I hate this darn engine! To slow, won't pull anything to speak of and keeps going into sleep mode!
Last night I tried to run it and it went into shut down, just sat there like a lump. Could not get it to wake up using the proper F Buttons. Nothing!
So I got the bright idea to reset the decoder using Decoder Pro. Used in stand a lone mode and slected All QSI Vaules. Read the CV's, and it now says there is no sound? Did I wipe out the sound information with the factory reset? Is there anyway to restore the sound? If there is not any think it is off to the LHS for a trade in, I take $20.00 for the POS in trade!
Cuda Ken hating this engine again.
I hate Rust
Can you try another decoder even if it's not sound? Maybe the engine is fine.
It might be a very tired QSI, Ken. My Lionel HO Challenger is a sleeper. It has an early, first gen, QSI that will go to sleep if the loco is not used in a power-up/power down cycle running the layout. Next time I go to use it, it's silent and immobile. It has been a few years, unfortunately, but it seems to me a double-press of F6 should bring it around, maybe two doubles, and then assign it a single speed step to get it in motion. If that doesn't work, and a reset doesn't make it make noises, you will have options....LokSound, QSI Titan, TCS Wow (if they have diesel options).
Howzat Y6b doing, or was it a Big Boy you had to pull your hair out over...and you finally figured out the problem maybe seven years ago now?
cudaken So I got the bright idea to reset the decoder using Decoder Pro.
Ken, my man...
I wonder, did you do a reset using a magnet over the reed switch? QSIs will not do a full reset unless you do the reed switch (or button in some cases) and remove power then reapply power.
Does your decoder look like this?
That's the reed switch over the chip. The decoder will talk to you and say "Reset Complete" or something like that. The silly magnet that comes with the locomotive is no where strong enough to reach the switch inside the E unit.
I have used a super strong rare earth magnet salvaged from a computer hard drive but in some MOST cases I have to open the body shell to get to the silly button or reed switch. A few BLI steam engines have the button under a tender hatch.
The decoder in my photo is a spare. I can send it to you along with the Bessemer caboose if you'd like. Say the word!
Your friend, Ed
Crandel good to see your post, been a long time my friend. You may have it the nail on the head about being a tired old QSI decoder. Wants to sleep more than I do! Far as my beloved PCM Y-6b, still drag's a ton and sounds great!
Ed I happen to have some Rare Earth Maganets from my slot car days. Long time ago I need to reset the decoder in a BLI Class J that had a QSI decoder. Seems I had to run it on DC to get the decoder reset to work.
Thanks for all the answers folks.
Ken
Anyone have a 2 pound hammer I can use for a few minutes?
That is kind of a up date. Ok, I tried to reset using the rare earth magnets while engine was on DC. Well, it started making sound again but would not move. When I used the magent all it would say was "MAX, MAX, MAX". Read the decoder again, still had the same address and still no Sound CV's?
OK, put it on the main line. Well there was sound, lights and still sat like a lump. Tried the magent again, horn would blow but that was it. Tried double taping F-6 horn sounded and stat there like a lump. Doubled tapped F-9, samething. Horn would blow and just sat there?
Before I use it as a weight to hold down my pool cover for the winter any ideas?
Ed that is what the decoder looks like in this POS.
Hating this engine again, Cuda Ken
Ken, my Y6b lost its LokSound decoder three years ago. It would run, but not make sounds. I had my buddy install a QSI Titan, and I haven't looked back. I now own two Titans. The other went into a BlueLine Class A. I think you'll be impressed. You'll still have that nice hooter, but nicer air pump sounds IMO.
Don't throw out the J. Your Y will pine for another N&W buddy if you do.
-Crandell
What you need for the Y is someone who's an 1&W fan as much as Nick Kulp is a Reading fan - my PCM T-1 sports actual sounds recorded off of AFT 1 back in the day. I didn;t change the whistle, as my T-1 is an in-service unit and didn;t have a multi-chime passenger whistle. But the pumps and turbo and so forth are the real thing now. Those Loksound 3.5 decoers were a long time ago, but they still can have the sounds replaced, and there are newer ones available than what PCM used 10 years ago. I guess if it totally goes dead that's one thing.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
IIRC QSI decoders have/had more than one "sleep" mode. One shut everything down - no lights, no motion, no sound. Another mode had lights and sound, but not motion. Sounds like that's what your engine is stuck in. As someone mentioned earlier, there is a certain function button pattern that puts it back to normal, maybe check the decoder manual for that version of QSI decoder.
BTW I think there's a way, once you get it working correctly again, to set a CV so that it can't go into sleep mode.
Yes, there were multiple stages of sleep and shutdown levels depending on how many times you hit F6. This was a common question when these locos first came out, people were getting their locos into non-operating states constantly. Enough presses of F8 should wake it up if it's all shut down.
Just a couple thoughts re 'covering all the bases'...
Since it doesn't run on DC or DCC, is it possible a wire to the motor has come loose? Something jammed up in the gears so nothing can move?
Has the engine ever - EVER - been part of a consist? Sometimes a DCC system will hang onto a consist long after you think it's been ended. Some systems allow you to go in and do sort of a 'delete history' where you can remove all decoder IDs and consists you've set up through the system. Also be sure the decoder itself isn't set to be part of a consist under a different ID.
When you did the decoder re-set, were you able to re-set the decoder ID? Maybe try reading the ID to be sure it's correct. I've struggled trying to figure out what's wrong with an engine, when it turned out I had re-set the decoder ID without realizing it.
Can the QSI decoder be 'locked'? I've done that too - try to set CV 3 to 15, and instead set CV 15 to 3, which locked the decoder from any changes.
cudaken Ed that is what the decoder looks like in this POS. Hating this engine again, Cuda Ken
Ken, I'll put together a "package" for you by next week and I'll throw in that decoder. I pulled it out of an Erie Walthers/Proto E8. I believe the address is 827 and I'm not going to wire it up just to change the address.
It should be a direct swap for you then. It ran FINE for me for several years. I replaced it with a Loksound Select.
Good Luck, Ed
It is stuck in sound and light sleep mode.
It has never been put in a consist but I guess I could have pushed a wrong button. But, this is about the 6th time this has happened.
Ed I looked the decoder you have posted a little closer. While the chip it self looks the same the board is diffrent. So I don't know it it will work with out a lot of work which this is not worth.
One of the reason's I say it not worth the effort is because it now wants to derail. When I found that again it would not move was the day I was going to try to find what was causing it to derail. Can't do that if it sit's like a lump!
Thanks again for all the answers!
That is says MAX when you wave the magnet means it's closign the switch - it's in volume setting mode and it's maxxed out.
The chips should be pin compatible, in that you can just plug the new one in and it won't blow up. The sounds may be different.
rrinkerThat is says MAX when you wave the magnet means it's closing the switch - it's in volume setting mode and it's maxxed out.
Any idea how to use the magnet just to reset the decoder to default? Can the QSI decoder be reset by using CV8 to 8?
Thank you for your time Randy and other helpful folks
Turn off the power, hold the magnet at the same spot that causes it to say "max", then turn the power back on.
But, this is about the 6th time this has happened.
Not trying to be smart, but what did you do the previous 5 times to get it working again?
hobo9941Not trying to be smart, but what did you do the previous 5 times to get it working again?
Held the 2 pound hammer over it and said "Move or you die"! But dang it, I have missed placed the Hammer!
Hobo It was not taken as being a smart caboose remark. Sometimes it would wake up using F-9 (I think it was F-9) button but never worked great waking it up.