Update:
Turns out the board one of the NW2s was bad. It wouldn't take the version 7 software. The other one got the version 7 and runs a lot better. I did a little tweaking to let the front truck rotate more so it wouldn't derail on tight turns. Seems to have worked.
As for the one with the defective board. I'm probably gonna call broadway to see if they have a QSI board for an NW2 or SW7. If not, out it goes and gets replaced by a TCS or Lenz. The one that keeps the QSI will get a 2-function function only decoder.
Vincent
Wants: 1. high-quality, sound equipped, SD40-2s, C636s, C30-7s, and F-units in BN. As for ones that don't cost an arm and a leg, that's out of the question....
2. An end to the limited-production and other crap that makes models harder to get and more expensive.
I tried taking the slop out, but that didn't seem to make a difference... I tried swapping the board that didn't die at direction changes for the board that did. Seemed to help, but now the headlight on said board doesn't work no more...
I took a break from them cause I was getting upset. I'm going to try to see if the version 7 chip makes a difference. If it doesn't, the QSI stuff is coming out in favor of loksound in one and a lenz in the other...
Randy, the trucks are similar to Atlas trucks. they have the copper strips on the inside of the sideframes. I had already tried the paper thing and got nothing.
However the slop causing a lack of contact is interesting. I'll see if I can take some slop out.
Each one sounds like a pickup problem, despite them wheels and pickups being clean. Like the loss of power on change of direction - the free play in the gearbox appears to cause there to be a period where there is no metal to metal contact in the pickup system, meaning no power.
Depending on just how they did the pickup system, this could be fixable fairly easily. Or it could be somewhat more complex - perhaps like many Athearn locos, the plastic part of the sideframe is a tad too large and serves to hold the axle or bearing off the metal part, causing poor contact.
You might want to see if it's just one truck with a problem - run one end of the loco on a piece of paper, it should still work fine, if on a clean stretch of straight track. Repeat with opposite end. I'm willing to bet you will find one truck is fine and the other has issues, rather than both having problems.
--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 have a total of 4 older BLI locos, but seem to have problems with all the QSI-equipped ones.
The only one that I haven't had a problem with is a C30-7, and I really like the loco. I just wish the rest "behaved" like this one.
First one is a C30-7 with QSI: I upgraded this to a version 7 and love the new sound file me and a friend came up with. The big issue I have with this one is that it stalls where the other one won't. The wheels are clean, and I cleaned the axles and pick-ups; so I'm stumped on this one. I'm wondering if electrolube where the axles go into the pick-up strips will help that out. The other one is the lack of customizability of the light functions. I'd like to loose the lighted class lights and reprogram one of the accessory lights to a beacon.
The other 2 are a pair of NW2s. One seems to run fine, but the electronics are wonky. The other one has issues running, but the electronics work a little better (as long as it doesn't change direction). Both won't program right though.
Wonky electronics one: Likes to play the coupler bar sound in a loop if the function map isn't set so the lights are always off or on (i.e. F0R and F0F control both headlights). Other than that, it runs fine
The other: Likes to derail (it has gotten better as I mess with it), but the big issue is it seems to loose power almost every time I change direction. I could be stopped in forward and flip to reverse (or vise-verca) and the sounds will stop, then it starts up then goes. I cleaned the wheels and the pickup strips and it still does this.
Both may be in line for a version 7, but IDK if that will fix them. A minor issue I have with both is having cab lights (with no interior), but they may be able to be changed to a beacon instead. Frankly I disappointed with the NW2s, and if the version 7 doesn't fix them; I may just rip it out and go with loksound selects.
Anyone got any suggestions on these locos?