Hi,
I have 4 BLI Paragon locos that of course came with DCC & sound. One of these is the RSD-15 (#802) and I do like it a lot. I would like to get a second one (with a different road number) but none are available. Of course the Blueline models (have sound, no DCC) are available and the word is they are "DCC ready" with a plug socket installed.
My question is, should I get a Blueline, what decoder would I need to match the Paragon model? And, will this decoder be a simple "plug & play" installation?
Thank you,
Mobilman44
ENJOY !
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
The Paragon models have a QSI sound decoder. Blue Line models have a custom made sound-only decoder that requires an additional motor control decoder be plugged in. Any one or two function motor control decoder that has a JST socket on it, such as a TCS, Digitrax, or Lenz can be used if you purchase an additional wiring harness with a JST plug and a NMRA 8-pin plug on the ends.
You will not have the equivalent of a QSI decoder, however. And whether or not it will be a simple "plug-n-play" depends on the programming of the dual decoder installation. Some are easy; others are not.
I and other club members have several Blue Line locomotives and think their sound is better than QSI, but the dual decoder installation sometimes causes programming problems. I have been unable to get any Blue Line decoder to work with Advanced Consisting.
Broadway Limited had a series of 10 or so CVs that required separate programming before installing a motor control decoder in order for the Blue Line sound to accept advanced consisting, but I never could get their procedures to work properly. There have been many threads in the past on these forums about Blue Line programming problems. Every time I tried to create an advanced consist, I lost the sound.
If you want the best of both worlds, wait for a Paragon 2 model, which will have Blue Line sound and a redesigned decoder that incorporates motor control with BEMF already built in, and avoid the double-decoder hassle.
If you can find the paragon I would go with that, especially if you want to consist. The bluelines are great engines but the dual decoder setup can be a pain. I have 3 Bluelines and 1 Paragon and they are night and day to work with.
Springfield PA
I'm about to have an issue similar to the OP where I will need to program two Digitrax 123s for BLI F7 A and B units. The A & B will run in consist so I was going to program each decoder seperately in another PNP unit and then remove each one to the respective BLIs. I think this is what they (BLI) suggests. Any reason that shouldn't work?
That should work fine. The decoder doesn't know where it is when it gets programmed.
Thank you all for the info and suggestions. I believe I'll hold off until I can get another Paragon and/or a Paragon 2 if they come out with one.
Thanks again,
Some people have problems and others do not. I have 5 Blueline steamers that I advance consist all the time. Most have problems when they lock either decoder and get confused with programing and consisting. I have teamed the Blueline decoders with TCS T1 with BEMF and have had great success running and programing these locos. Just plug the motor decoder in and make the lights work off the TCS decoder and program as 1 decoder either on the main or program track if you have a booster.
Pete
I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!
I started with nothing and still have most of it left!
The firmware revision of the Blueline locomotive also matters. Revision 8 or higher will result in better command control with advanced consisting, for example. Most of the other strange Blueline anomalies dissappear. Many of our club members also concur using TCS decoders with Blueline units offer consistently good results.
Carl in Florida - - - - - - - - - - We need an HO Amtrak SDP40F and GE U36B oh wait- We GOT THEM!
Hi!
Well, I got a solution to my question! I actually found a hobby shop online that has a Paragon RSD-15 with a different road mumber from the one I have, and I bought it.
Soooo, hopefully they will tandem up nicely and make a whole lot of noise pulling strings of reefers all over the layout (now under construction).
Thank you all again for your input!
Excellent. Good Luck with them. I'm sure you'll be more than happy.