Trainworld has one HO BLI Dreyfus Hudson (#1145) for $429 and several others of same engine at $299. Anyone know the difference(s)? The specs seem the same.
Hmm, maybe there aren’t as many of the item #1145 available or something.
–Randy
Wasn’t the Dreyfus Hudson one of BLI’s hybrid brass models?
If you see it used on eBay, chances are there is something wrong with it.
Tom (tstage) owns a Dreyfus if I remember correctly. You might be able to ask him.
Trainworld, being the “Closeout Kings” does not keep their advertizements or sale flyers quite up to date and I’ve seen them advertize prices that vary greatly from ad to ad.
I remember trying to order a BLI engine, maybe the PRR Q2, I forget, they were pretty scarce but Trainworld had them listed, AND at a great “sale” price.
Five days after I submitted the order I got an email saying that they were sorry but the item is currently unavailable.
Several months later the same engine was still listed as being on sale.
I’m reasonably certain all the runs of the BLI Hudsons are nearly identical. I bought a 1938 version recently from MB Klein and THEY truly had them in stock and WERE on sale at a great price.
http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Broadway-Limited-Imports-HO-4-6-4-Dreyfuss-Hudson-p/bli-1196.htm
Happy Modeling, Ed
Not sure if this will explain it, but a number of years ago I bought three non-streamlined Hudsons from Trainwordl at the blowout price of $129. Apparently, BLI was clearing them out to make room for their next generation of Hudsons which didn’t appear for several more years. It might be BLI is unloading the Dreyfus Hudsons they have in their inventory to make room for the next latest and greatest.
And, are they the same manufacturer, Scale? Both BLI and MTH released their versions about the same time.
The BLI is preferrable over the MTH for accuracy. The MTH, however, is ]a better runner. My BLI Dreyfuss had to visit the backshop at Ormand Beach to iron out a couple issues it had. It runs well now though.
Tom
Sorry I wasn’t clear. Yes, the engines I’m asking about are all by BLI: #1145 for $430; four other numbers for $300. And, so far as I am able to read, the specs for all are the same. SOMETHING has to be different. Either that or there’s a much bigger demand for engine 1145 in contrast to the other numbers.
There was a run of Brass Hybrid DCC-Ready Dreyfuss Hudsons around 3 years ago. I got mine from my LHS that was ordered in 2005. List was in the high 200’s, and I seriously doubt if any dealer has one in stock unless it’s used or consignment. Of course everyone knows that BLI has only offered fully loaded Sound DCC for the last few years, including the last run.
$130. David B
Scale,
I’m going to guess that the lesser price locomotives are for the non-streamlined Hudsons. And that would be consistent with the pricing I’ve seen for them. If it’s for road numbers other than #5544-5554, it’s a non-streamlined version.
Tom
I think we’re just talking about a simple typo or perhaps one is MSRP and the other is TW’s discounted price.
Why not give them a CALL?
FWIW the 1145 is the 1940 paint scheme and the 1147 is the 1938 paint scheme.
If you are seriously interested in one of these, MB Klein has five in stock (2 different numbers) click my link in the third reply above.
Enjoy, Ed
Isn’t the difference do to the Paragon 2?
No…
Thanks for clearing that up, Ed. I should have just checked the online ad myself.
It would appear that the '40 version was a better seller than the '38 and Trainworld is trying to move the '38s.
Tom
Hi, Tom
It can really get confusing especially when more than one manufacturer makes the same, nearly indistinguishable model, then there are second, then third runs, different paint schemes for various eras and BLI having Paragon2 and PCM and QSI decoders out there.
I find that there’s a lot of orphan web sites from different hobby sellers and often show items that were LONG ago sold out but they claim to still have stock.
Trainworld, The Closeout Kings, seems to list a lot of merchandise but I find that they don’t keep ther website current with their inventory and frequently their pricing is hard to nail down.
Take care, Ed
That’s why I (and seemingly, you as well, Ed) like M.B. Klein. Their “live” inventory let’s you know at a glance just how many of a particular item they have in stock at a given moment in time.
Tom
I bought one of the silent models, number 5450. I was able to use a Tsunami with it by gluing four thin (1/32") disc magnets to the inside of the front driver and mounting a reed switch on the top of the frame for chuff sensing. It took awhile to get the spacing right. I couldn’t use the BLI flywheel magnet and reed switch, which were in place, because the Tsunami has no option for number of pulses per chuff like the Loksound and the Paragon 2 do. But this is probably better, as said, for reliability of the switch.
This also required adding a wire through the eight pin connector, not so easy because the two center pin cable positions were empty, so I had to dig up a compatible pin. I thought I could just order the cable, but BLI annoyingly changed the type connector with the later models for one with different pins and spacing.
Hal
Thanks to all who have chimed in to my original post. Very helpful and much appreciated, including the comments that have steered me in the direction of M.B. Klein. (I recently ordered a non-streamlined Hudson from Trainworld and was subsequently told it was out of stock.)
Just to clarify, the Trainworld website lists BLI Dreyfus Hudson models in the 1938 and 1940 paint schemes at the $300 price, plus engine #1145 for the higher price (paint scheme and differences, if any, not specified). All of this is moot now. I’ll pay attention to M.B. Klein from now on. Thanks again. JHF