Quantum Chip Upgrade

The list price is $49.95 which includes the Upgrade Chip and detailed colour loco-specific installation instructions. This does not include installation labour. If you prefer not to do the installation then contact your dealer for a quote.

The QSI Chip Upgrades will be released over the next several months. The BLI E7 and Hudson are the first.

Upgrade:
Your QSI equipped Broadway Ltd loco,
Your QSI equipped Atlas Gold loco,
Your QSI equipped Proto 2000 loco.

This impressive performance upgrade you have heard about adds many new features to your QSI equipped (DC) analog and DCC locomotives. Available in April 2006.

It's easy to order ... all you have to do is reserve the Upgrade (ROM) Chip from The Train Depot, perform the simple installation or have us do it for you!

We are offering the performance upgrade at an introductory price of just $49.95! Listen to all the sounds.

All QSI equipped locos have a similar circuit module with the easy to remove ROM chip mounted in the socket as shown.

Here is the impressive chip upgrade performance package:

Several important improvements have been made to the Quantum system since its introduction in the Broadway Limited Hudson in 2002. When you upgrade with a new Quantum memory chip, you will receive all of these new improvements including some features not currently available in production locomotives.

Features and Changes Included in the Quantum Upgrade Chip

Features Common to Analogue and DCC

• Downloadable sounds and software enabled to allow future sounds and code
  improvements to be installed in locomotive without removing the memory chip. (Requires additional download module to be connected between your PC and program track; to be announced).
• Back EMF Load Compensated Speed Control.  This feature had not been previously available in Analogue or DCC.
• Improved sound profiling allows individual sounds to remain audible even at low system volume settings.
• Added Individual sound volume settings including 1) Horn, 2) Bell, 3) Motor, 4) Fan, 5) Turbo, 6) Air Brakes, 7)  Air Pumps, 8) Air Let-off, 9) Short Air Let-off, 10) Squealing Brake/Flange, 11) Dynamic Brakes, and 12) Coupler Sounds.
• Sound of Power™ added to simulate increased power demands under acceleration and decreased power under deceleration.
• Synchronized steam dynamo sound with headlight turn on operation.
• Progressive shutdown capability including states of Disconnect, Standby and Total Shut Down. Available for DCC and DC (with QARC Technology and Quantum Engineer)
• Extended Shut Down Scenario. Available in DC with QARC Technology and Quantum Engineer.
• Start Up
• Extended Start Up Scenario. Available in DC with QARC Technology and Quantum Engineer.
• Functional Air Brakes to slow train with added brake squeal and air-line let off sounds. Available in DCC and DC with QARC Technology.
• Verbal Status Report of locomotive state. Available in DCC and DC with QARC Technology.
• Play Horn or Whistle with alternate endings. Available only with sound sets that have sound records of different horn and whistle endings.

Features in Analog

• Regulated Throttle Control with real inertia effects. There have been many improvements in Regulated Throttle Control since its introduction.
• Separate sound records for Horn hoots and Whistle hoots.
• Load settings allowing up to 15 levels of inertial.
• Special Heavy Load option allows near constant momentum of trains up and down grades.
  In Heavy Load, the throttle will increase or decrease motor revs and Sound-of-Power™ without noticeably changing the locomotives momentum which allows operator to individually control locomotive motor RPM and sound settings during operation. QARC only.
• Selection of helper type locomotives including Normal, Lead, Mid, End and Pusher type helpers.
• Direction setting for improved lighting control of locomotives in consists.
• New accurate way to set V-Start.
• Improvement in changing direction in Neutral to provide three hoots when moving in reverse and two hoots when moving to forward.
• QARC™ Technology added. Quantum locomotives not equipped with new QSI QARC™ (Quantum Analog Remote Control) Technology can now be upgraded.

QARC uses special remote control signals to operate different Quantum features without the need for complicated and expensive digital systems like DCC. Add the simple QARC controller, called Quantum Engineer, to your existing Analog power pack. With Quantum Engineer, you can operate features that are otherwise available only in DCC – plus features that are not yet available in DCC.

