Al last that seems that Blueline is going away…Welcome to PARAGON2…the problems to compatilize both decoder are DEFINITIVELY TERMINATED !!!.
Doc,
A nice rumor, but it seems that BlueLine is NOT going away. The 2009 Broadway Limited catalog still carries BlueLine products, along with the new Paragon 2, Precision Craft, and a brass collection.
It may be that BlueLine will eventually be eliminated and replaced by the new Paragon 2, but for at least the coming year you can still get BlueLine products. Maybe just leftover stock, since they are the same offerings as 2008’s products.
Only BLI knows for sure.
I would like so see that line go away, but that is just my personal preference. I have nothing against the quality of the modelling since it was just a re-run of the earlier Paragon bodies, but the requirement for dual decoders was the source of any amount of frustration for users. At the same time, I would be unhappy to learn that, even with Paragon 2, I will never get to purchase a BLI Pennsy Duplex or another J1. If the only way to get one would be to purchase a Blue Line model, I’d do it in a heartbeat, rip out the electrics, and install a QSI Revolution series. Same applies for the A Class and the Niagara. Those are proven sellers and performers, so if it is Blue Line or nothing, I guess I’d favour keeping the Blue Line.
So far, only a few engines have been announced under Paragon 2. I feel very optimistic that BLI will blow us away once again. It would be great if they’d announce a Harriman Pacific for those who have been so patiently longing for one. Not I, but I support my fellows in the hobby…[:)]
-Crandell
Personally I totally dislike the whole idea of them going off to do their own decoders in any fashion. I can;t see how that makes business sense. It’s almost as bad as “let’s make a million of them and hope they sell” Luckily the learned that lesson and corrected it before it sunk them. They offered two lines of sound units, both with the two best sound decoders on the market today, but somehow feel they need to make up their own? Are they in the loco building business or the electronics business? You don’t see NCE and Digitrax producing locos and rolling stock…
–Randy
Im sorry I have to disagree with you fellows. I personaly love the Bluelines that I own. I have had no more problems than any other decodered locomotive. As a matter of fact at the HUB show recently my Blueline J1 ran for over 10 hours straight with out a break on saturday. They are an affordable high quality with sound locomotive. If the I1sa was offered in Blueline I could buy 3 for the price of 2 for the QSI versions.
I have found that most people make the dual decoder system harder than it is. I put TCS T1 decoders in and place it on the program track and program as usual. No locking and other tricks. I get auto dimming headlights, Back EMF,Super slow speeds and double head 2 steamers and place a couple pushers on the rear with no problems.
Like I said, I wish there were more.
Pete
Pete, I am pleased to read your reply. I am a big fan of BLI, even if I have misgivings about their Blueline series. Part of my misgivings comes from the many stickies at the top of BLI’s forum covering the ways to deal with programming those engines. Another big, probably the largest chunk, of my reluctance to embrace the model (business model) comes from the apparent troubles and lack of enthusiastic endorsements from people like you who feel that BLI hit a home run. Know what I mean? The longest thread on that forum is about Blue Line, and it isn’t from jumping and happy fans.
So, I am glad to see you jump in and defend that line. I wish more of you had done it starting in about January of this year. I don’t mean for that to be a rebuke…not at all, and most certainly not for you…just a statement of regret.
-Crandell
I was quite happy with the ones I had and got to play with back when they had QSI or Loksound, or were silent. The one minor problem I had with my T-1 I believe I posted ehre the simple thing I did to make it 100% reliable - could run it around the layout on speed step 1 chugging away for hours while I built car kits.
My point was simply that I don;t see why they felt the need to go out and get in the decoder business as well. There’s a danger in overstepping one’s bounds and area of expertise and the downside could be disaster for those of us who appreciate the fine running and finely detailed affordable options given us.
–Randy
I would feel comforted to hear good user reviews on the new Blueliine Steam locos. I just received my Heavy Mikado and due to snow and ice and non completed bench work, I haven’t been able to get to run it yet. (I really need to make a test track, soon!) The dual decoders reports have given me pause. In another thread I got enough encouragement (after the Tony’s Trains Exchange negative report) to go ahead with the purchase and I’m hoping that I won’t have all of those reported problems getting the dual decoders to talk with each other. I chose a Digitrax decoder this time, but I’m going to try TCE next time. (Using Digitrax Super Chief eventually-a buddy’s Zypher for now.) If I’m happy and don’t have issues, I’ll be looking at their Cab Forward down the road.
Hum, I have mix feelings about the possibility of Blue Line going away. If the new Pargon 2 is in the same prices range, the King is dead, long live the King. For my self and my LHS the dual decoders have been nothing but a pain in the caboose!
I have had 3 Blue lines, all GE AC 6000’s. One just shoot crap from the get go. Melted the decoder, stalled on unpowred frogs and finally lost power pick up on the front trucks. It was replaced so I now have two. They pull like a bear, look great ( I don’t need lift rings anyway) and I love the sound!
I hope to get a Blue Line Big Boy. I was talking to one of there repair Techs and asked him to rate my PCM Y6-b, he gave it a 10. I then asked him to rate my PCM Big Boy, he gave it a 6 and sounds about right to me. Then I asked him to rate the Blue Line big Boy, another 10. I hope to pick one up someday.
Cuda Ken
I purchased a BlueLine Big Boy about 9 months ago and had alot of problems with it. First one thing, then another and another. I sent it in to be repaired and 20 days later I called to see what was up. They said that it would be repaired in the order it was recieved and it was “in line”. This gave me the impression that the line was long. 17 days later it was back. I’ve run it a few times,so far, so good. Just for everyones info, I run DC and the problems had nothing to do with the decoder. There was at least one short, problem with the wiring harness, and something wrong with the hardware that helps create the chuff. I’ve heard alot of other similar stories on forums and personally from a friend. To be fair, the loco LOOKS AWESOME. The only thing I would have changed about the looks would be to blacken the ALL the wheels. One the plus side I probably couldnt afford a Big Boy unless the BlueLine wouldnt have come along, but they do seem to have their problems.
Please, understand me: for 119,99.- at FDT, a Blueline diesel has a great price, and the product has excellent detail and superb sound…the problem is to compatilize both decoder; after this stage, after several hours and many, many mails to and from FDT and BLI and some forum, when the engine is in order, you can enjoy a good engine.