BLI E-6's have hit the shelves...

[peteski]

I just put my two BLI E-6A/B units in consist using the NCE DCC system.
I think that the sound functions such as passenger announcement and maintainance are working from both units.  Is this what one should expect?   
I cannot tell if the horn function plays for both engines when they are in consist.

If they are in a consist (standard or advanced), each loco will still act as as a separate unit (they just both respond to the same throttle commands).

As far as verifying how each loco works, you can put each loco individually on the track (one at a time)  and see how it responds to commands and what sound effects you hear. Just because you have them consisted, it doesn't mean that they *ALWAYS* have to be coupled together. Each one will by itself just as well. 

[rogergperkins]

Thanks for the reply, Peteski.
I will uncouple them and place them several feet apart on the layout and test the commands.
 

[spookshow]

I doubt that a B unit knows that it's a B unit or cares that it's in a consist. If you activate the horn, I suspect it'll be just as happy to oblige as the A unit (or at least it will until such time as you change its CV settings to do otherwise).

Cheers,
-Mark

[rogergperkins]

If I find a E-6B powered at the show and add it to the roster, I will then need to learn how to adjust it to run well with the Kato E-8A.  I tried the Kato E-8A with a BLI E-6A and felt the Kato engine was running too fast to put in consist with the BLI as is.

[spookshow]

The easiest way to adjust a locomotive's speed is to play around with CV2 (Vstart), CV6 (Vmid) and CV5 (Vhigh). These represent the the locomotive's motor voltage at the first speed step, the middle speed step and the top speed stop (with straight line acceleration in-between). The range is 0-255, with 0 being no voltage and 255 being max voltage (IE, whatever your power supply is pumping into the rails). If a locomotive is running too fast right across the board (as compared to its mate), tick down Vmid and Vmax until the speeds match (it's usually not necessary to mess around with Vstart).

You also have the option of going with a full-blown speed table (where you set motor voltage over a 28 step range), but that's usually not necessary if you're just trying to consist a couple of locos together.

Cheers,
-Mark

[rogergperkins]

Thanks for the lesson. Once I get my feet wet at making these adjustments, I know I will enjoy DCC much more.
 

[SkipGear]

The BLI loco's offer a unique consisting system if you are using two sound units. It's a little complex but outlined in their instructions. It will turn off lighting effects and unique engineer driven sounds such as the Horn and Bell on the slave units in the consist. That way when you blow the horn for a crossing, it only comes from the lead loco. The second units will still make engine, brake, and other related sounds but other features are turned off.

[rogergperkins]

Thanks, Tony.  When I put two BLI E-6A/B units into consist and then placed them a few feet apart on my layout, I found that the 2nd horn sound and passenger sound, maintainence sound and radio sounds were played in both engines.  It is an interesting effect...I Like it. 

[SkipGear]

When you use their special consisting method, it won't do that. It is a complicated process but it does improve the effect. It's not as big of a deal in N because the sound sources are so close together but for example a 3 E Unit lashup in HO puts the sound spread over a 2' area of track where certain sounds should be coming just from the lead unit.

[rogergperkins]

  I guess I have a "small mind" and thus only think in n-scale, no HO.
I like the double sound especially with the maintainence chatter.

[rogergperkins]

I am puzzled by the fact that random sounds are being emited by my BLI E-units.
The horn sound is occurring when I push F3 on some occasions.

I may not be changing from one engine to another when I have all 3 BLI E-units running using the NCE DCC system.  If I use select loco and recall functions and have all 3 units running, is this creating problems.
Should I NOT try to have 3 units running?
Am I missing a clear engine step?
I am beginning to think I may have damaged the engines by trying to run 3 simultaneously from one controller.
Thanks.   

[spookshow]

I'm not sure I understand what you mean, Roger - running three engines with one controller is kind of the point of DCC. The individual decoders don't know (or care) about what other decoders might be responding to the same commands from the controller.

-Mark

[rogergperkins]

Let me restate the question. 
If I am running a DCC engine and then wish to stop that engine and park it, do I need to follow any specific steps?
With recall on NCE, I can only retain 2 engines that I can toggle between.  If I select a 3rd engine and still have the first 2 engines running, I just shut off power to the whole system to end that session.  Do I need to close out each engine?

This is like trying to use a shovel to dig one's way out of a hole.  Wrong tool!   

[SkipGear]

I don't do NCE but with Digitrax, yes you need to release the loco when you are done with it if you don't want it setting there continuing to make the random sound effects. The controler retains in memory any loco's you have addressed and will continue to send commands to that loco until you release it. That way you can start up engine A, set it running, then switch over to B, C, D, E, etc. and do the same, they will all continue to do the command they were last given until you tell them to do something different.

As Mark mentioned, its kind of the point of DCC to be able to do this. Say for example on your layout which is a good canidate for this. You can set out a train on each track of your double track loop and let them run un attended while trying to switch local industries with a third loco, avoiding the moving main line trains.

[rogergperkins]

Thanks, I need to find that release engine function in the NCE system.
I think some engines with sound are executing functions after I have stopped them in a station and move to controlling a 2nd or 3rd engine/train.