I have Broadway Limited Blueline GE C30-7 that is having issues at slow speed. It has the factory sound decorder but is still an analog DC loco.
At about 7.5 volts the sound comes on. At about 9.5 volts it will begin to move. After traveling a few feet it makes a soft "snap" sound and turns off. After a few seconds the sound starts up and a few seconds later it starts moving again. One time after restarting the sound did not come back on. Bringing the track voltage down to zero & taking it back up to the voltages as stated above gets the sound going again and the loco starts to move and then repeats the whole process (almost always with the sound remaining intact).
I reset everything back to factory default using BLI's DCMaster according to the manual but the problem persists.
Faulty sound card?
It doesn't stall/stop at higher voltages (above 11.5 volts) but then the train is running too fast.
Two issues from what I see.
First, the microprocessor on the decoder requires at least 5 vdc just to wake up. Usually sound starts, lights come on. Maybe a couple more volts for loco to begin moving. Nature of the beast with DC control.
Second issues sounds like dirty track., might look clean. DCC is very sensitive to interruptions. The microprocessor is controlling everything including the motor. The motor does not get straight DC right from the track like DC only locos. Many decoders come with a stay alive cap for sound, not the motor.
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
10:1 Dirty wheels, pickups, or track. Clean everything! Once you get it running a while, the locos have a tendency to start to run smoother.
Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions
Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!
Everything is clean as a whistle.
I have two other BLI Blueline locos like this one and they work fine with none of the described issues.
I was finally able to get in touch with Broadway Limited tech support. They acknowledged that motor control board (plugs into the 8 pin NMRA connector on top of the sound board) is defective and apparently a common defect on this model. They are sending me a free replacement even though I bought this loco used.
And since I'm in the process of installing DCC I decided to install Digitrax DN146IP decoders in all three units since one was already apart. All 3 locos now work fine on DC but I didn't configure the sound to work with the decoders since I'll probably have the Digitrax Super Chief Xtra operating by the end of the day (some minor layout re-wiring).