For those who own one what is your opinion of the BLI N&W 2-6-6-4? How does it run? Has it given you any trouble?
I have one, first BLI loco I ever purchased. It’s a terrific puller, runs smoothly, after the driver treads wear in a little. Sound quality is very good–I use DC and not DCC–I’ve had a little trouble with it cutting out just before the wheels start turning, but it only seems to be on one particular section of track. So I’d say it’s the track and not the loco. All in all, it’s really a fine locomotive. It comes with traction tires on the rear articulated driver, but no replacement wheel set, so it pretty much depends on what you think of traction tires (personally, I’m not that fond of them, due to the fact that I have a garage layout and sudden temperature increases tend to wreak havoc with them). But I’d definitely get one if you want it. Understand that in tests, it’s pulled over 100 coal cars on a layout. I don’t doubt it for a minute.
Tom
Well, I got one, and I liked it so much I got another and sold some more brass. Then I got a 2-8-2 Heavy, which isn’t prototypical for anything on my layout, and I have a ‘J’ on order. Mine run flawlessly, and I think the model articulation looks better on the layout than the prototypical articulation of the brass engines.
I have one. My layout is DCC. It is a great puller and a smooth runner. The sound is very, very good. I would buy another if my layout were larger.