I recently had a very scarry thing happen with my new Broadway Limited Paragon 3 Northern while trying to read and program the CVs with my NCE PowerCab and JMRI computer system on my programming track. Initially I could read all the hundreds of CVs but when I tried to program the sound volume the decoder went dead and the engine would not respond. After trying everything I could thing of I put the engine on my main line and again using the PowerCab as a Procab, the 4 wire cable, the engine came back to life (thank the railroad gods.) On page 20 of the Paragon 3 manual it states that "Most MRC and NCE systems require a programming track booster to read CV's..." Is this because the programming voltage of the PowerCab is less than the main track voltage of my NCE SB-5 smart booster, and it scrambles the decoder's program? I'm trying to figure out how to wire my system with JMRI through the SB5 to program with the decoder. I currently have my JMRI computer wired through a NCE USB interface to both the programming track and the mainline track circuit and I run my engines using WiFi and Engine Driver on my phone. Suggestions on progrmming without killing my engine are very welcome.
Capt. Brigg Franklin, CEO Pacific Cascade Railway in HO gauge;
You should ask on the JMRI User's list.
One of the JMRI developers (Dave Heap) is also an NCE expert. If it can be done, he knows how!
Edit: Trying to make the link clickable. [Link to other forum removed by moderator.]
Capt.Brigg...On page 20 of the Paragon 3 manual it states that "Most MRC and NCE systems require a programming track booster to read CV's..." Is this because the programming voltage of the PowerCab is less than the main track voltage of my NCE SB-5 smart booster, and it scrambles the decoder's program?..
The issue is current, not voltage. Most systems with a programming track output intentionally limit the current on the programming track, as recommended by the NMRA. The reason for this is if you mess up installing a decoder the limitd current can keep you from frying the decoder. Many sound decoders do not handle the limited current well. I just do most of my programming using operations mode ("programming on the main") and rarely bother reading CVs back.
Capt.Brigg...I'm trying to figure out how to wire my system with JMRI through the SB5 to program with the decoder. I currently have my JMRI computer wired through a NCE USB interface to both the programming track and the mainline track circuit...
If I'm reading this correctly, since the SB5 does not have a program track output it sounds like you have the USB interface plugged into the SB5 and the Power Cab PCP panel at the same time. The NCE cab bus is a master/slave communications bus. The command station is the master and the throttles and additional cab bus devices, including the USB interface, are slaves, and you can only have one master at a time. When the Power Cab is plugged into the PCP panel to use the program track the Power Cab operates as the command station and cab bus master - if the SB5 is still plugged into the same bus they will conflict with each other. If this is how it's wired, then there was probably never anything wrong with the decoder.
LastspikemikeQuantum sound decoders fitted to Paragon 3 locomotives draw more than usual current when they first power up. I think this is due to capacitors acting as keepalive power storage. I believe the Quantum manual refers to this and recommends programming on the main for most programming.
I believe the Quantum manual refers to this and recommends programming on the main for most programming.
Am I missing something here? Isn't a BLI Paragon 3 locomotive supplied with a BLI Paragon 3 decoder? Isn't "Paragon 3" a reference to the decoder? So how does a Quantum (QSI) decoder come into play? Hasn't QSI been out of business for many years? I'm confused.
You're not the confused one, Tophias. QSI (Quantum) decoders were only installed in the original "Paragon" locomotives - e.g. NYC 4-6-4 Hudson. The Paragon 2s were the beginning of BLI's [Paragon] proprietary line of decoders.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
My last QSI purchase was about 2013 when my PCM Y6-b lost its original LokSound decoder. By then I had been purchasing Revolution and Titan, in that order of issue, both by QSI. BLI had about a year into Paragon 2, all with their first model of proprietary decoders (which rumour said was probably QSI by contract, but I might be mistaken).
BlueLine was actually their first in house built/proprietary decoder. It was DC only, so you had to plug in your own compatible DCC decoder in it for movement. Paragon 2 came next and then 3 and now 4. BlueLine and up were 100% developed in house by an employee of BLI and not from QSI at all. They have a software/hardware engineer on staff who only works for them who designs the decoder hardware and software for it.