I have the Athearn Genesis light 2-8-2. I am not very impressed with its pulling power. The tender looks kind of cheesy and it doesn’t have electrical pickup. All that said I do like the look of the Loco and am seriously considering buying a BLI 2-8-2. I have the BLI Hudson and am very happy with it. Anyone have any comments good or bad on the BLI 2-8-2? Maybe someone can tell me the differance in the light and Heavy 2-8-2? Tks in advance.
Terry[8D]
Go for it, Terry! Yes, the BLI Mike is definitely better than Athearn Mike and gets my [tup]:
- [tup] Better detailing
- [tup] Better pulling power - I’ve pulled 30 cars on 0% grade without slipping
- [tup] Better design (for pulling the shell off the frame - ONLY 3 screws!
- [tup] Better “sound”
I got mine off eBay for about 50% list about 2 months ago. List is ~$300.
The Heavy Mike has a larger boiler than the Light Mike. Otherwise, they are pretty much the same. Both come with sound.
I would snatch up a Light Mike if I were you, Terry. You won’t regret it. [:)]
Tom
Tks Tom how can I pass up a loco with an endorsement like that. I guess I will start vender shopping for a good price. I don’t do Ebay. They have a no gun or gun parts policy which I don’t agree with. Anyway tks again.
Terry
Hey Terry,
I can’t comment on the BLI Mike, but I share your disappointment in the Athearn Mike.
Biggest waste of money…ever. Good luck with the BLI, I’ve heard good things. Dave
Terry,
Trainworld had some the Light Mikes for ~$170 but you’ll have to check to see what roadnames they have to offer. (The Heavy Mikes were slightly cheaper for ~$165) They didn’t have any NYC Mikes so I didn’t get one from them. TW might have an undecorated Mike that you could decal yourself.
I still like my Athearn Mike. It’s just not as good as the BLI…
Tom
I bought a BLI light Mikado some months ago but one of the sets of drivers was out of gauge (too wide) and the dealer took it back. It was real nice otherwise and I think my experience was a rare fluke. I use Atlas DCC and couldn’t program the BLI anyway (without some more equipment.) I guess I wasn’t meant to have sound …yet.
You’ll like it!
I purchased one of the USRA BLI mikes and it is a good engine and value for 129. that was the fire sale about four months ago. I also purchased the Genesis Mike when they came out several years ago. It is truely an engine to doublehead with something that can pull a train and it too.
I would watch for the next sale probably coming soon from BLI as they usually have a sale about every six months or so and the prices are the best when they dump inventoryl!
Then engine is worth the money at up to $200 since it has sound and is a good runner…
I have the heavy mike and love it. I put the rubber tire on and it pulls everything I own up my steep grades.
I have this loco and it is a good puller. I also have the athearn 2-8-2 and like most I don’t think it is deserving of the Genesis label. The difference between the BLI light and heavy is that the cheaper one has more molded on detail on the boiler. I don’t remember which is what.
Bob DeWoody
Terry,
I have a BLI Heavy Mike, NYC# 9519, that my wife gave me for Christmas in 2004. It has been on the layout almost continuously since then with out one problem. The only thing I have done to it is turn down the sound and program in the four digit address. It navigates my BRVRR without problem, even the snap switches! I think it is a great little engine. This year she gave me a BLI NYC Hudson! It has been running since Christmas without any adjustment except to program in the address and turn down the sound.
With my admittedly limited experience with BLI steamers, I wouldn’t hesitate to buy another. I have a Niagara on my list and maybe a EMD E6/7B.
Tks for all the input folks. I definately will be getting one real soon. They seem to be in short supply for NYC and NKP. Walters has it for 229.00 but is backordered until mid Jan. I can’t seem to get Trainworlds site up to check them out. Everyone else I checked didn’t have it in stock.
Terry
Hi Terry,
If you can get Trainworld up, their web site says they have the heavy in stock for $165 and the light for $170.
Terry,
I checked the Trainworld site. According to the list of BLI products they have both the heavy and light mikes in stock. If I were you, I would give them a call. I always get good service from them on the phone. Check a recent magazine advertisement and get a stock number before you call. Service is faster that way.
I ordered a BLI Hudson and a Spectrum N&W #611 by phone and had them in my hands in 4-days.
BRVRR - I just tried to get on the trainworld site again and it wouldn’t come up so I googled it to make sure I had the right address. It came up with a msg saying the trainworld site is off line. It gave a phone # to call for ordering. Is anyone else getting this or am I in the twilight zone down here in the Florida Keys.
Terry
Trainworld is up again now.
Tks. sure wish you could order online from their website. I see they are slowly going in that direction. Unfortunately not for BLI yet.
Terry
I own both the Athearn and BLI light Mikes, and they’re both pretty decent engines. The Athearn engine, for all it’s failings, runs more smoothly than the BLI engines, and doesn’t actually need tender power pickup. The BLI engine IS a better puller, and comes with sound (which I love!), and is slightly better detailed, although much of the detailing is oversized and cartoonlike, especially when compared to the Athearn engine. The BLI light Mike is available for $140-$175 if you look around, and you won’t be disappointed with it.
Don’t worry about getting the BLI Mike in NKP; they completely botched the paint scheme. I’m a reviewer for the NKPHTS, and I can’t actualy find anything they got RIGHT on the paint job! Buy an Undec and use Microscale’s new NKP decal set to letter you own.
Have you tried www.discounthobbywarehouse.net ? I’ve picked up two BLI lights from them (both NKP), and they’re selling them for $150.00 plus tax.
Here’s the loco Orsonroy is referring to.
Ine point to note - the BLI light mike has a working front coupler, the heavy mike comes with a static representation and needs some work doing to it to fit a working Kadee, etc.
Jon
[#ditto] [#ditto] [#ditto]
Terry,
As you have already concluded the BLI light mike is a no brainer. Lovely little engine that doesn’t embarrass itself when it comes to moving a decent string of cars. I’m always admiting that my trackwork is less than perfect and as a result my Athearn 2-8-2 needs tender pickup. Also, to move any decent string of cars I have it lashed up with a Stewart F unit. Stewart also drags it across spots where it stalls. Probably if all my switches were Shinohara the Athearn wouldn’t have a problem, but they aren’t and it does.[:(]
Also no brainer from BLI is E7A and M1b. I assume that “genetics” would dictate same characterization of E3, E6 and M1a. These 3 units from BLI on my little road are beyond reproach. [tup] [tup] [tup] [:D]
GG-1 and Hudson I have some small reservations. Hudson was from first run and blue-white headlight is a bit odd considering the effort put in on the rest of the engine and I had to rig a fix on one of the tender pickups. GG-1 may be suffering from insufficient run time so the jury is still out. GG-1 coupler situation is a bit weird with a BLI “adapter” for knuckle coupler. From photos I’ve seen later issue GG-1’s may have different coupler setup; I don’t really know. As a GG-1 reference point(for couplers only) I have a twin-motor IHC GG-1 to which I fitted the recommended Kadee coupler-no complaints with that. Haven’t seen too many BLI model conver
I finally got up on Trainworld. No NYC/NKP for either the light or heavy. May call them back and check on an undec as was mentioned. I did get a P2K NYC FA2/B2 go to with my FA1/FB1. They were so easy to put sound in. I will keep trying on the 2-8-2 though.
Tks for everyones input.
Terry