I’m trying to gather information on the Broadway E6 with DCC & sound and the Life Like P2K E6 with the same. Has anyone bought one of these, or possibily one of each? Is the BLI worth $100 more than the P2K?
Looking for a opinions, I don’t have the opportunity to see either one of these before I would make the actual purchase.
I have not had personal experience with this comparison, but there is a chap down at the LHS that swears by P2K with a good sound decoder installation as being far superior to BLI. I beleive he was refering to the E7, but I can’t imagine that there is too much difference with the E6.
Any differences I would suppose would have to be in the body detailing and drive system, as they both use the same Quantum Sound from QSI.
The P2K drive works well, it’s fairly inexpensive since it’s basically a clone of the Athearn with a better motor. BLI’s drive, I don’t know. Their GG1 runs very smoothly, so I would expect no less from the E.
If I buy any … I think the E8 is the one I want…I will get it from P2K due to the fact that that they are alot cheaper.
Hello Dgoodlander,
If this helps. This is for BLI only.
At Happy Hobo Trains, Kevin tested a Broadway Limited E for me in DC mode on his counter top’s test track. It ran smoothly except for a very slight headlight flicker on a dirty spot on the track. At full volume, the sound is VERY LOUD to the point where it can be irritating! IMHO, that’s impressive. I could hear the sounds of two 567 diesels coming from the unit. Turning the knob quickly to OFF produced the brake squeal. The headlight: very intense. Except for the horn, I liked the unit very much! [8D][tup]
(The horn sounded like a 3 chimer. Most E6 and E7 horns were originally AA-2 honkers installed at EMD).
I do regret that I didn’t ask him to put it on the store layout and pull the passenger train he has with all Walther’s cars.
One thing Dgoodlander.
I currently own “regular” P2K E units. May sound silly, but one of my absolute favorite features of P2Ks is the doors that open. [C):-)][tup] BLI E units don’t have this feature. On the P2K E units I bend the wire back slightly so the cab doors don’t snap shut when I open them. I like this feature for when a unit is sitting in an engine servicing facility or if parked on a siding. Too me, it adds that “little extra” realisim that makes a model locomotive stand out. More than likely the LifeLIke sound equipped unit will have this feature also.
Hope this was helpful. Please let us know which unit you get.
Cheers with an E unit in Run 8!
I am sure the LL sound version will be just as loud, since it’s the same QSI sound decoder.
I am VERY happy with the way my 4 P2K units run, so if they come out with a sound version of an appropriate locomotive for my preferred road, I would certainly buy one. My road had no E units, and they just annouced a sound equipped GP-9, which my road also did not have.
Well based on AntonioFP46’s answer I think I’ll give the P2K a try. I have a couple SD9s and have had no problems. I guess what I was looking for is a response to the effect that the BLI blows the P2K away. Not what we are saying, so I guess I’ll save myself a few bucks. I’m going to buy the B&O E6 when its available. I like the look of the slant nose.
Thanks Guys!
Hello Dgoodlander,
Please let us know how your E unit performs. Glad to be helpful.
Next time I go to Happy Hobo Trains, I’ll ask Kevin to test one of those "E"s on the store’s HO layout (shelf layout that’s about 25 ft. long). He has a 10 car Walther’s “Super Chief” in a siding and occasionally pulls it with a pair of Proto 1000 Erie Builts. Usually runs it at 50 scale mph, but on request will push it to 90 mph like the prototypes!
High greens on your tracks!
I have two B.L.I. E-7, and they run great. The mars light is more realistic than Proto E-7, and there are no plastic hand rails to break. The horn on B.L.I. was recorded of a E-5
that’s my only complant.