1. Turn On or Off Lights
2. Doppler Horn
3. Shut Down and Start Up Locomotives
4. Operate Prototype-like Air Brakes
5. Turn on Dynamic Brakes
6. Change System Volume while Train is Operating
7. Mute Engine Sounds while Train is Operating  
8. Disconnect power to the Motors
9. Put the Engine in Standby
10. Quickly Change between STC and RTC Throttle Control
11. Load and Heavy Load
12. Status Reports  
13. Quick and Easy Programming
14. Operate many Other Features

Features in NMRA Digital Command Control (DCC)

• Regulated Throttle Control included for the first time in Quantum DCC.
• Engine direction can now be changed rapidly allowing more reliable uncoupling operation over track magnets. Previous Quantum operation would gradually slow locomotive to a stop before changing direction often missing the uncoupler magnet.
• Added CV’s
  • CV 5 V-High.
  • CV 51 Mute Volume allowing the sounds to reduce but not go completely off when Mute is activated.
  • CV 55.110.5 Ditch Light Strobe Hold Time.
  • CV 56.0 Packet Time Out Shutdown.
  • CV 56.12 Chuff Interval Scale Factor allows adjustment of chuff rate.
  • CV 62 On/off control of verbal announcements.
• New CV’s added to program motor PID parameters.
• New Sounds
  • New GE pump
  • New E8 dual horn
  • New Sound Sets in Steam in Diesel

Upgrade Software Item Numbers and Sound Files

See the tables here.

Upgrade Installation Instructions

In progress.

Upgrade Feature Set in Detail

Complete document is available.

How to Order the Upgrade Chip

1. Determine exactly what QSI equipped loco you have. If you have the box or instructions then the catalogue # and features appear on the box.
   Caution: There are some subtle differences for the same loco with different road names that will require different upgrades, for example E7 with or w/o Mars Lite.
2. Review the following lists to find your loco. Jot down the loco nomenclature and the upgrade software ID. Double check your selection. If you have any doubt or have questions, please contact any of the QSI Solutions dealers or contact us.
3. To order please contact any of the QSI Solutions dealers and be sure to give them your loco nomenclature and the software identification number.
   Example:
   E3/6 with Mars Light (potentiometer) - ho115f17
   E3/6 without Mars Light (potentiometer) - ho116f17
   E3/6 with Mars Light (reed switch) - ho121f09
   E3/6 without Mars Light (reed switch) - ho122f09
4. The list price is $49.95 which includes the Upgrade Chip and detailed colour loco-specific installation instructions. This does not include installation labour. If you prefer not to do the installation then contact The Train Depot for a quote.
5. We expect to begin shipping some initial item numbers in late March, and the complete roster several months after.

More

• Detailed Explanation of Upgrade; BEMF and Regulated Throttle Control Features
• Upgrade Feature Set in Detail

Quantum Chip Upgrade Release Schedule

The QSI Chip upgrades will be released over the next several months. The BLI E7 and Hudson are the first.

This is a tentative release schedule:

(coming soon)

Sound Files

In progress

Quantum Engineer

Advanced Analog Controller

Later Quantum locomotives are equipped with our new QSI QARC™ (Quantum Analog Remote Control) Technology, which uses special remote control signals to operate different Quantum features without the need for complicated and expensive digital systems like DCC. Add the simple QARC controller, called Quantum Engineer, to your existing Analog power pack as shown above. With Quantum Engineer, you can operate features that are otherwise available only in DCC plus features that are not yet available in DCC.

