I am looking at a BLI Paragon 3 steam locomotive, a 4-6-2.
I love BLI steam. I own several Paragon and Paragon 2 steamers.
Never owned a Paragon 3, and I have read mixed reviews.
What say you?
Buy or avoid?
Rich
What is it about the P3’s that your ‘source’ objects to?
LOL. My source is this forum. Several threads raising issues about the reliability of the Paragon 3. Mostly decoder performance issues.
Rich
Rich, I have been looking at the CP version and have almost taken the plunge a couple of times, however, the fact they don’t look anything like the CP 2300 series keeps me from it. There are some good prices online so I will mull over it a little longer.
What changes have been made from the paragon to Paragon 2 and Paragon 3 other than decoders, any?
Watching with interest.
Rich at this point I only have 1 Pargon 3 and it is a SD 7. Yes there was a decoder problem and it went nuts! I sent the old decoder back to BLI and they sent a improved version thay did not look like the orginal so I guess that is good.
A good friend sent me the SD 7 and the Rolling Thunder Trassmitter as a gift because he said “It sounds like tennis balls bouncing around in a garbage can”. I am a audiophile (spend way to much on stereo gear) and I am using a NHT SA-1 sub amp and its 10" bass speaker and it sounds great! Have no clue to what BLI’s would sound like.
Motor control is strange but great. Slow speed is out standing but CV 6 is set at only 70 I believe. Crank it up, bass sound is not as good?
Sound is outstanding! Bass speaker makes the horn sound close to real.
Only Down Side Seems the new decoders need better power contack on tunouts. It is not just my BLI Paragon 3 SD 7 but all so my Walthers Proto 2000 SD 7 with Tsunami sound decoder. It is a old Atalas unpowered turnout. There is no switch motor. Now my QSI, Loksound and Bachmann sound vaule engines have no problems?
I say buy one and bet you like it! Looking foward to getting a steamer.
Cuda Ken
Just a few random thoughts on BLI, Rich.
Regarding Paragon 3:
Steam sounds. For some reason BLI loaded a set of goofy steam exhaust chuffs into the P3 decoders. They sound like a lame, out of quarter engine. It gets tiresome to listen to. Also for some reason they gave the bell a “lost ding” where there is one more clang about six seconds after you turn the bell off, again, the effect gets old after you hear it more than twice.
I like the motor control and I’m using default settings so there may be improvements by playing with CVs but I haven’t messed with any — yet.
My first P3 was a PRR H10 2-8-0. It skipped and stuttered and died repeatedly. I opened it up and found the wire had never been connected to the left frame on the engine. I corrected that with no improvement.
BLI sent me a replacement decoder. Still no change in the operation. Back to Ormond Beach went the H10 and they sent a replacement engine. All is good.
I believe many of the early, or first-run P3 decoders had some Q-C issues. BLI added the Rolling Thunder transmitter as a piggy-back board on top of the decoder board.
If the locomotive you are contemplating is a more recent build it will have better chances of not having any bugs.
I’ve got three of their Pacifics. They all run very nicely and reliably. They have very good pulling ability with, IIRC, one traction tire. The detail on them is good, but not quite to “Hybrid” standards.
Actually the bes
Thanks, Ed, those comments do help.
Rich
I have their ATSF #3751 and I love it. Its slow startup is great. I have an older one with a Quantum decoder and there’s a light year’s difference. I only run DC and like that, I can change settings with my DCMaster!
I ABSOLUTLY HATE THE P3 CHUFF SOUNDS!!!
When you run it a tad faster than normal, the chuffs begin to sound like there’s 3 per chuff. I have the L1s, and the other engines have a similar chuff sound from what I see on Youtube.
Anyone else have my problem?
Charles
Did you read my reply above?
Happy Railroading, Ed
ooooooh, guess I wasen’t first [;)]
Charles