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Broadway Limited Imports HO scale Brass/Hybrid NYC Mohawk 4-8-2
Good review, Erik. Thanks for writing it. =O)
I am pleased to hear you like your new Mohawk. Mine, sadly, had to go to BLI’s backshop for repair because of running issues from the get go. Although all the sounds were fine, it only ran at one speed in forward and shorted out in reverse. I should have a back in a few weeks.
I agree that the detailing on the L-4s is very nice. One small gripe would be that the smokebox is silver rather than graphite. However, this can probably be rectified by “sooting it up” slightly.
Tom
It’s with mixed feelings that I read about Tom Stage’s problems with his Mohawk. I’ve had to rebox and send back so many BLI locomotives, some more than once, that I wonder how they make any money with these engines. Guys, it’s time to get REALLY SERIOUS about quality control! The potential of these engines is enormous but reliability is still at a primitive stage of development.
I have several BLI locos that I feel are quite good. I operate DCC, and am not big on the sound. Would like a loco like this, w/o sound…takes too much power. As I say, I like BLI models very much, but for me sound is just not important
A GREAT BIG “Thank You” to Broadway Limited for putting in the
great New York Central whistle. This took a special effort. And the engine looks and runs nice.
This is a great engine for the money. I have several BLI “Blue Line” Alcos and they are powerfull runners with good sound. A couple engines run a little slower than the others so I will have to adjust for this by checking lubrication and possibly set “CV” values when I install decoders. BLI is trying to keep pace with MTH for features and function but Quality Assurance is not quite there yet.
My Broadway loco is a Blueline C&O 2-10-4. I don’t have DCC, just use the DC master box. I’ve had a few problems with mine, but of course it’s hard to justify the big postage cost back to the US from New Zealand. The headlight works erratically. When you flick the dial from forwards to reverse, the volume setting reverts to default (does this also happen on controllers with reverse switches?) Sometimes the chuffing doesn’t function at all, but all the other sounds do. And sometimes the whistle starts blowing all by itself, followed by all sound shutting down completely. So while I love having sound on a loco, I’m rather disappointed with the reliability of it all. So probably won’t be going for another loco with sound for a few years (when hopefully they will have it all a bit better sorted!)
My Broadway loco is a Blueline C&O 2-10-4. I don’t have DCC, just use the DC master box. I’ve had a few problems with mine, but of course it’s hard to justify the big postage cost back to the US from New Zealand. The headlight works erratically. When you flick the dial from forwards to reverse, the volume setting reverts to default (does this also happen on controllers with reverse switches?) Sometimes the chuffing doesn’t function at all, but all the other sounds do. And sometimes the whistle starts blowing all by itself, followed by all sound shutting down completely. So while I love having sound on a loco, I’m rather disappointed with the reliability of it all. So probably won’t be going for another loco with sound for a few years (when hopefully they will have it all a bit better sorted!)
I bought three of them, and they all run very smoothly. I especially like the new feature that lets you “play” the whistle using the “Quantum Engineer” control box. (I use DC power) In my opinion, these engines far surpass the MTH offerings in detail (they have the correct air pump shields to go with the smoke lifters, and even include the ATS pickup shoe on the tender). The only nit that I have to pick is the “silver” color of the smokebox. It is much brighter than any NYC loco that I’ve ever seen. Some graphite or black paint and a Micro-brush has taken care of that nicely
I ordered two Brass Hybrids in 2007 the long wait was disappointing, but on receiving them found the wait was worthwhile. They both performed extremely well, out of the box" Details and looks, that knocked the socks off my brass locos, in both details and performance, awesome sound that
compares very favourably with actual recorded sound captured on film, and now on DVD’s and Videos of the NYC Mowhawks, the brass tender had re verb vibrations so I damped out the vibrations from the brass tender, then followed the hints and re-programmed CV2=40 and CV5=215, Flattened out the Graphite and now all I can say is WOW!! AWESOME LOCOMOTIVES.
BLI you guys have really surpassed yourselves with this one.
Slight disappointment in that one loco arrived with a bent Smoke deflector, emailed Joe Grubba from Factory Direct, next day received a reply from Jonathan Fallon at BLI within one week a new smoke deflector arrived in the post, again the service from BLI is not good but absolutely fantastic.
Loking forward to the next BLI Brass Hybrid.
JOHN G
i have many broadway limited paragon models and all run fine. the hybrid mohawk was not a good runner at all. also i’ve had some trouble with the blue line series.
I got my Mohawk a week ago… It’s getting real hard for me to stop running it!!! Great job BLI. I can’t wait for the NYC Berkshires…(9400).
Per some user comments on BLI forum my Mohawk unfortunately has a hitch in its low speed performance. Seems to be driveline issue, so far breaking it in has had no beneficial effect on this glitch. Positives: sounds great, tracks beautifully and performance once past the low speed glitch is very good. I can’t fathom how BLI Hybrid has worse low speed performance than my BLI Blueline PRR J1. The J1 is absolutely fantastic-low speed is excellent to the point you could use it for low speed switching! Quality control has to reflect the price you pay-the more expensive the loco, the higher the expectations for excellent performance. I have several other BLI steam locos and none have this very annoying hitch in their loco speed running.