• Turn On or Off Lights including Headlight, Reverse Light, optional Cab Lights and Number Board Lights. In addition, you can turn on or off optional Hazard Lights (Mars or Ditch-lights) plus switch them to be on steady or strobing.
• Shut Down and Start Up Locomotives. Complete Shut Down takes the engine off-line where it will not respond to either the throttle or other commands. Two types of Shut Down and Start Up scenarios are available; a short version where the Start Up and Shut Down effects take very little time or extended scenarios which includes locomotive preparation and/or maintenance effects.
• Operate Prototype-like Air Brakes. The Apply Brakes button results in the engine sounds reducing to idle while you hear the hiss of the air-line pressure progressively decreasing causing the engine to slow. You control the amount of air pressure and amount of braking effect. The Release Brakes button causes the engine sounds to return to normal as the locomotive’s speed gradually increases back to its original setting.
• Turn on Dynamic Brakes. Press the Dynamic Brakes button and hear the diesel motor reduce to notch 1 while the sounds of the powerful Dynamic Brakes and Cooling Fans turn on. Press the Dynamic Brakes button again to turn Dynamic Brakes off while the engine sounds return to their original power level.
• Change System Volume while Train is Operating. The engine volume can, of course, be set with manual volume control or through programming. The Quantum Engineer allows you to change volume up or down at the touch of button whenever the locomotive is operating. Mute Engine Sounds while Train is Operating. Presses the Mute button to gradually reduce the volume to a lower level or increase it gradually back to normal. This feature is valuable to lower the sound to allow answering the phone or to have a conversation but also as a way to easily lower the sound of engines in the background area of the layout or increase the sound volume as the engine moves to the front of the layout.
• Disconnect the Motors. The Disconnect button turns the motor drive off allowing you to operate the throttle without the engine moving. You can rev the diesel engine or vent steam through the throttle on steam locomotives. You can even apply Dynamic Brakes to allow the engine to operate under labored conditions – a common practice on prototype diesels to test the motor/generator output.
• Put the Engine in Standby. The Standby state allows the engine to remain at rest in a low idle condition, which is ideal for unmanned powered locomotives waiting on sidings. In Standby, locomotives will not respond to throttle or most other command buttons. This allows you to operate other locomotives on the same power grid without the standby engines responding. Standby engines come back to life by pressing the Start Up button.
• Quickly Change between modes of Throttle Control. There are separate buttons for STC (Standard Throttle Control) and RTC (Regulated Throttle Control). When you want to operate your engine in a prototype manner, use the RTC button and when you want a responsive engine, press the STC control.
• Add Load and Heavy Load. Use the Load button in Neutral to turn on or off the Load value you have selected in Load programming. This button also acts as a “Heavy Load” command when the engine is moving. This causes the engine’s speed to change very slowly when moving around the layout, up and down grades, etc. and allows you to use the throttle to produce exaggerated Sound of Power™ effects when working hard or low laboured sounds when coasting to a stop or going down grade.
• Hear Status Reports. In Neutral, pressing the Status button verbally reports the throttle type (RTC, STC), the amount of Load, whether the Load is on or off, and the Disconnect, Standby or Shut Down condition. While moving, the Status button reports the speed of the locomotive in smph (scale miles per hour).
• Access Quick and Easy Programming. Enter programming by holding Mute/Prog button down while you turn power on. The power light will blink. Move through the different Program Options (POP’s) by using the Next button to advance or the Prev to go back to previous POP’s. Use the up or down Arrow buttons to make changes at any POP.
• Operate many Other Features. Buttons are available to operate Doppler, to blow an automatic horn or whistle sequence of two longs, one short and another long for Grade Crossing warnings, to sound Brake or Flange squealing, to sound coupler opening or Coupler Crash sounds.

Wiring is Simple
Two red wires go the variable DC output from the power pack and two black wires go to the track. All features on the power pack remain the same including throttle and reverse switch control. It takes less than five minutes to add Quantum Engineer to your existing power pack.

Operation is Simple
Quantum Engineer allows customers full access to all the Quantum features without having to migrate to Command Control. Every feature is now available at the press of a button.

Quantum Engineer Controllers are designed to easily and quickly operate locomotives that have QARC (Quantum Analog Remote Control) technology.

The Quantum Engineer buttons are organized by function to make operation simpler. The buttons on the right are the Primary Control Keys for engine operation and include horn, bell and brakes.

