Broadway Limited has released their new Heavy and Light Pacifics. if anyone has purchased one of these new steamers, Can you tell us what you think of it?
Mike
If you don’t get the specific review you are looking, for how about a review of Broadway Limited locomotives, steam or diesel, in general. They seem to command a higher price tag than other manufacturers, so does that mean they are that much better?
Just last night at my RR club, I got to try out two of the BLI Light Pacifics. Both ran extremely well. We test each engine for drawbar pull via a spring scale, and one Pacific managed to get the needle up to 9 ounces of pulling power. [8D] The other was more like 5 ounces. Why the difference? While both have rubber tires, but I think one was cleaner than the other.
BTW, 5 ounces of pulling power is very good for any 3-axle steamer. 9 ounces is almost unheard of! The 9 oz. is probably unrealistic in regular use, but still it was impressive. Most locos of all kinds tend to range from 1.5 to 5 ounces, with 3 to 4 oz. being average.
The Light Pacifics are solid performers. The BLI Paragon 2 sound is pretty…generic. The whistle and bell sound good enough, but the chuffs and other effects? I could take them or leave them.
As for other BLI steamers, I like them a lot. The original NYC Hudsons were kind of dogs, but everything since has been done well. I love my hybrid NH I-5 4-6-4 Hudson. It can haul 12 passenger cars up a 3% grade around a 40" radius S-curve…and it doesn’t have traction tires (but then the whole engine w/ tender weighs 2 lbs.).
At my club, we have many BLI steamers on the rails, and while there have been issues from time to time (our club’s Y-6b lost it’s “chuff” sensor…but it was replaced by BLI, and there have been a few electronic issues that needed new chips), but otherwise they pull and run great for us.
Paul A. Cutler III
All my BLI steamers look great but have been hit and miss on run-ability. Most have needed to be sent back to the BLI repair shop to fix binding issues. They did come back repaired.
My Paragon2 NYC Hudson, OTOH, has been the exception and is a real jewel.
Tom
Paul, I wonder if the assembly of the drivers isn’t a greater problem than cleanlinees. I do know that there are often problems with the journal brasses in some models, and I think Cudaken could speak to that, or someone he knows who had to fiddle with the journal brasses on a loco to get the locomotive to track properly and to pull well. For example, sometimes the springs don’t seat properly, and now that I think of that specific problem, were you not troubled with that at one time, Tom?
Crandell
My PCM T1 had that problem, the journal bearings for the front drivers were installed upside down with caused the spring to bind so there was no real springing action. Quickly and easily fixed myself, no need to disconnect the rods or otherwise jeopardize the quartering. A second one was fine out of the box.
–Randy
I’ve had mixed results with BLI locomotives in the past, but the bugs seemed to correct themselves in my case. When it comes to pacifics, I’ve had issues with all previous locos from poor starting, stalling, or, as in the case of the Athearn Genesis USRA light pacific, the dreaded broken gear. As for performance, this locomotive is by far the best pacific yet [not counting a few PRR K4’s that have been equally good performers]. It has excellent sound, and starts up so smoothly that you know the passengers won’t complain!
I’ve always wanted to model three types of B&O pacifics, A USRA light pacific like the B&O P5a, a B&O P6, and an ex BR&P pacific, B&O class P18. For these three locos to be recreated, you have to kitbash a more common version to get satisfactory results. I don’t have any plans to drastically change the valve gear, or extend the tender length, but I think you can get a decent replica of many various pacifics with rather minimal work. I’ve already completed the B&O P18 version to my personal satisfaction. B&O 5187 was built by Alco Brooks in 1918, and remained in service until 1953. Technically not a USRA pacific, but it is a classic simple Alco design which was the basis for all USRA locos. Here is the prototype, and the model, there are still a lot of visible differences, but the basic kitbashing does capture the right appearance in general:
I plan on starting the B&O P5 version in February. This is a great little pacific, and I recommend it to anyone who wants to run a small steam powered passenger train of the era from WWI to the end of steam.
-Stan
I’ve had a BLI Mikado and Hudson since 2004 and 2005 respectively and never a problem. Both locos see a lot of time on the layout and have operated flawlessly for all of that time.
The Mikado hauls a 12-15 car freight on my flat BRVRR layout without problems, though 10-12 cars are normal.
The Hudson hauls an eight car heavyweight or streamlined consist also with out problem. I never did install the traction axle on it.
Personally, I don’t think you can get a better steam loco with sound for the money.
I recently received my heavy Pacific and I’d be pretty satisfied except the engine rocks front to back as it moves. It gives the impression that the cab is kind of bouncing. I thought maybe a loose screw but its nothing obvious without disassembling.
Any help would b appreciated. I’m thinking of bringing with me to Amherst to see if they’ll do something about it.
