Factory Direct Trains; BLI PAs BOGO

[peteski]

Mystery solved! Thank you RW and thank you @rrjim! That's one of the many reasons why I love being here...
It seems the board was not properly seated on the frame, with the tiny reset button pressed down by the shell, see pics. It would just keep resetting to factory settings. Do'h
Another problem taken care of...
Otto K.

Great quality control, eh?   

[Cajonpassfan]

Yea, well Pete....I suspect the original design intent was to have four screws holding the board down, see two open holes in the back end of the board, but stuffing all the wires under the board proved too much of a challenge...still, these are great looking, well running and well sounding models of my favorite diesel painted in what must be the most well known scheme known to man,  so I maybe more inclined to forgive such shortcomings
Here she is, on Number 7.
Otto K.

PS: it would seem that in my excitement to put the offending unit into service, I forgot to reinstall the front coupler but with 6,000 horsepower, there is no need for it....

[Chris333]

Well you can crack on me for having dynamic brakes on my LL Erie units 

[peteski]

Yea, well Pete....I suspect the original design intent was to have four screws holding the board down, see two open holes in the back end of the board, but stuffing all the wires under the board proved too much of a challenge...still, these are great looking, well running and well sounding models of my favorite diesel painted in what must be the most well known scheme known to man,  so I maybe more inclined to forgive such shortcomings
Here she is, on Number 7.
Otto K.

PS: it would seem that in my excitement to put the offending unit into service, I forgot to reinstall the front coupler but with 6,000 horsepower, there is no need for it....

I agree that these models are really good looking but the overall quality control is not quite there (we are discussing this in the "how to solve mechanism noise" thread).  I have no problems fixing these types of problems (or even more serious oversights) - I actually enjoy doing this, but not everybody is like me. 

[Cajonpassfan]

Well you can crack on me for having dynamic brakes on my LL Erie units 

Well, one can get hung up on lots of details and get the big picture wrong, or get the big picture right, like you do, and nobody notices the details. You mean to tell me Erie PA's didn't have dynamics? Who knew...?
Now we can crack on you...
Otto K., dynamics all the way...

Better pic (still fuzzy but better lighting)

[narrowminded]

Received two Erie PA's today.  Gave them a quick test run.  Very, very pleased at this point.  

I'm new to sound so will have to mess with that until I can get the cow to moo and the rooster to crow in the right order.

[Cajonpassfan]

You can make fun of the goofy sound options available (but not required or necesarily desirable) all you want, but the Paragon 2 fundamentals are very good, with an array of subtle background loco sounds that add a lot of depth. First thing I do is customize performance to my layout setting: reduce the master volume (CV 133=40) and reduce the top speed (50mph for passenger power; CV6 mid=30; CV5 max=70). Then I play with relative volumes for horn (the loudest) engine (mid range) and bell (only discernible when engine is in low RPM). Then I add momentum for acceleration and braking (CV3=30 and CV4=30), and adjust brake squeal, spit valve settings and bell rate.
There are other adjustments available but roosters other critters don't get included. With two (or three) sound equipped units, programmed with slightly different settings so that all the random background sounds don't happen at exactly the same time, the effect is quite impressive, and the sight and sound is something to behold. Or, imho, one can go back to watching silent Buster Keaton movies... Those were fun too.
Otto K.

[narrowminded]

You can make fun of the goofy sound options available (but not required or necesarily desirable) all you want, but the Paragon 2 fundamentals are very good, with an array of subtle background loco sounds that add a lot of depth. First thing I do is customize performance to my layout setting: reduce the master volume (CV 133=40) and reduce the top speed (50mph for passenger power; CV6 mid=30; CV5 max=70). Then I play with relative volumes for horn (the loudest) engine (mid range) and bell (only discernible when engine is in low RPM). Then I add momentum for acceleration and braking (CV3=30 and CV4=30), and adjust brake squeal, spit valve settings and bell rate.
There are other adjustments available but roosters other critters don't get included. With two (or three) sound equipped units, programmed with slightly different settings so that all the random background sounds don't happen at exactly the same time, the effect is quite impressive, and the sight and sound is something to behold. Or, imho, one can go back to watching silent Buster Keaton movies... Those were fun too.

Otto K.

I was making light of those things but as I said, I'm new to sound (and much of this) and am quite pleased with these locos.  It will be some time until I get to really play with them but already am impressed and I think I'm going to like it. 

[Cajonpassfan]

Sorry @narrowminded, I didn't mean to come across as pedantic. Humor doesn't always translate well online. I do hope you enjoy the extra dimension sound can provide when done right and properly adjusted for its  setting.
(Personally, I don't care for sound in large venues with lots of people and other noise, but really like it in an more intimate environment, like my layout room, with just a handful of sound equipped locos, turned way down, active at any one time. The sound dimension helps transport me to another time and place
Otto K.

[Santa Fe Guy]

Sound glorious sound in N Scale. What a way to go and who would have thought!
Rod.

[Cajonpassfan]

Sound glorious sound in N Scale. What a way to go and who would have thought!
Rod.

Yes, Rod, who woul'da?
Sometimes I think guys who don't like sound have never experienced it in a proper way. Kind of like me not liking Mexican food for years because I got some bad refried beans at a local Taco Bell first time I tried it.... 
But then again, this may not be the best analogy, you probably don't have great Mexican food down under; my bad
Best, Otto K.

[peteski]

Yes, Rod, who woul'da?
Sometimes I think guys who don't like sound have never experienced it in a proper way. Kind of like me not liking Mexican food for years because I got some bad refried beans at a local Taco Bell first time I tried it.... 
But then again, you probably don't have great Mexican food down under; my bad
Best, Otto K.

Sound is perfectly fine in small subtle doses. 

[Cajonpassfan]

Sound is perfectly fine in small subtle doses. 

Yea, like refried beans
Otto

[peteski]

Yea, like refried beans
Otto

Not for me - those are usually loud and very pungent! 

[CBQ Fan]

What would I need to buy in order to turn off the sound and make my BLI locos operate like a traditional D.C. Loco?  I have no interest in DCC and would prefer they run traditionally. The sound is nice but doesn't hold my interest. Cheapest alternative would be ideal.