The set of fifteen gray keys to the left of the Primary Control Keys, are the Locomotive Feature Keys, and provide operation of different engine settings such as lights and fans, as well as controlling different effects like Doppler and Squealing Flange sounds.

The cluster of five keys in a star pattern in the upper left corner are used for two different types of control. During operation, the vertical Arrow keys control sound volume, and the left/right arrow keys select the Throttle Mode. During programming, the arrow keys select the different program options and allow you to change the settings. This group of five keys is called the Star Pad Keys.

The keys in the lower left are used to control the locomotive states of Start Up, Shut Down, Disconnect and Standby as well as locomotive Status reporting. This group is called the Locomotive State Keys.

Specifications
Voltage Range: 4 – 25 VDC
Maximum Current: 2.5 Amps
Insertion Loss: 0 – 200 mV depending on current demand
Signal to Noise Ratio: 1:1
Power/Program Indicator: Red LED. Continuously lit in Run Mode. Blinking in Program Mode.
Power Consumption: 0.2 – 1.5 watts depending on throttle voltage
Reliability: Over 150,000 command transmissions.

Upgrade Software Item Numbers and Sound Files

If you are still not certain about the loco you have, you can get a vocal response from your locomotive indicating such by following the instructions for DC and DCC here (coming soon).

Quantum Chip Upgrade Program Specification

4 October 2005
Fred Severson, Gerry Pruss and Jim Christensen

Introduction: The chip upgrade program (CUP) allows Sounds-Like-Trains (SLT) to provide upgrades to all Quantum 1 locomotives. Quantum 1 (known just as “Quantum Sound” or “Quantum System”) is the product that has been sold for the last three years to BLI, Atlas, Life Like, Canadian Hobby Craft, Intermountain and other OEM importers. About 300,000 Quantum Systems will have been factory installed with software that will need upgrading. The new software with upgrade capabilities and other new features will be called Quantum1a or Q1a.

Although there have been a number of hardware designs used with factory installed Quantum equipped locomotives, all Quantum 1 systems use a 4 meg memory, 8 megahertz crystal for uP clock, the same track voltage and BEMF detector bridges, the same on-board power supply and the same QUIC-51 ASIC. Over the last three years a number of improvements have been made to the Quantum 1 System software including QARC technology and Regulated Throttle Control in Analog plus a number of improvements in DCC and DC system operation. Changes include:

DCC Improvements and changes:

1.      Added software to prevent sounds intermittently going off the air after minutes of operation. 4 September 2002.

2.      Mute Volume. Allows the sound to decrease gradually to a low volume setting made in CV 51. 24 September 2002.

3.      Labored Drift/Chuff sounds added to steam and labored motor sounds added to diesels under load (Sound-of-Power™). 24 September 2002.

4.      CV 5, V-High, added. 24 September 2002.

5.      Synchronized steam loco headlight operation to dynamo start up and shut down. 24 September 2002. Improved synchronization between headlight and Dynamo operation, 4 August 2003.

6.      Addition Functions F9 through F12 added. 15 April 2003.

7.      System Configuration Packet Timeout Shutdown added, CV 56.0. 15 April 2003.

8.      Shutdown Effects Added; Disconnect/Low Idle/Total Shut Down. 15 April 2003. Improved 6 July 2003. Improved 4 August 2003.

9.      High Voltage Software Circuit Breaker added, which prevents damage to the Quantum system and motors from some power packs high throttle settings. 4 August 2003.

10.  Optional Extended Shut Down added which allows the locomotive to shut off appliances and lights over time to better model the prototype shutdown procedure. 4 August 2003.

11.  Optional Extended Start Down added which allows the locomotive to turn on appliances, lights, motor, etc. over time to better model the prototype start up procedure. 4 August 2003.

12.  Improved operation with Lenz LH100. 7 October 2003.

13.  Made the Bell a state feature rather than a toggle feature to allow the function setting to indicate the bell on or off state. 27 October 2003.

