This is simply an initial impression, since it’s been a long day. Two Blackstone HOn3 K-27s, #454 and #463, arrived today. One I’d ordered from my usual dealer right after the initial announcement and the other was a swap at the dealer I use for my PSC orders for one of the two MMI K-27s I ordered when those were originally announced.
I’ve only taken the 453 out for a run. This is my very first sound loco and I am impressed. Even with only limited control over the sound, since I still run DC and don’t have DCC’s control over all the functions, the sound is wonderful and believable. Running qualities well exceed that of my brass locos. It’s like running a diesel lashup, but it’s just one loco, it’s steam, and it’s narrowgauge, which makes it all the more impressive.
Detail on these locos is truly spectacular, down to tender truck chains and great directional LED headlights. They’ll put most of your brass to shame. Fit and finish are excellent. Working couplers are installed fore and aft, in fact, the only thing in most cases left to install is the toolbox that can sit just beghind the pilot beam and the spark screen for the stack. It is literally RTR right out of the well-designed packaging.
I ran a few laps of my test loop, then put 'er in the roundhouse for tonight. If you’ve been thinking of getting into HOn3, there is no better time than now. This great loco shows it is possible to run truly reliable narrowgauge power, and for a price that is very reasonable. I’ll be continuing testing and will have more to add later, but I couldn’t restrain my enthusiasm for this great new product.
I saw one tested today at the shop I go (Train Shop in Santa Clara, CA). It was a green boiler one. The sound was spectacular (but then it has the Tsunami sound decoder, which is supposed to be the best sound out there at the moment). Real smooth, slow speeds and the exaust beat seemed to be well synchronized with the drivers revolutions (as someone else commented while the engine was tested).
My wife commented I should have not gotten into On30, and should have gone with HOn3 after seeing this engine run [Since I do HO and On30, she went to N and I have the suspicion she will get into HOn3] and the MicroTrains cars.
I saw one a couple of days ago at the LTS, and all I can say is WOW!!!. The sound is awesome, and the detail is really nice. It has taken them long enough to get them out, though.
I really don’t need to see stuff like that, because I have been fighting off that narrow gauge itch for a few years now. I like the way the tender is coupled to the locomotive. The contacts on the tender are excellent as well.
it’s nice to see you HO narrow minded folks getting some lovin’ from the manufacturers [:)] , after all the attention paid to the O narrow folks over the last few years . very tempting , but i don’t think there’s any room in my budget for narrow guage equipment
Guess you will just have to put in dual gauge track (Shinohara makes it). A true rubber-gauger always finds room! The dark side is calling; resistance is futile…
A brief testing update and then some comments I made about the sound in a discussion on the Yahoo HOn3 list.
My Silverton Branch has a 4% uncompensated ruling grade. I ran a four car freight, plus brass caboose, up it. This seems to be a train at the limit of the Blackstone’s adhesion, but your mileage will vary. I did some adjusting of trucks, etc and freed up the rolling qualities afterwards and each of the cars was weighted differently. I’m planning a test train next chance I get with two brass passenger cars, which is probably close to the limit also – we’ll see.
Some have commented on these Ks being a bit short on tractive effort, but it’s met my expectations versis what I’ve come to expect from my brass locos. The brass is heavier and reports indicate there is some room to add more weight in the Blackstone. I’m more interested in how the balance is over the drivers, as adjusting this – even assuming it may not be perfect already on the Blackstone – often is more important in getting better tractive effort by just adding weight hodge-podge. It does matter where the weight goes.
Generally, the consensus for HOn3 these days is to weight your cars to less than NMRA standards. Most of mine are, but some of my early ones were to NMRA spec and are thus good for throwing a heavy load nto the consist to surprise the unsuspecting model engineer. Ideally, you want most of your rolling stock to be fairly close to the same standard, whatever it is. This trend also helps with lessening the tractive effort demands on our little iron ponys.
Now for some comments on the Tsunami sound system…
I ordered based on talk that the Tsunami sound system would be state of
the art when released. I'll wholeheartedly agree with Duncan that it is
absolutely wonderful, although I have only very limited experience with
other systems, so I'll not make any direct comparisons. To be blunt, you
will be satisfied with the sound.
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From what I’ve heard, most of the first container shipment has already gone to dealers, but more K-27s should be arriving in about six weeks. Many dealers may have these in stock, if they ordered any extras on speculation based on strong initial customer interest.
If you find that only a non-sound Blackstone loco is available from your favorite dealer, please note that more of the special Tsunami boards for the K-27 should be shipping to dealers in a weik or so. One of the features of the K-27 Tsunami install is that it is just a drop in board that goes into the tender, with the chip already optimized for the K-27 from the factory. Some of those who pre-ordered non-sound units based on uncertainty about the performance of the Tsunami when it was actually released want to upgrade, so I thought I’d throw that info in.
You’ll note that they plan a wide variety of versions in this first run. Blackstone has been very responsive and proactive in getting info out about this hotly anticipated product and should be commended for that good example.
Keep in mind this is just the start for Blackstone. They have Rio Grande 3000-series box cars and 5000-series stock cars with a current due date in late summer.
Throw in the great things that Micro-Trains is doing and other RTR HOn3 products in the pipeline from manufacturers like MMI, narrowgauge fever is going to be raging in HO scale very similar to the breakthrough that On30 had in O scale a few years back.
This should also be a boost to module builders. A group associated with National HOn3 Symposium group that meets in California is now working on a HOn3 module standard, although some HOn3 work has been done under existing module standards.
Caboose Hobbies has had one on display for a few months now, taking orders for them. I have looked at it a couple of times behind glass but have not asked them to put it on a track and run it. I don’t know if the display model is sound or not. The next time I am there (I just got back from CH and wished I had saw your thread earlier!) I am going to ask them to run it for me.
I would like to see MRR run a Product Review article on the Blackstone K-27!
I am hoping Blackstone will come out with a K-28 soon.
Got my Blackstone K-27 #455 today and WOW is this the deal. This is one sweet locomotive. I had some high expectations because of Blackstone’s website and the fact I ordered it last October, but this is really worth the wait. Because of limits in my DCC addressing capability, I only ran it on DC, but it’s plenty impressive. If you have ANY interest in HOn3, get onboard these models. The quality is superb and the running characteristics are great, even on DC.