Just put a decoder into my Walther's Sperry Car. It's a Digitrax 123D, basic decoder. It's not pretty but it works! Now....onto the American Crane!! Have an N scale NCE Z14SR. It is SMALL! Should be fun lol!
Dean
30 years 1:1 Canadian Pacific.....now switching in HO
The first decoder isn't necessarily the hardest, but it's usually the scariest. The rest just seem easier.
Have you considered one of the TCS Keep-Alive decoders for the crane? It has all-wheel pickup, but the short wheelbase still might benefit from being able to keep going over dropouts.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Good idea. Don't know if there is room for the capacitor.