14.  Air brakes added allow a function key, F7, to release more or less simulated air from the brakes line to slow the locomotive at different rates. 25 November 2003. Improved 14 August 2004 and 25 October 2004.

15.  Improved horn/whistle operation by allowing user activation of a short “hoot” to follow a long horn or whistle sound. 25 November 2003.

16.  Improved CV 29 specification: If CV29, bit 5 equals 1, then Ops Mode packet addressed to consist address does not make decoder go to Ops Mode. 31 January 2004.

17.  Status report added which speaks out scale miles per hour (verbal speedometer) when engine is moving and function key is pressed or provides selected loco-behavioral settings in neutral when function key is pressed. 28 April 2004.

18.  Analog lockout: At power up, if CV29, bit 2 is set to 0, locomotive will not respond to analog DC. 28 April 2004.

19.  Steam Chuff adjustment; CV56.12, Chuff Interval Scale Setting, added to allow operator to select different chuff rate or fine tune chuff to get exactly four chuffs per revolution. 28 April 2004.

20.  Doppler pitch shift increments increased to provide a smoother continuous transition. 28 April 2004.

21.  Improved switching direction operation by reducing the time locomotive is stopped before changing direction and removing a jerky start up after stopping. Reducing the time to change direction makes it easier to uncouple cars over track mounted uncoupler magnets. 28 April 2004.

22.  Improved mallet (articulated chuff) to sound more realistic during start up. 28 April 2004.

23.  Playable horn/whistle endings: Alternate horn or whistle is played if the horn function is tapped after releasing horn button. Only available on those models that have alternate endings available. 10 September 2004.

24.  Ditch light function added with alternating lights when horn is blown. 10 September 2004.

25.  Power up improved for Roco and Lenz DCC controllers to insure locomotive starts in DCC rather then entering DC Analog mode. 10 September 2004.

26.  Low Idle improved for diesel locomotives by turning off turbo. 14 October 2004.

27.  Diesel turbo “crackle” sound eliminated. 20 October 2004. Turbo Sound improved, 25 October 2004.

28.  Added software to prevent intermittent direction change with some power packs where the locomotive would loose power and the processor would restart. 11 November 2004.

29.  Default in CV 33 changed to 3 instead of 1 so that FL controls the directional lighting system instead of individual lights. 22 November 2004.

30.  Improvements for low geared diesel switchers include arming brake sounds at >20 smph and trigger < 10 smph. Also brakes arm if air brake button is pressed. DCC acknowledgement improved, especially for locomotives with low current motors. 22 November 2004.

31.  Ditch Lights Strobe Hold Time setting added (CV55.110.5). 12 January 2005.

32.  Modified DCC direction code to eliminate timing problems resulting in changing the motor direction while engine is still moving. 12 January 2005.

33.  Fixed problem with inconsistent memory writes/reads of Long Term Memory (LTM). This problem would sometimes erase or change CV settings and applied only to some locomotives with reed switches. 18 February 2005.

34.  Individual sound records re-scaled to allow the individual sounds to still be heard as system volume reduced to very low levels. 18 March 2005.

35.  Improved consisting operation. If consist active, CV21 instead of CV 22 is used in Function Group 2 instructions. 18 March 2005.

36.  System volume reset when a DCC reset is done. 8 April 2005.

37.  Improved Service Mode acknowledgement for HO315. 9 May 2005.

38.  New GE pumps and dynamic brakes. 10 May 2005.

39.  Improve steam chuff synchronization. 12 July 2005.

Analog Changes and Improvements:

1.      Added software to prevent sounds intermittently going off the air after minutes of operation. 4 September 2002.

2.      Programming advanced by using track polarity rather than variations in track voltage. 24 September 2002.

3.      Regulated Throttle Control/Standard Throttle Control programmed in POP 10. RTC was pervious controlled by load setting in POP 2. With this change load settings can also apply to STC and RTC can be used with zero load setting. 24 September 2002. RTC improved on 15 April 03, 31 January 2003, 28 April 2004, 22 December 2004, 18 February 2004, 18 March 2005, and 8 April 2005.

