# Broadway Limited



## Sasha

Hi there! I'm new here today, and I already love this site!

I have a new Broadway Limited AC6000. I really like its build quality and all, but I run DC, not DCC. I want to make it run like my other locomotives... you know, direct response from the motor. This AC6000 has a long delay before motion. I would change it myself, but I cannot seem to get the shell from the body. Does anyone know how to do this safely?

Thanks!


----------



## EMD_GP9

Hi Sasha.
I have several BLI locos but run them on DCC.
If you look in your manual you will see that BLI Diesel locos on DC need 7 volts just to get the sound started and will move shortly after that depending on the CV settings programmed by BLI.
This is why you see a delay because your 0-12v controller has to be at least half way to full before anything will happen !
You may be able to improve on the start value by changing CV values but as I said the electronics need at least 7 volts to get working and only then they can operate the motor whereas DCC has power there the whole time so can move instantly.
You cannot alter anything by removing the shell as all programming is done through the track and controller.
With a DC controller nothing can be changed but according to the BLI manual a device called the "DCMaster" can be used on DC to change CV values.
Perhaps the easiest way is to find a local person or shop that has a DCC controller which can change CV values for you but be careful !!!
Read carefully about the CVs you need to change to just improve the response on DC and leave the others alone.
If you get into trouble you should be able to do a full reset by setting CV 8 to 8 or there may be a reset button on the loco which should be accessible without removing the body - see the manual or parts diagram.
Hope this helps, Colin.


----------



## Sasha

*Hard wiring*

Thank you, Colin. I was thinking more along the lines of simply wiring the motor straight, bypassing the electronics. I would leave the lighting intact. That's why I wanted to know how to get inside to all that stuff.

Thanks again!


----------



## Sasha

*Anyone?*

Has anyone ever taken the shell from the body of a Broadway Limited AC6000 to get to the motor wires?

In the meantime, I just received another Spectrum DDA40X and I promptly modified it to have all-wheel electrical pickup. It runs very quiet and very powerful.

I love trains!


----------



## NIMT

Sasha,
Why would you want to tear into a fine engine like the BLI, if you move the motor wire to the pickups you will distroy the sound decoder. Sell it off and by a DC unit!
What modifications are you doing to make it all wheel pick up? They were that way from the factory???


----------



## Prospect193

Not trying to be rude but that's just silly!!!
Why would you be buying DCC. Locos if you have a DC system!!
It seems as though it would be a smarter option to buy a DCC system and then convert your other locos to DCC!!bypassing the DCC in your locos especially a BLI loco which is a high end product is madness!! I think you should seriously rethink your tactics!!!

Pat


----------



## Sasha

*BLI hardwiring.*

The Spectrum DDA40Xs were all 8-wheel electrical (only the outside axels were fitted with wipers) pickup.

As for the BLI - I want to wire the motor to the main DC pickup contacts. I don't care about the sound.


----------



## sawgunner

isn't it factory programmed to run dual mode like most everything that comes DCC?


----------



## NIMT

Oh you must be dealing with the 10+ year old DDA40X's, Yea another one of Bachmann's problem children!

Well just can't see the point to tearing up a BLI to turn it into a DC slug! 
To me it's like buying a ferarri and installing a VW motor in it! 
But to each their own!


----------



## Prospect193

Sasha said:


> The Spectrum DDA40Xs were all 8-wheel electrical (only the outside axels were fitted with wipers) pickup.
> 
> As for the BLI - I want to wire the motor to the main DC pickup contacts. I don't care about the sound.


Good luck!!! I for one still think its folly!!!

Pat


----------



## Sasha

*Speed control.*

Yes, but it has this delay that takes forever for the locomotive to even start moving. I want to have the same speed control over this train that I have for my other trains. All it will take is for someone who has experience removing the shell from the chassis telling me how to do it safely. I have already asked and answered all the questions about "should I or should I not"... I should. I'm going to, it's just a matter of knowing how to do it safely.


----------



## sawgunner

ok if it's brand new in box it should have an owners manual with it or atleast a instruction sheet that will tell you how to take the shell off. I know every unit i've bought had the sheet at least. both of my DCC onboard DDA40X's had them and there is a bunch to do to get the shell off


----------



## sawgunner

this is the best i could find sorry

http://www.broadway-limited.com/support/explodedview/BlueLine AC6000 Exploded View Diagram.pdf


----------



## Sasha

*Thanks!*

Thank you for all that. My AC6000 did come brand new with that exploded view and some registration stuff and a manual booklet. None of that was helpful enough to give me the confidence I will need to try it, though.


----------



## Sasha

*Good enough.*

After a few more unsuccessful attempts to get at the motor of my AC6000, I have decided to leave it alone. The delay will just have to be accepted. I can live with it. I don't want to destroy a nice engine.


----------



## Prospect193

That's a good decision in my opinion!!!
No reason destroying such a nice loco!!!

