I bought a couple of the Broadway Limited Paragon 2 equipped SD40-2 High Hood Norfolk Southern units earlier this year and finally am getting around to programming them with JMRI. My normal setup is a PR3 to a piece of test track. These are the first Paragon 2 units that I have. On the test track, I cannot read any CVs from the Paragon 2 units via the PR3. I can program CVs, like the address, with JMRI and I've confirmed that it works with a JMRI throttle (i.e. I can turn lights off/on etc). I've tried all programming modes (i.e. Page Mode, Direct etc..) and none of them will read CVs. I dropped an Atlas GP40-2 with a QSI v7 decoder on the track to make sure everything is working fine and had no issues reading CVs. Has anyone else had problems with the Paragon 2 units ?
Engineer Jeff NS Nut Visit my layout at: http://www.thebinks.com/trains/
I'm not sure what your problem may be, because I have been able to read all of the Paragon 2 CVs using an NCE Power Cab system connected to a PC running custom-made programming software from England.
One problem is that the Paragon 2 decoder is custom-made by BLI and the CVs are not the same as what QSI or any other sound decoder uses once you get past the NMRA standard CVs.
Yesterday afternoon I programmed 2 of the same NS Paragon2 locos using a Digitrax system. No problem reading or programming CV.
Jack W.
Ok. I'll try moving the units to the programming track which runs off my Super Chief system and runs back through a LocoBuffer II unit to JMRI. I was a bit surprised that I coudn't read the CVs with the PR3.
What power supply do you have on your PR3?
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
I've got a 500ma 12V supply. I hate to admit it but I found the problem. The programming track on my bench was dirty. I can't remember the last time I cleaned it. For some reason the Atlas units didn't mind the dirty track but the Paragon 2 units were sensitive to it. Anyway, the PR3 unit is now working with the Paragon locomotives and JMRI.
Find a 14-16V power supply, it will also help a lot.