4.      Separate Short Hoot sound added. 24 September 2002.

5.      High Voltage Circuit Breaker which prevents damage to the Quantum system and motors from some power packs high throttle settings. 24 September 2002.

6.      Labored Drift/Chuff sounds added to steam and labored motor sounds added to diesels under load (Sound-of-Power™). 24 September 2002.

7.      Improved V-Start Operation. 24 September 2002.

8.      Synchronized steam loco headlight operation to dynamo start up. 24 September 2002.

9.      Motor Volume setting added, POP 15. 15 April 2003.

10.  Fan Volume setting added, POP 16. 15 April 2003.

11.  Diesel Cooling Fan Volume setting added. POP 16. 4 August 2003

12.  Steam Blower Volume setting added. POP 16. 4 August 2003

13.  Diesel Turbo Volume setting added. POP 17. 4 August 2003

14.  Added QARC Technology and all associated features to support Quantum Engineer operation. 28 April 2004. Improved 19 July 2004. Air brakes improved 14 Aug 2004 and 25 Oct 2004.

15.  Doppler pitch shift increments increased to provide a smoother continuous transition. 28 April 2004.

16.  Added horn signal when leaving Neutral. If the operator waited pass the transition setting before changing polarity and the horn comes on, then when throttle is increased, a addition short hoot sounds if the locomotive is set to forward or two additional short hoots if the locomotive is set to go in reverse. This results in two horn sounds if the engine is going forward or three if the engine goes in reverse, which are standard prototype horn signals. 14 July 2004.

17.  Playable horn/whistle endings: Alternate horn or whistle is played if the horn button is tapped after releasing horn button. Only available on those models that have alternate endings available. 10 September 2004.

18.  Ditch light function added with alternating lights when horn is blown. 10 September 2004.

19.  Diesel turbo “crackle” sound eliminated. 20 October 2004. Turbo Sound improved, 25 October 2004.

20.  New automatic V-Start procedure implanted that compensates for voltage drop in lower quality power packs. 25 October 2004.

21.  V-Start routine improved by using the initial track voltage, not the end voltage at finish of routine, as the V-Start value. 4 November 2004.

22.  Improved RTC to prevent severe locomotive lurch that occurred on some models. 18 January 2005.

23.  Improved consisting when operating under RTC. The problem: when consisting two or more locomotives together, the engines would surge together and apart with a period of 2-3 seconds at certain speeds. 18 March 2005.

24.  Almost all individual sound re-scaled to allow the individual sounds to still be heard as system volume reduced to very low levels. 18 March 2005. Blower hiss re-scaled on 11 April 2005.

25.  Improved RTC to ensure locomotive comes to a complete stop when air brakes are applied. 8 April 2005. Improved 9 May 2005.

26.  Improve steam chuff synchronization. 12 July 2005.

Minor Fixes and Improvements

In addition to changes listed above from 4 September 2002 though current software releases, many minor improvements and fixes have been made to the Quantum 1 System under DC and DCC to numerous to list here. Dates where fixes were implemented are as follows:

• 4 September 2002
• 24 September 2002
• 15 April 2003
• 6 July 2003
• 4 August 2003
• 7 October 2003
• 9 October 2003
• 10 October 2003
• 27 October 2003
• 29 October 2003
• 31 October 2003
• 25 November 2003
• 31 January 2004
• 16 February 2004
• 28 April 2004
• 14 July 2004
• 19 July 2004
• 10 September 2004
• 14 October 2004
• 20 October 2004
• 11 November 2004
• 18 March 2005
• 8 April 2005

A user can determine the date of his software release under DCC or DC programming. Customers that have purchased recent locomotives will have all these changes.

New additions for Q1a:

The following are changes in Quantum software that has not been available to any OEM equipped locomotive but will be available to OEM’s concurrent with the release of the upgrade program.