Mark
Set the engine on glass or on a very flat and shiny counter-like top. Near a window. Get down and look at the way the drivers sit at eye level. If any of the drivers are lifted and not making contact, you have a lifted axle. It happens that BLI sometimes doesn’t assemble their running gear carefully (the factory, that is). The brass journals for the driver axles are not all fully inserted, perhaps prevented by flashing or something. It is less likely, but possible, that one of the axles, first or last probably, is not centered in the driver. Rather, the driver’s central hole is not centered.
Last most likely fault: one of the axles is bent and the wheels act more like a cam than wheels.
You also may have a traction tire with a out of round or otherwise unseated traction band if this unit comes with one installed. You could swap out the traction tire with the non-traction tire and see if there is a difference before sending it back for repair. I had a new M1A with this problem and sent it back without doing this first. It came back with this as the explaination of repairs…The unit now seems much better but still somewhat surges at certain speeds. The recent crop of BLI units have a great smoke generator but seem to need more Q/C on the driveline assembly for smooth running.
Bob
I too have recently received a BLI light Pacific.
Upon inspection I was pleased with the usual excellent modelling of the locomotive. The running qualities were somewhat disappointing, however. The locomotive surged, waddled and nosed badly. There also was a slight rolling motion which made the cab bob up and down. There was a lot of lateral slop on the lead set of drive wheels. No doubt this slop is designed to enable the locomotive to negotiate 18 inch radius curves. These issues did not go away after several hours of breaking in. I will be doing some disassembly of the mechanism to check for problems mentioned in other posts in this thread.
I thought that the Paragon 2 system sounded better than the earlier Paragon 2 I received in a heavy Mikado last year, with the exception of the whistle selections. I just hate the “surprise” ending of the whistle.
Slower speed running is good. Even with theses problems I would buy another one, knowing full well what to expect. I do think that BLI should work on better and consistant QC where running gear is concerned.
Split Reduction
I have a BLI light Mikado. It’s my only steamer and I don’t have a lot of experience, but I’m very happy with it. I got the Pro-Care extended warranty (2 years, I believe) but haven’t needed it. It pulls well and runs smoothly from start, but I do notice some gear noise at low speeds. I’ve had none of the running gear problems others have referenced.
I also have a BLI NW2, and I’m equally pleased with that, although it does suffer from “runaway bell.”
But I’d buy either, or another, BLI engine again without hesitation.
Rick Krall
My BLI Light Pacific, L&N 241, arrived a couple of weeks ago.
It looks great, and is for the most part appropriate for a passenger steamer for the L&N. The only thing I would change is the number board under the headlight should be painted red for a L&N passenger locomotive instead of black. I may change this myself at some point. The engine runs fairly smooth but has not been broke in yet. The only thing I’ve noticed is the headlight does not stay on consistently. I’ve registered it with the ProCare online as well. I’m like Paul on the sound. The whistle and bell sound good, but I’m kind of neutral on the other sounds.
This is my first Paragon2. I have 2 light Mikados, 2 heavy Mikes, and 3 E7’s. All need the upgrade chips, but run very well. Overall I am very pleased with BLI.
I have five of their locos. IMHO, compared to the Bachmann offerrings with sound, price for pirce they are not good value for money. Whilst their ATSF 4-8-4 has good prototypical sound the USRAs even with the latest QSI sound are not very realistic. Furthermore they use the same boiler for both pacifics and mike, which is not correct. They do not run well on DC (even their Blueline locos!) Their habit of re-releasing previously issued models, so say upgraded, and with greatly increased prices, is annoying. My advice would be, don’t buy new, buy them second hand from a reliable source.
When I bought my N&W J from BLI about 6 years ago I had to send it back to the factory twice for issues with the gearing. When the locomotive was under load or going around a curve, a loud popping noise was heard. The problem turned out to be the worm gear slipping on the main driver gear. After it was sent back twice they got it to work very well and I haven’t had any issues with it since. I like the visual of the locomotive-detailed very well and it’s built very well IMO. Never had any issues with the connecting rods/drivers binding.
I’d buy another BLI locomotive.
No sound locos run well on DC, moot point. They all need high throttle positions so there’s power to make the sounds start before the loco moves. Want sound, DCC is a must, or else some halfway solution like the Tech 6.
No current production BLI locos use QSI sound, they stopped using QSI sound systems quite a while ago, when they came out witht he Paragon II line. Bluelines were a solution in search of a problem, again, you simply can NOT do sound on DC and have it work realistically AND have the loco creep along at part throttle and/or run with other locos that do not have sound. It just can’t work.
You can always do better buying later - despite the “hurry up and order, or you won;t get one” cries of most every manufacturer these days, amazingly a month or so after the product arrives and is “sold out” they appear by the dozens on eBay. Often at discount prices.
I will say I prefer my PCM T-1;s to the newer Paragon II release of them - one, because I will not run smoke units, so that feature is useless to me anyway, and two, because the PCM ones are Loksound decoders which have superior motor control and reprogrammable sounds - mine have been updated with sounds from an actual T-1. The second one, I got for less than the price of the non-sound,