Broadway Limited 2-8-2 running on DC

[CVSNE]

Post #5 says Paragon 2 which is absolutely not a QSI decoder.  It's Broadway Limited's own decoder made by God know whom.  My experience with them is less than favourable..they're easily confused on DCC, can be cranky to program as well...

Craig, The Paragon 2 engines have OEM "QSI" decoders - basically decoder is made in China to some sort of "QSI-based" design. Just like Bachmann's "Tsunami" - which are actually made in the former Sanda Kan electronics factory under an OEM agreement with Soundtraxx. Also the reason the Bachmann Tsunami's don't have the same functionality or programming options as Soundtraxx decoder purchased at the hobby shop. 

[CVSNE]

Marty

 

It ill becomes me to question the experience of a Model Railroader staffer, but honestly, the QSI-equipped BLI product has been good for me since I first bought them nearly a decade ago. I only run DCC - Digitrax - but have never had the problems you highlight, with more than a dozen such locos, steam and diesel. Admittedly most have had upgrade chips installed, but not all, and neither QSI chip has had problems.  I believe the Blueline BLI product had issues, which was why BLI stepped away and headed for Paragon 2.

Whether or not I worked at MR more than a decade ago is not germane to this discussion. I merely relayed what my experience with QSI-type decoders have been over the years. In a word, it's been troublesome. I've also known a number of other modelers who've had issues with them as well. I, personally, don't care for the way they sound - but that's a personal preference- and at least they're not as awful as MRC sound decoders.  

Glad to hear you're happy with them - As they say, YMMV. 

[highpeak]

Once again I thank the messengers though the message is not quite what I had hoped for. It seems that if I opt for DCC then my 2-8-2 will belong in the DCC-ready group rather than DCC equipped, a badly behaving big engine in a small yard is not what I'm looking for.

I fully concur with JWB's point about needing to experiment. I have quite a pile of experiments in fields such as track and tend to fall prey to indecision as to which way to go. I had rather hoped this decision would be a bit more clear-cut, especially as this is quite an expensive area of the hobby.

Keith's suggestion to remove all the electrickery and make it a DC engine has its appeal, but the flexibility of DCC also has its attraction, so I'll be mulling this over for a while. No huge rush as my layout only exists as doodles on paper at the moment.

[JWB]

It sounds to me as if you're moving to a good next step, which is getting something to run and trying things out.  However, even a steam 2-8-2 might not be simple enough for a real trial-and-error start. If you do plan on trying DCC, I'd look at a starter arrangement like the NCE PowerCab, which is roughly comparably priced to an MRC Tech 6 and which I've found very satisfactory, some Kato Unitrack or equivalent, and maybe a Bachmann S-4 or S-2 with sound (or maybe even a Bachmann B&M 44-ton with DCC, which can be found very inexpensively). When you feel comfortable with how that stuff fits together, move up to the 2-8-2. But I wouldn't advise rewiring a steam loco or replacing a sound decoder at the trial-and-error level of the hobby.

[highpeak]

I was leaning towards the NCE set up, based on some internet research and reading their manuals available on their web site. Looking at the locomotives I have, there are enough diesels that fit the period that are either already DCC fitted or at least DCC ready to get something up and running quickly. Steam would be a later addition anyway, adding a turntable and building the Bartlett roundhouse kit are going to take way longer than mucking around with a decoder!

[CraigZ]

Craig, The Paragon 2 engines have OEM "QSI" decoders - basically decoder is made in China to some sort of "QSI-based" design. Just like Bachmann's "Tsunami" - which are actually made in the former Sanda Kan electronics factory under an OEM agreement with Soundtraxx. Also the reason the Bachmann Tsunami's don't have the same functionality or programming options as Soundtraxx decoder purchased at the hobby shop. 

Wow.  It's a wildly different beast than a QSI Paragon 1 or regular retail.  No primary/secondary CVs  to begin with...and at least in the case of their PRR I1sa the 'banshee' whistles are very very different which is the one thing I'd expect them to keep the same as the QSI Banshee is very very good.  And while I've found the QSI decoders to be pretty stable and to program reliably, the Paragon 2 decoders are usually a fight to get CVs to 'take', and have a nasty ability to get confused by track shorts.  In fact when on my way to Cocoa Beach I dropped off a Q2 model at BLI to be repaired - it derailed, shorted, and lost the ability to go forward.  Runs perfectly in reverse, but does nothing forward.

[rockershovel]

On 07/02/2013 at 21:33, Oldddudders said:

Marty

 

It ill becomes me to question the experience of a Model Railroader staffer, but honestly, the QSI-equipped BLI product has been good for me since I first bought them nearly a decade ago. I only run DCC - Digitrax - but have never had the problems you highlight, with more than a dozen such locos, steam and diesel. Admittedly most have had upgrade chips installed, but not all, and neither QSI chip has had problems.  I believe the Blueline BLI product had issues, which was why BLI stepped away and headed for Paragon 2.

 

My BLI 2-8-0 seems to run quite happily on both DC and DCC, both Gaugemaster and NEC. That said, I haven’t tried to programme it - it came to me with its running number set as the cab number and I haven’t touched any of the other settings.