Broadway Limited Loco w/ QSI decoder

I have a BMI locomotive that I had purchased used at a train show, according to the box & the manual it originally was DC with sound (DCC ready) From what I have been told it has a QSI decoder installed.

The issue I am having is that when I try to re-address the loco to the road number (776) speed & direction will respond but the sounds & lights remain on address “03” I have tried everything I could think of, even took it to the local shop & their DCC “guru” had no success (he is the one that told me the decoder was QSI)

I am using Digitrax programming track, & I believe he uses NCE for his programming

Any Suggestions?

I have noticed some glitches with long address progaraming with those QSI decoders. You might try looking up the proceedure for programming the address using hexidecimal values into the correct CVs. I did that years ago with two QSI equipped BLI cab forwards and solved my addressing issues permanently.

For some reason the decoders didn’t like it when the command station configured the long address, but were fine with hexidecimal manual entry…

Good luck,

Guy

It seems the added QSI decoder is taking commands

it’s the original onboard sound decoder that came with the loco new is the issue

i have just set everything back to 03

Only issue would be if a locomotive straight from the factory would be on the layout at the same time

Is the BLI Item Number on the box #187-372 or #187-373?

Or is it #187-5073?

I assume that you tried to reset the decoder to factory default. QSI requires a 3-step procedure.

Set CV49 to 128

Set CV50 to 255

Set CV56 to 113

Rich

Not at home presently to look at the box to see what the part number is

i have not tried resetting to factory default. I am not sure if the other fellow had tried, but think he probably would have

I am not well versed on going much beyond changing addreses

have never tried any CV changes to any decoder

When I first read your initial post, I assumed that you had the original Paragon series. But, now, I think you have a loco from the Blue Line Series. The Blue Line locos are DC with sound, but you can add an after-market motor decoder. So, you wind up with two decoders that need to interact. If you have a Blue Line loco, that is why you have sound and lights but no motion.

When you get home, check the Item Number. If it is #187-5073, that is a Blue Line loco. Is it Union Pacific?

Rich

Yep, that is the Blue Line series. When you set the long address to 776, that changed the address of the QSI decoder but left the sound and lights decoder at address 03. The sound and lights decoder needs to be changed to 776 to match the QSI motor decoder.

Rich

I have motion, lights & sound all on 03

But if I change the address to 776 only motion and direction respond, sound and lights are stuck on 03

it is doing just the opposite

The sound and light decoder is not excepting the long address

Sorry, I edited that prior response which I initially got backwards.

When you set the long address to 776, that changed the address of the QSI motor decoder to 776 but left the sound and lights decoder at address 03. The sound and lights decoder needs to be changed to 776 to match the QSI motor decoder.

Leave the loco on the main track and select address 03. You should now be able to get sound and lights. Use OPS MODE programming on the main line to change the address of the BlueLine sound decoder to 776 so that it matches the address of the QSI motor decoder.

Rich

I have never used OP mode programming, is there a website or instructions on how to do it?

sorry have only been into DCC for about a year

life long analog guy

I have an NCE system, but I believe that you can program on the main line with Digitrax. Your Digitrax manual should explain how to program in the OPS mode on the main line.

Rich

Ok thanks

Which Digitrax system are you using?

Rich

5 amp Super Chief

DCS 150 I believe

You should be able to program in OPS mode with that system.

The key is to program the same long address in both decoders.

Rich

Success! Somewhat
Apparently the sound decoder that came with the loco will not take a long address

I was able to get both decoders to take a 2 digit address

So I will be using 76 for loco (7)76

It most likely will if you set CV17, CV18 and then CV29 individually instead of using the automatic setup. You can get the values you need for your desired address here:

DCC CV29 Calculator (2mm.org.uk)

–Randy

I am happy with what I have

I just wanted to get it off of 03

Congratulations on your success in getting the loco to run along with sound and lights.

You can get Blue Line locomotives to accept four digit long addresses, but if you are not comfortable with CV settings, sticking with a 2 digit address such as 76 will work as you noted.

Just for future reference, be aware that the Blue Line sound and lights decoder has a factory default that accepts only 2 digit addresses. But that factory default can be overridden by changing CV29 from 6 (the factory default) to 38. That needs to be done on the mainline in OPS mode.

Rich