Greetings fellow model railroad enthusiast and Happy New Year to all! I've got a real brain scratcher for everyone today. Recently acquired a BLI #048 AT&SF 3751 class 4-8-4 with a 2004 Quantium sound system from eBay. The locomotive is exquisite, compared to the Bachmann piece of junk I was working on before the mechanism disintegrated, the only real bug swimming in the punch bowl now is the antiquated sound system on the BLI model. My solution is to rip out the QSI decoder and motherboard so I can install the Tsunmia2 steam decoder that was in the Bachmann 4-8-4. The dilemma is that I need to know the correct wiring sequence or configuration for the six-pin female plug that runs from the tender and connects with the six-pin male socket at the rear of the locomotive cab. I found a possible 6 pin wiring schematic for a NEM 651 via a Google search that illustrates the following; 1. motor+ (orange), 2. motor negative (gray), 3. right track power (red), 4. left track power (black), 5. headlight negative (white), and finally 6. light/fx common + (blue). The question that begs to be asked is, now this is looking at the male socket under the locomotive cab deck plate is does this sequence go left to right or right to left? I think it's important to know before I go attaching wires, apply power and basically flush $100 down the toilet with a fried decoder. Can anyone offer some insight and/or a solution to this problem? I've sent an email to BLI in Waynesboro, VA and also posted a similar appeal on the Facebook HO Scale Model Railroaders page with no constructive responses yet. Thanks in advance and remember... Model Railroading is FUN!
BLI is in Ormond Beach, Florida. The info in the old loco would have their old address.
Easiest thing to do is just use a multimeter set for continuity and see which pin goes where. It would be blind luck if they followed the 6 pin JST connector standard. Rail inputs should be fairly obvious, as these locos also pick up from both sides of the tender, so there will be additional wires from the tender trucks connecting to the board which will connect to the same traces as the track pickups coming from the loco connector. A peek inside the loco should show which two pins go to the motor and which two go to the headlight.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Oregon PacificI found a possible 6 pin wiring schematic for a NEM 651 via a Google search that illustrates the following; 1. motor+ (orange), 2. motor negative (gray), 3. right track power (red), 4. left track power (black), 5. headlight negative (white), and finally 6. light/fx common + (blue).
That sequence doesn't sound right to me.
I've replaced a few BLI steam decoders but not the exact Santa Fe engine you mention.
If I recall this arrangement was used on my early NYC Hudsons that had the QSI decoder:
IMG_1420_zpsbb3b7853 (1) by Edmund, on Flickr
I urge you to use a meter using the continuity or ohm setting to "ring-out" the wiring to be sure.
The rail pickup is easy by placing the probe on the right drivers then test each pin until you get a reading (or a beep if you have a meter with a continuity checker)
This would relate to the decoder red-right rail pickup, then do left for the black wire. I have used a 9V. battery to check the motor wires, next two pins in.
The + side of the battery should make the drivers turn so the engine is moving forward. This would relate to the orange motor + on the decoder. Then minus is the decoder gray wire.
For the headlight I use an LED tester I have but you could do the same think with a 1KΩ resistor and the 9 volt battery. Make a note of plus and minus here, too. The LED won't light with polarity reversed.
The plug above is a seven-pin which uses the middle pin for the chuff sensor, a BLI design "feature". If yours is a six pin you may not have a reed switch/chuff sensor?
Hope that helps, Ed
Thanks for the info Ed and sorry about the tardiness of my reply. Got everything working great and Yes! I did use my multimeter to verify all the leads before soldering them into place. Works great!
Thanks, Randy and my apologies for my tardiness in responding. I took your advice to heart and pulled out my trusty multimeter and managed to fumble my way through and everything works great now. I even added orange, red, and yellow LED's to the firebox. Looks great and sounds fantastic. Again thanks to everyone for their help here. I love this new internet medium for information and feedback.
Oregon PacificGot everything working great and Yes! I did use my multimeter to verify all the leads before soldering them into place.
Glad to hear your success story
I've "upgraded" several of my BLI locomotives with better sound decoders. I'm sure I'll be doing a few more in the near future.
Thanks for the reply, Ed