think Bachmann made a big mistake stopping production of it.

 

For a modern digital control "light rail" tram, you would have to go with something like a Tomytec articulated model and add the digital decoder yourself, or get a DCC-experienced club member to do it. An articulated tram would have plenty of room for the decoder. You would want to use a decoder brand that "plays well" with your club's system.

 

Rich K.

Edited December 12, 2023 by brill27mcb