·         Special software added to allow improvements and changes to Quantum 1 to be downloaded to customer’s engine through QSI Website using the Quantum QICKIT (Quantum Interface Controller Kit).

·         Regulated Throttle Control in DCC.

·         PID (Proportional, Integral, and Differential) Motor Control Parameters extended and added to DCC CV settings. This will be useful to some users to customize and improve RTC operation with their individual models.

·         Heavy Load in DCC. This is a type of RTC Cruise Control allowing the operator to operate the throttle to increase or decrease diesel notches and/or Sound-of-Power on a moving engine without appreciably changing speed.

·         Extended configuration and control over lighting via CV 55 (QSI Feature Configuration). This allows the user to set many parameters for feature control that has only been available for USA G’Gauge locomotives. For Q1a, this will apply primarily to lighting control.

Detailed Explanation of Upgrade; BEMF and Regulated Throttle Control Features

QSI- BEMF
Message: 20
Date: Tue, 28 Feb 2006 01:35:04 -0000
From: "G. Pruss"
Subject: BEMF in QSI equipped locomotives

There seems to be some confusion in regards to the use of BEMF in QSI equipped locomotives. Hopefully I can clarify the matter in this note.

All QSI equipped HO locomotives use BEMF voltage to measure the speed of the locomotive. One or more pre-production models of each of these locomotives are calibrated at QSI to map the BEMF voltage to scale MPH.

The BEMF to SMPH mapping is used in a variety of ways in all locomotives, including:

(1) To determine the amount of Doppler shift.
(2) To determine whether the locomotive is quickly decelerating so that the brake squeal should be played.
(3) To determine that the locomotive is moving or stopped.

BEMF is also used to determine the chuff rate in steam locomotives.

All the above uses of BEMF are present in all QSI equipped HO locomotives and have never been disabled.

What has been "disabled" is the use of BEMF to try to maintain a constant locomotive speed. QSI equipped models which support Calibrated Speed Control try to maintain the BEMF which maps to the SMPH corresponding to the DCC throttle speed step. For example, if the throttle setting were at 10 the locomotive would attempt to maintain a BEMF which maps to 10 SMPH. It is this Calibrated Speed Control feature which has been "disabled".

The legal issue does not really have anything to do with BEMF. It is the Calibrated Speed Control. It does not matter if BEMF or a optical or mechanical cam is used to measure the speed. The legal issue is maintaining a constant speed based on a throttle position communicated digitally to the locomotive.

As far as you model owners are concerned, the Calibrated Speed Control feature has been REMOVED from the firmware. QSI deliberated whether or not to keep this feature in the firmware in a disabled state to be enabled later by some mechanism, but our lawyers advised against this. If one of you clever guys actually discovered the enabling mechanism and posted the mechanism on the internet, then it would be as if we had not disabled the feature in the first place.

From my point of view as a software developer, the Calibrated Speed Control feature is DISABLED. The feature exists in the source code for the firmware and I can enable/disable it at will for each firmware build by defining/not defining a compiler flag. When the compiler flag is not defined, the source code for the feature is skipped by the compiler and the executable code for the feature does not exist in the resulting firmware module.

It is often hard to communicate subtle distinctions such as the difference between "disabled at compile time" and "removed from the firmware", but hopefully you can see the difference.

Will future QSI equipped locomotives include Calibrated Speed Control? I am told not until the legal issues are settled.

However, the issue of Calibrated Speed Control is becoming less and less important to QSI. We believe we have a much more prototypical control mechanism in Regulated Throttle Control (RTC). Calibrated Speed Control is roughly equivalent to automobile Cruise Control, where the automobile attempts to maintain a constant speed up hill and down hill, regardless of load.

Do any modern Diesel or Electric prototypes have Cruise Control?

RTC operating under Analog DC has been available in all version 6 firmware modules. With the Quantum Upgrade Program, RTC operating under DCC will also be available.

Gerry Pruss
QSI