So ...... What About Those BLI SD-40-2's?

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by AntonioFP45

QUOTE: Originally posted by 4884bigboy

I agree, TrainBoy. I honestly don't think they look that bad. And, from what I've heard, it's the GP9 that has the incorrect sound. The BLI SD40-2 does have the correct decoder.

Hello 4884BigBoy,

No disrespect intended but I have to disagree with you. As a teen I spent many hours around prototype EMD Geeps and Switchers. I took photos and made tape recordings back in the late 70s-early 80s.

The HO GP9's sound is very close to the prototype. The BLI SD40-2, while it sounds "dynamic" and clear, lacks the distinctive Turbo Charger sound that's the trademark signature of most 645 diesel equipped EMDs.

Antonio,

No disrespect to you either, but me being a teen, I've also spent a fair share of time around SD40-2s and GP9s (the local shortline has a few). The SD40-2s have the turbo charged whine, while the GP9s have more of the classic "567 Chant". I don't know about you, but I think the QSI decoder whines more than it chants.

[AntonioFP45]

4884Bigboy

Go to the BLI website, click on the BLI sound sample of the SD40-2.. Listen carefully to the diesel.

Then go to the Soundtraxx link I posted above, and listen closely to the sound of that diesel. (Try to ignore the horn and bell). You should notice the difference right away. [;)]

If indeed the BLI/QSI recording is the sound of an EMD 645, then either it was a non-turbo unit like a GP38 or SD38, or the microphone used didn't do a good job of picking up the turbocharger's sound.

Oh, as for the reference in my teen years, I also spent oodles of time around and on locomotives in my young adult years as well, which included cab rides.......That was so cool! I was able to take loads of photos and make tape recordings.

( Back in the 70s, SCL railroaders often welcomed respectful railfans. Too bad that in this era of lawsuits and terrorism, that's gone forever. )

[csxns]

Yes back in the 70s,SCL and the Clinchfield did welcome respectful fans had lots of fun in Bostic yard.

[jfugate]

Speaking of QSI decoders, the larger current draw these decoders take when you power up a layout is turning into a real problem.

My friend Charlie Comstock has two of the BLI cab forwards, and 4 Soundtraxx units on his layout. In a recent op session someone shorted a turnout and his Digitrax power booster went "beep beep beep" like it does when you have a short on the layout.

However, he could not power the layout back up because the booster kept seeing the huge current draw from the sound units and would power back down again because it figured the short still existed. After a lot of hassle to remove all the track power, Charlie was finally able to get the layout to power back up.

Charlie has stated he will buy no more QSI equipped units untul they get this problem resolved. He's not impressed.

Bill Darnaby did an experiment and found 1 QSI loco on his Digitrax system did not generate enough current draw to prevent the booster from recovering when the track was shorted, but TWO QSI decoder equipped locos did prevent the layout from coming back up. Bill also found the same effect from 7 Soundtraxx decoders on the layout.

So 7 Soundtraxx decoders seems to equal 2 QSI decoders ... and they're DCC layout killers if your DCC layout goes down with a short.

I see this as a serious problem and what amounts to a DCC design flaw in these sound decoders. It looks like you won't be able to run many of them at a time on a larger layout ... or you just pray nobody shorts anything. Bad, BAD, BAD !

[NZRMac]

I've got three BLI loco's and two soundtraxx equipped loco's if I have a power short somewhere and have to reset it comes on straight away.

I have Lenz set 100 5amp system and some pretty dodgey wiring!!

Ken.

[jfugate]

QUOTE: Originally posted by NZRMac

I've got three BLI loco's and two soundtraxx equipped loco's if I have a power short somewhere and have to reset it comes on straight away.

I have Lenz set 100 5amp system and some pretty dodgey wiring!!

Ken.

Maybe Digitrax and sound decoders don't play together well? In all the examples I've seen so far (Charlie Comstock and Bill Darnaby both use Digitrax, and they were the ones who've pointed out this problem), it's been trying to power on a Digitrax DCC system when the layout's got 2+ QSI equipped locos on it.

Maybe Charlie needs to bring his QSI locos over to my place ... I use Lenz power boosters too. Perhaps they are more forgiving.

This certainly bears more study.

[NZRMac]

Rex has a bunch of BLI's too, he's running Digitrax on his layout, I wonder if he has a problem.

Ken.

[jfugate]

In doing some more digging, I found this chart on Tony's Train exchange:

http://www.tonystrains.com/technews/pshield-restart.htm

While the numbers seem high (lower numbers are worse), the basic pattern is there.

Digitrax boosters seem to have the most problem recovering from a short with sound decoders on the track, and it takes fewer sound decoders to "kill" a Digitrax system so it won't recover at all from a short. Lenz and NCE are less sensitive.

Still, there is a limited number of locos you can have on a DCC layout with sound and when you get a short, the booster may not recover if you have too many locos with sound.

Sobering indeed.

[rexhea]

QUOTE: Originally posted by NZRMac

Rex has a bunch of BLI's too, he's running Digitrax on his layout, I wonder if he has a problem.

Ken.

Hi everyone!
I have the Digitrax 8 amp Chief. The only time I have a reset problem is if I have at least three BLI locos online, been running for a good while, and the Command Unit is hot.

One thing that I have noticed is that if I immediately turn track power off at the time of the short with the trottle control and hold the button down until I hear a Command Station beep, then the reset is almost instantaneous.

The biggest problem I have seen with reset is HEAT! Although Digitrax has installed a large heat sink for the power amplifiers, the case is completely closed off. To remedy this, I have cut off about a 1/2 inch of the case at the back (up to the screw holes) to allow heat to escape from the circuitry and I have installed a computer fan to move the air out. So far, I haven't had any more problems.

[:)] REX [:D]

[AntonioFP45]

Rexhea,

Contact Digitrax at: [e-mail]

IMPORTANT info like this is good to share so the company can analyze the product and make needed improvements.

Thanks!

[trainfan1221]

I have yet to see one in person, so I can't judge. I do agree that MR rarely gives negative reviews, and this one was somewhat negative. I do remember the MRC F7 being ripped apart, now that was a bad review! As for the new model, my take on it is this-we all pay a lot more for model locos in all scales, and therefore expect better quality. New standards have been long since established in the appearance and detail of engines and its not normal for a company to come out with an inferior looking (or running) model anymore. When you consider how highly detailed some N scale models are, then you can certainly expect a lot more in HO. I do not have much use for sound, its kinda neat bit I still feel its more of a gimmick in a model locomotive. It will never come close to capturing anyhting like the real thing. Especieally on a grade where trains really dig in and pull. I have alwats thought models like Athearn blue box locos were fine, at least the SD40-2. When I was in HO, these were far better than anything I owned, and even back then, starting to be really pricey.
Like I said, haven't seen the new one yet, was really impressed with the Kato models and would own them if I were still in HO (have the nscale versions). For the price, they should pay a little attention to detail.

[bogp40]

Turn the sound off and listen to the drive, Half of the SD40s I know make more noise than and old BB. Why refine the drive when the average person running with sound will not hear the growl. Maybe after break-in they may smooth out. No comparison to my Stewarts, Katos, Atlas or P2Ks.
Bob K.

[AntonioFP45]

Robert,

I recently heard a sound equipped BLI diesel on a club layout. I could hear the growling, though I stayed quiet and enjoyed the "overall sound".

I guess with me, my ear is tuned in to prototype and model railroad sounds, especially since I've owned Athearn BBs since the 70s.

If the growling on a BLI is from the motor than dropping in a Mashima should nullify that! If it's the trucks, then it gets more involved.

10-4!