Read the full story on MR Express: http://www.trains.com/Content/Dynamic/Articles/000/000/006/000nlhjb.asp
I thought their plastic engines were expensive, but now that they’re making $1700 brass engines, the plastic ones seem veeeery cheap.
Why the fudge couldn’t they just make that GN S2 in plastic? Too easy for them? There are already $$$$ out there, BLI should just focus on “afforadable” and “almost affordable” steam.
Don’t worry, at that price, Trainworld will have the closeouts at $599 by Christmas.
Now that is what we need, another GN S2. It has been done so many times by PFM and even more recently by either Challenger or one of the more upscale importers aling with Westside, if I remember correctly.
BLI was started by the same person that imported Oriental Models for years, but I was under the impression he was gone from BLI.
There is no way I will pay 1700 for one HO Scale engine. Sorry.
I’ll continue to be a loyal BLI customer bottom feeding on the plastic steam.
Didn’t BLI already release a limited run CP 4-8-2 in brass, last year? I remember seeing a photo on the Canadian Model Trains website, but there’s nothing there now…
$1700!!! (gulp). Isn’t that, like, $2M Cdn!!!
This seems absurd. But, the Company must have found a ready market.
E-bay, here I come.
You would think they would concentrate on all their screw-ups in H-O scale before they try something else!
From what I’ve heard about these clowns, I don’t think they will be around long!
And I’m darn glad I’m in N-Scale so I don’t have to worry about their crap!
gtr
Seems to me that there are already high end brass importers doing the same thing. BLI got traction in the market by offering high quality, AFFORDABLE plastic. Seems like this is a step backwards…
I’m curious abouth this. First we here BLI is branching out with another line under a different name using a different sound system and now this.
Could it be BLI is testing the Brass market before abandoning the plastic market and if successful, handing it over to it’s satelite company?
This could prove interesting! Hopefully not to our detrement.
Regards
Fergie
I think their volume will be small for any brass compared to their plastic market that they started. In that way, it is a step back for sure. They gave us sound, and now brass??? It was already done.
They should try to put that much detail into their plastic steam engines at affordable prices. That would probably make them REALLY popular with the scale modelers and people who don’t want to spend $1700 on a diplay piece. Bachmann did it with their chinese mikado.
Funny that BLI is going to brass as Overland is going to plastic (Tower 55).
Wonder who’s right ???
BLI better get their act together - if their first brass is as bad as their first diesels (esp the POS SD40-2), that will end their brass business very quickly !!!
For great detail at a reasonable price, I will stick with Atlas, P2K and Kato.
No brass (or super high dollar plastic) for me - what detail IS missing off the Atlas Masters (which is usually only small road specific items such as horn, antenna, etc.), I can add myself, thank you !!!
“Seems to me that there are already high end brass importers doing the same thing”
Nobody that I have seen is doing brass DCC and sound-equipped models. The brass importers are sadly behind the times and BLI simply sees this as an opportunity just like they did with plastic. My only concern is that BLI has a pretty high msrp price. I’m not sure if the street price will be along the lines of typical brass at cost plus 10-15% or what. I guess that will depend on how many they do and who their retailers are. I would hate to reserve one that later went into firesale like someone else mentioned.
Charles
For $1700, BLI can kiss my butt! Even the plastic stuff is too expensive for me.
$1700.00 for brass, that’s peanuts for brass “collectors” they will sell out in a week (as usual) and wonder what the fuss is all about and the rest of us will wonder what reality is.
tatans is correct, $1700 is no big deal price for a large f/p brass steamer these days. It’ll be sold out long before it ever arrives on our shores. And remember, BLI evolved from a brass company, so it’s no real surprise to see them reaching back into that domain. Expect to see OMI/Tower 55 doing the same thing a year from now…cross advertising for added exposure in hopes of reviving the flagging brass market.
CNJ831
I hate to be the fly in the ointment, but I think it makes perfect sense. I don’t know why no one else has done it before. You already have the manufacturing contacts, the distribution network, the research ability, the market knowledge, the accounting and payroll, and everything else, why not cover as many segments of the same overall market as you can. GM sells Cadillacs and Metros, and trucks and cars, and Ford, and D-Benz, and Toyota, etc. all do the same. Nobody makes just one size boat. I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for BLI to go belly up anytime soon.
To all the BLI haters, sorry, but based on their products I have so far (all of which I love !), I am hoping they don’t introduce anything else I want too soon, because I will have to have one, and I just spent $5800 on my teeth (that’s my out of pocket), and I really can’t afford it right now. And I didn’t enjoy that experience one tiny bit, but I haven’t seen any dentists going belly up lately.
For about 600 bucks I will have a great Electroliner model in brass.
For 1700 bucks…I will pass…
The model makers did good, to me at least it seems they read my mind, coming out with a N&W A, J, NKP 2-8-4, North Shore electroliner, (brass relatively affordable)
W&LE 2-6-6-2 (a model I desired and surprised it got produced)
The brass locomotive market is about very custom made lokies hand crafted.
No mass production here.
But the general market is looking for some affordable variety of equipment.
Guess what my answer would be…
Think Model Die Casting, Bowser, Mantua…the Kits stuff…
the only way affordability can return is a return of the kit locomotive the buyer builds.