WOW!! I was just at my FLHS when he unpacked some BLI Santa Fe 2-10-2’s. While I personally don’t care for the looks of Sani Flush steam I have to admit this is a very striking model! The paint was nice and lettering crisp. The gray on the smokebox front and stack looked right to me too. The details are great and it ran better than anything I’ve seen right out of the box before. The sound was the best I’ve heard and had it a true 4 chuffs per driver revolution which is correct but seems to be overlooked by most sound makers. The whistle sounded like all the Santa Fe steam I’ve heard on recordings or video.
I’m envious of all you Santa Fe steam lovers!!! Enjoy these beauties!!
Roger:
I posted about this loco last week–it’s quite a powerhouse–and LOUD! Doesn’t have quite the ‘staccato’ stack-bursts that I remember from the prototype, but it sounds quite close to the real thing and pulls like a maniac. I use DC, but the factory-set starting voltage seems to be lower than most of my other BLI’s, so I don’t think I’m going to fool around with adjusting the “V-set” (which is a royal pain to do, anyway).
As I said before, Santa Fe is not my primary railroad (Rio Grande and SP are), but it looks really cool at the head of a long line of ATSF “Map” reefers.
Santa Fe steam is, for a lot of people, an acquired taste (like Pennsy, maybe), but once you get used to them, they’re pretty handsome devils. And one nice thing, now that BLI has both the 4-8-4 and the 2-10-2 available, it means that Santa Fe steam enthusiasts don’t just have to rely on brass models anymore.
(Now if we Rio Grande steam modelers could get so lucky!!)
It’s a winner for me.
Tom [tup][tup]
I was going to skip this model since it was more than a year late in coming in, but at the last moment decided to get one along with the Y6b.
It is a great engine to have and is another fine example of BLI doing a good job of getting great models to us with sound even if it was not on time.
By the way, it has a Santa Fe whistle for sure.
Let us hope they might bring in the 5011 class 2-10-4 also.
With the traction tire installed as purchased, it will handle most trains with ease.
Tom, the D&RGW has not been addressed by anyone in plastic or die cast as you know, but if we keep sending emails to BLI/ PCM, maybe they will get the message.
I would like to see the M68, since with a fews modification, it could be a MP 2200.
Does anybody know WHEN the new modernized versions (late 40s/early 50s era) of this engine will hit the stores? I already saw a couple of websites that say November/December 2013, but others as well as the official BLI website only say “TBA”…so what´s up now?
Few importers ever receive new products on time, so BLI’s website “TBA” is more accurate. In the past, several models have been announced but showed up months or even years later than originally planned.
Ya but BLI has been cranking out releases lately over the last few months, and as promised with the date fairly accurately.
I don’t know, I may hold out for the modernized version, or I may end up getting this one. I seen at Caboose Hobbies last week, and this thing is gorgeous.
As far as I know the modernizes version was supposed to hit the stores in late 2010 already, but still no release date seems to be in sight…
By the way does anybody of you know what kind of smoke unit the first run of the 2-10-2´s had? The new modernizes versions are supposed to come with puffing smoke installed, but the older version have that too or a Seuthe smoke unit?