Pat


----------



## Brakeman Jake

Just my two cents here...according to their website,regular "soundless" BLI locos come "DCC ready"...does this mean they have an NMRA eight pin plug?If so,could this gentleman just unplug the sound decoder and substitute an eight pin jumper?Or do they have a whole different board for sound.If he could use a jumper (that Sean could supply easy),coming back to sound later would be simple.

Now a couple question of my own concerning BLI locos...
-How good are they?How is BLI service should a problem arise?
-I'd like to occasionally consist one with Kato locos I already have so are they pretty close in ratios (speed matching) or are they a world apart?
-I want it with sound but have two options here.How is BLI's OEM sound system?Can I reconfigure their CV's with a Soundtraxx booster?Then my other option is to buy a "soundless" one and fit it with a Tsunami.Then are they "sound ready" with a speaker housing and enough room inside for other brands of decoder other than their OEM boards?

My final question...for now...does someone know where I could find "see through" fake fans and/or dynamic brake grilles that I could use for ventilation?Tsunami's are great decoders but are also hot runners.


----------



## petey

*Bli*

1. They are excellent
2. BLI service is very responsive
3. Consist-I presume the KATO is not DCC, therefore the only adjustment would be with the BLI. I suppose it could be done, but consisting is usually accomplished wtih DCC models
4. The QSI system is excellent
5a. Are you saying you want the KATO with sound? If that's the question, buy the Tsunami and plug it in, if it isn't DCC ready, you'll have to hardwire. This will allow consisting with a BLI DCC.
5b. Buy a BLI Blueline-this is *DC BLI *w/sound(you might be able to run with KATO)
5c. Any model, of the same vintage, produced with sound will have decoder and speaker room 
Final: fans/grills--contact manufacterers--Proto. Ath, BLI, KATO, etc, for those parts.


----------



## Brakeman Jake

I have abandoned the idea of buying a BLI...due to the impossibility to get the one I wanted.I wanted a High Hood SD40-2 (CP colors) wich have been offered in early 2010 but couldn't find a single one of any scheme by the way...it seems BLI makes only a dozen at a time and two years is too long to expect finding one.

I've bought another Kato (SD80 NS) and will install a Tsunami in it like I did with the two other Kato's I have.Thanks for your reply,I appreciate.


----------



## gc53dfgc

Well if you do decide to make it a hardwired engine then take the sound decoder out of it when you solder the main engine leads to the pickups and mail the decoder to me. 

If you still can't get the shell off (normally held in by plastic clips or a screw or two, you could send it my way and I will get the shell off and hardwire it.


----------



## Sasha

*Slow progress.*

That's very tempting! :laugh:

I finally got my GE U50... the collection is complete now (until the Alco C855 and maybe the Big Blows are released in plastic).

Now I need to finally pick a place to put this layout I'm planning.

I'd still like to figure out how to get the shell off this AC6000. In fact, I still have to detail my KATO GM SD90MAC. The pieces are so small!

Arrgh...


----------



## norgale

I had a VW motor one time. It was in a VW. MMMMMMM.


----------



## Sasha

*Huh?*

And so...?


----------



## gc53dfgc

norgale said:


> I had a VW motor one time. It was in a VW. MMMMMMM.


Shhhhhh, I could get a decoder out of this.:laugh:
But if you do actually decide to do that I would be willing to, at least that way the decoder is not destroyed.


----------



## Cab1

I have a BLI AC6000 with DCC and QSI sound. It's an excellent loco. It's the first diesel I ever owned. I'm a steam guy, but when I saw that thing rolling down the track on a Youtube video I had to have one. It was the sound that got me. Anyhow, this loco has a "start up" and "shut down" routine that's prototypical, it mimics the real thing - at least when run in DCC. I think it's built onto the decoder because I just can't throttle up and go screaming down the track. I have to go through the "start up" routine first. When the loco begins to move, it starts out very slowly. Again, this is prototypical. It doesn't really move very fast either. It has a very low ballsy powerful feel to it - like the real thing. I love it - but that's DCC. In your case you want plain old DC. I think to get it to work the way you want to you need to remove the decoder and replace it with one of those plugs that "DCC ready" locos come with. Even then I'm not sure it will run the same way all your other DC locos run because of the way it's geared.


----------



## Sasha

*HUGE success!*

I finally got the hood off the AC6000. I hard-wired the motor leads to the leads that come from the pickups and the rails. To my surprise, though - only the LEDs came on. The motor would not run. So I tried just wiring the leads together - disconnected from the decoder board. The motor ran just like I wanted it to. So... something on the board keeps the motor from getting voltage. There's way too much circuitry on that little board for me to ever figure it out. What to do?

- Oh yeah, I accidentally burned-out 2 of the LEDs... damnit. :retard:


----------



## gc53dfgc

Please oh Please send me the engine so I can SAFELY hard wire the motor for you. I'll even replace the two LED's free of charge just to save that decoder.


