|
|
Post by jaygee on Jul 18, 2014 18:10:29 GMT -8
Yup . she's a Blueline SD7 that's been running straight DC with the jumpers for about two years now. Runs pretty well in DC analog...not my best ever, but certainly good enough. Now today I decided to change her life forever with....DCC ! Ho Golly, what a mess. Pulled the jumpers and installed the Digitrax 1431P decoder with a high hat. This is an 8 pin set-up. Sound is awful...lights are erratic as all get-out. Low speed performance, even on 128, is trashed. Horn, and bell both get stuck on and require a complete shut down to stop, and sometimes that doesn't work. My Loc-sound BLI/ Precision Craft SD runs circles around this previously OK chooch. Is Blue-Line that bad?  Sure it's not the best sound on the block, for certain, but what gives with this DCC conversion disaster?? Thanks gents ! |
|
|
|
Post by bnsf971 on Jul 19, 2014 5:03:33 GMT -8
Sounds like the onboard sound and aftermarket motor decoders are not playing nice with each other. Try doing the cv8=8 thing in OPS mode, then starting over. I've never been a fan of the Blueline sound files for that engine, and sent my boards in to BLI to be reprogrammed with the F unit files (they now sound like something you'd expect to hear from an old EMD), I've never had the problems you are describing.
What DCC system are you using? Is it acting up by itself, or only when consisted with another engine?
|
|
|
|
Post by jaygee on Jul 19, 2014 6:22:05 GMT -8
You are certainly right about the sound file itself...this is a second generation EMD turbo prime mover, if it's anything at all. The DCC controller is the old Atlas Commander...at least for another week, 'til I get my NCE Power Cab set-up. I've not attempted to consist this chooch yet, and won't until the other issues start to settle down.
|
|
|
|
Post by bnsf971 on Jul 19, 2014 11:45:23 GMT -8
Just so you know, Blueline doesn't play well at all with NCE and advanced consisting. I used to have quite a few of them, had no trouble either at home or at the club I belonged to. We moved, and the new club uses NCE. Ugh...
I remember if the motor decoder was installed reversed, it could do strange things with the lights and some other functions. You can try just unplugging it, turning it 180 degrees, and plugging it back in. It LOOKS backwards when it is installed correctly.
I sent my sound decoders back, and BLI reprogrammed them for a very small fee (I remember it being less than $10, including shipping). I had them load the Blueline F7 sound files.
|
|
|
|
Post by jaygee on Jul 21, 2014 10:52:07 GMT -8
I think we'll try a BLI Paragon 2 decoder out of one of their recent E units ( which was un-programmable for anything close to realistic speed at a realistic voltage!). The EMD sound will be OK for the SD unit in question. Speed won't be an issue, for sure. And who knows....this might be the salvation for this otherwise POS ! I can likely use the Digitrax decoder in some other project, if this flies. BTW, trying to contact BLI on the hard line for tech help, is is big a waste of time as their product ! Lesson learned !
|
|
|
|
Post by jaygee on Jul 24, 2014 8:19:45 GMT -8
As posted elsewhere...this was a big success in swapping decoders. More or less perfection all the way around. Until yesterday afternoon, when the Paragon 2 decoder quit! Yup, shorted out. The one from the other NYCS E8 went in, and now we're back to playing with trains. Tried to contact BLI, which is a complete joke, but I'll try to get this fixed or replaced - one way or the other. Probably be a good idea to start shopping for a newer decoder for a spare. Absolutely will never put that awful Blue line thing back in ! The Sound Traxx Tsunami in the Proto 2K Walthers unit is excellent, if I can find out exactly what they used.
|
|
|
|
Post by bnsf971 on Jul 24, 2014 18:08:35 GMT -8
As posted elsewhere...this was a big success in swapping decoders. More or less perfection all the way around. Until yesterday afternoon, when the Paragon 2 decoder quit! Yup, shorted out. The one from the other NYCS E8 went in, and now we're back to playing with trains. Tried to contact BLI, which is a complete joke, but I'll try to get this fixed or replaced - one way or the other. Probably be a good idea to start shopping for a newer decoder for a spare. Absolutely will never put that awful Blue line thing back in ! The Sound Traxx Tsunami in the Proto 2K Walthers unit is excellent, if I can find out exactly what they used. |
|
|
|
Post by kentuckysouthernrwy on Jul 25, 2014 16:41:20 GMT -8
Blue lines are real messes to deal with. I once had a AC6000 Blue Line, I thought the sound was good but the decoder would only fit backwards and I never, ever, got it to program right. I finally took it back to the dealer. Nice looking model, nice sound but didn't function well at all. Anything in my hobby life that takes hours and hours to program or set up takes all the fun out of it. Some time later I did buy an undec blue line E7 and had the BLI folks set the address for it for me. It did work out on the fair scale of things. Was a project for an aborted attempt at the real Pere Marquette train before Walther's sort of PM train.
You do notice that blue line is a thing of the past. Fair idea, poorly executed. The project manager should have met that fate.
|
|
|
|
Post by jaygee on Jul 30, 2014 4:10:43 GMT -8
Update to this affair: The Blue liner SD7 is still running like a dream with the second Paragon 2 decoder in place. As mentioned elsewhere, the only issue now is the lighting, with those utterly dim LEDs that BLI used in the Blue line chassis. If I can get the lights up to the level of those in the PCM / BLI SD7 I have...we will have reached EMD nirvana ! BTW, BLI says they will ship me a new replacement decoder for the ruined one, free of charge. Great! ! OTOH, they say that what I've been doing for two weeks now, is impossible ! Go figure !
|
|
|
|
Post by bnsf971 on Aug 2, 2014 5:02:15 GMT -8
Update to this affair: The Blue liner SD7 is still running like a dream with the second Paragon 2 decoder in place. As mentioned elsewhere, the only issue now is the lighting, with those utterly dim LEDs that BLI used in the Blue line chassis. If I can get the lights up to the level of those in the PCM / BLI SD7 I have...we will have reached EMD nirvana ! BTW, BLI says they will ship me a new replacement decoder for the ruined one, free of charge. Great! ! OTOH, they say that what I've been doing for two weeks now, is impossible ! Go figure ! I have told them about the swapout, and they told me they have to advise against it, just in case somebody plugs the wrong wire into the wrong plug. I have even done this to a couple of steam engines with no trouble. |
|
|
|
Post by sd80mac on Aug 29, 2014 7:58:35 GMT -8
I never got the idea of Blueline. Either offer them with sound or don't. Can't believe they got rid of the stealth series. I'd probably buy a lot more BLI engines if I could buy them without sound then install my own Loksound or Tsunami. Buying a fully equipped BLI Paragon 2 engine only to remove the sound board is awfully pricey.
|
|
