BLI Paragon decoder and Soundtraxx decoder install to run parallel with Paragon 3 to retain smoke

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This is how I added a Soundtraxx sound decoder to run parallel with a Paragon 3 that gives me options for better and or different sounds. While this is relatively simple it requires some knowledge of DCC and soldering. Also if you choose to do this I cant promise you that your DCC system will not exploded into a fireball (-that’s a disclaimer).

The reason for doing this is to give you the option of different sounds over what the Paragon decoder provides but retain the smoke functions and the rolling thunder transmitter.

The Paragon decoder will control the smoke, lights and rolling thunder transmitter.
The Soundtraxx decoder will control the motor and sound.

It is important to me that this entire procedure can be reversed without any damage to the BLI factory components.

First thing is to remove the shells from the locomotive and tender. I had to spend a good 20 minutes cleaning up the inside of this loco from previous hours of running with the smoke turned on. Once cleaned up I moved on to the install. I snipped the wires that are soldered to the rear of the motor and put a piece of heat shrink over them and tucked them away. I used a 9 volt battery to identify which lead is positive then marked it with a sharpie. I soldered a prewired 2 pin JST harness to the motor and fed the wires out the rear of the loco just above the factory connection. I could have shorten this harness but didn’t think about it at the time. DOH. I reinstalled the loco shell and put it aside.

I selected a TSU 1100 for this install but typically I like the 2 amp capacity of the TSU 2200 but I didn’t have one handy. I soldered the appropriate 2 pin JST connectors to the wires on the Soundtraxx decoder. One for track power (red and black), one for the speakers (two purples) and the 3rd one (orange and gray) to connect to the harness I installed on the locomotive.

I simply unplugged the speakers from the Paragon3 and plugged them into the Soundtraxx. I plugged the Soundtraxx track power into the extra track power port on the paragon 3. The port is right next to the 2 pin from the tender trucks. The pinout for the paragon 3 is in the files section of this group BTW and might be helpful. Then I plugged the 2 pin connector for the motor control on the Soundtraxx to the motor harness I installed earlier. Button it all back up at this point. I might install a current keeper on the Soundtraxx If I feel I need one.

The Paragon 3 in this install was already programmed with the locomotive road number as the address so I didn’t touch ANY of the Paragon 3 programming. Now the IMPORTANT part. LOL I left the Soundtraxx address set at the default of 3. That way I could program it without having an effect on the Paragon (if they were the same address this could be problematic). So using address 3 to program the Soundtraxx decoder I selected the whistle and chuff sounds that I wanted. I set the chuff rate at about 83 (this seems to get you in the ball park for four chuffs per revolution). I disabled functions 7 and 9 on the Soundtraxx decoder because I wanted to reserve those for the Paragon startup and smoke control. Once I was happy with all the settings and the chuff looked close I then AND AGAIN THIS IS IMPORTANT I changed the address of the Soundtraxx decoder to the same one programmed into the Paragon 3.

Paragon 3 Pin Out

Pin outs can vary based on what is programmed into the decoder.
JPGM: Serial wire (usually used for chuff and/or programming)

J1: Pin1 = Front Light
J1: Pin2 = Front Light
J1: Pin3 = Rear Light
J1: Pin4 = Rear Light

J2: Pin1 = Speaker +
J2: Pin2 = Speaker -

J3: Pin1 = Track +
J3: Pin2 = Track -
J3: Pin3 = Motor +
J3: Pin4 = Motor -

J4: Pin1 Track +
J4: Pin2 Track -

J5: Pin1 Track +
J5: Pin2 Track -

J7: Pin1 Reserved for Future Use
J7: Pin2 Reserved for Future Use
J7: Pin3 Reserved for Future Use
J7: Pin4 Reserved for Future Use
J7: Pin5 Reserved for Future Use


J8: Pin1 Mars Light/3.3V
J8: Pin2 Mars Light/Serial
J8: Pin3 Cab Light
J8: Pin4 Cab Light
J8: Pin5 Wheel Sensor