----------



## Sasha

*Seriously?*

gc53dfgc - I sent you a P.M.


----------



## gc53dfgc

k, I replied


----------



## Southern

so how did you get the shell off?


----------



## Sasha

I think the difference this time was removing the couplers. The way the coupler housing fits, it locks the hood to the chassis.


----------



## Sasha

*Sent.*

AC6000 and decoder sent to *gc53dfgc*.


----------



## Sasha

*Delivered!*

Package has been delivered! Yay!


----------



## New Berlin RR

Very cool! I bet you will enjoy!


----------



## Sasha

*Not quite.*

What I meant was that the train is now in his hands... I still have some waiting to do. :laugh:


----------



## New Berlin RR

ok, I bet he will enjoy it! you have to wait for yours....hehe least thats what the post master told me


----------



## gc53dfgc

fixed


----------



## New Berlin RR

gc53dfgc said:


> it has not come in the mail. Did you use my address?
> David Senter
> 1900 ****** drive
> Troy, Ohio ****
> 
> ???


That might be better sent via PM my friend


----------



## Sasha

*Delivered!*



gc53dfgc said:


> it has not come in the mail. Did you use my address?
> David Senter
> 1900 Beechwood Drive
> Troy, Ohio 45373
> 
> ???


Yes, the address is correct. Tracking said it was delivered _*to your front porch*_:


----------



## gc53dfgc

New Berlin RR said:


> That might be better sent via PM my friend


ah but think of all the free trains I could get:laugh:, probably could have thought it through a little bit more though.

Turns out it the door mat was laid over the box by our UPS person and I did not think twice about it being like that. So I have it and it is in perfect shape. Nothing to worry about.


----------



## Sasha

*Yes!*

Loving it! Can't wait!


----------



## New Berlin RR

Cool, now I just need some nice engines to play with!


----------



## Sasha

*Heavy!*

I don't know too much about what's "nice" and what's not, but I like that BLI AC6000... its details look great and it's heavy as heck. I like that.


----------



## Sasha

*Ac6000*

Sheesh - I can't believe how long it's taking for shipping to get this package back to me!

*gc53dfgc* said he had sent it around Wednesday of last week... this slow shipping is making me very anxious! I hope it hasn't been delivered to the wrong address. That would be awful. 

Just me being impatient, I guess. Arrrgh...


----------



## gc53dfgc

Sasha said:


> Sheesh - I can't believe how long it's taking for shipping to get this package back to me!
> 
> *gc53dfgc* said he had sent it around Wednesday of last week... this slow shipping is making me very anxious! I hope it hasn't been delivered to the wrong address. That would be awful.
> 
> Just me being impatient, I guess. Arrrgh...


I can't believe it has not arrived yet. I sent it back using the return address on the original label that was used to ship it to me. So it should not have ended up at a wrong address unless the post office screwed it up.

Sorry that it has not arrived yet, I know you are really missing it.


----------



## Sasha

*She's back!*

She showed up earlier today. Great packing job!

I have since done quite a bit of modifications on her, though. One of the LEDs was out. I had to resituate the LEDs, putting the one "white" LED in the back and the "yellow" ones all in front, to match.

Question to *gc53dfgc: *wasn't there a yellow plastic piece in the nose where the LEDs would slip into? Well, I glued the LEDs into place and they shine much brighter.

Everything works great.

I forgot to ask you all this time, though: have you gotten any use of the Tsunami thing-a-ma-jig?

I'll post a picture or two in a little while, since I have my little niece's camera for a couple days.


----------



## gc53dfgc

Sasha said:


> She showed up earlier today. Great packing job!
> 
> I have since done quite a bit of modifications on her, though. One of the LEDs was out. I had to resituate the LEDs, putting the one "white" LED in the back and the "yellow" ones all in front, to match.
> 
> Question to *gc53dfgc: *wasn't there a yellow plastic piece in the nose where the LEDs would slip into? Well, I glued the LEDs into place and they shine much brighter.
> 
> Everything works great.
> 
> I forgot to ask you all this time, though: have you gotten any use of the Tsunami thing-a-ma-jig?
> 
> I'll post a picture or two in a little while, since I have my little niece's camera for a couple days.


There was no piece to hold them in perfect alignment. I did the best fitting I could here to get them to line up properly to the light bars. The led's will be fragile as they were from the factory because of how they are soldered in place, to much movement and they will need to be touched up with solder.

I have not had any time to actually test the board yet, but as soon as I do (and if it works) I shall transfer it into another engine.


----------



## Sasha

*Modifications.*

I removed the breadboard you installed and simply wired the LEDs and glued them in place. Easy enough to replace if need be. Not so fragile anymore.

I hope you get good use of the Tsunami thing. It should work 100%.


----------

