Is it possible to replace QSI with Broadway's own sound system?

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I want to put blue line sound into one of my Paragon’s and was wondering how complicated this would be, if even possible?

2

I am not sure, whether BLI markets there proprietary sound system separately. Just for me to understand, why would you like to exchange QSI´s high quality system with a system, which is not as good, IMHO?

3

rjake,

You could but…

  1. You’d have to steal it from another Blueline locomotive

  2. You wouldn’t be able to install any sound files to change horns, whistles, and/or chuffs specific to a locomotive

That kinda limits things, IMO.

Ulrich,

I have a BLI Mohawk with QSI and a Blueline Niagara. While the sound of the QSI decoder is good, the Blueline sound blows it out of the water. (At least on the Niagara.) Since you install a separate motor decoder in the Bluelines (and I chose a Lenz Silver MP), my Niagara is much better at low-speed response than my Mohawk with the QSI decoder.

I’m half tempted to remove the QSI decoder from my Mohawk and install another Lenz Silver MP decoder into it - even if it means losing sound.

Tom

4

You could, but you wouldnt have any chuff.

Broadway locos use a magnet and a reed switch on the flywheel for chuff timing. You would have to do the same and fine room for the daughter board that reads this information.

David B

5

Go ask BLI.

http://www.broadway-limited.com/

Rich

6

I like the Blue Line J1’s whistle much more than than the QSI, however the paragon version has a much better lighting system (a far brighter golden LED vs. Blue Line’s wimpy, dim, purple, flickering one), and it also has a flickering firebox.

I almost forgot, Paragon 2 models have the quilling whistle which is very prototypical, I would love to install that.

I would like to get the best of both worlds, also as Tstage said, the slow speed performance on the paragon models are inferior to blue line. I figured it would be interesting to keep the Paragon body, and install the blue line sound.

You are right though, several QSI equipped engines have far superior sound to their blue line cousins. The C&O T1 and the E7 come to mind off the top of my head. I wouldn’t change a thing in these.