Email back from BLI

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I sent this to BLI three weeks ago.

Hi

I’ve just recieved three new loco’s from Tony’s Train Exchange, 1x USRA light 2-8-2, SRR#4501, HO and two EMD SD40-2’s

I love the sound and detail but I’m having trouble with the performance, they all seem a bit jerky in their motion.

I’m running them on DCC (Lenz Set 100 and compact)

The 2-8-2 has been changed to non traction tyres.
The axles on the tender are very loose in the trucks, 1mm sideways movement, and the tender itself is not free-running.

The SD40-2’s have a noise from the gears in reverse, I’ve checked them over and seem lubricated in both trucks.

I understand from various people that new loco’s need some running in time but after and hour or so and some lubrication as indicated in the instructions the jerky motion seems the same on all three.

I waited three weeks for these to arrive in New Zealand and I’m reluctant to send them back for service, please let me know what if anything I’m able to do here.

Thankyou Ken Mackay.

and their reply this morning.

I have sent your email to the factory. You must be one of those customers looking for perfect models. We do not want to be defensive, but we do not see any way to improve what you are experiencing. It is possible that you may have lemon models but considering your evaluation is same for all three models, it may be that your standard is higher than these plastic models. We will try harder to improve the quality. Also, in the future, adding BEMF speed control will enhance the performance.

Best regards,

Customer Services
Broadway Limited Imports, LLC
4 Signal Ave., STE C
Ormond Beach, FL 32174
USA
Tel: 386-673-8900
FAX: 386-673-8080
www.broadway-limited.com

So then I sent this back

Thanks for your email

Nice to know I may have bough

2

Ohhhh something smells fishy here. If I were his boss he would be fired for that reply.

3

SEND them to Tony’s Train Exchange with a copy of the letter. (Get permission from Tony’s first.) I don’t see you with much choice. BLI is ‘copping’ out.

If Tony’s finds the problem You get the engine’s fixed, and you blackmail BLI to pay the bill. They have an obligation under terms of the warranty.

4

This doesn’t sound right. Jimmy is the guy in charge of customer service. He would never respond this way. I know they are moving, but lthey are still located in Virgina. I suggest you e-mail them again to the attention of Jimmy. Check their website for the new address. You might set the momentum to one (1). Their newer engines need to be set there. On my older BLI’s I didn’t need to do that, but on my new BLI Sw7 I needed to set it to one. Bill

5

My error, BLI moved to Flordia. Maybe Jimmy is no longer there.

6

If that is what they think of thier customers and product BLI will not get my money!!That was uncalled for.Dan

7

Hmmmm. I emailed them about something else a week ago and got a real nice response; nothing like the tone of that zinger. Whoever wrote that must have been having an off day and not realizing that being on the other side of the world doesn’t kepp you troubles secret in this day and age.
Why in the H*** are they moving to Florida? Oops, no state income tax. Maybe they are doing rather well.

8

I got an interim reply about my noisy-in-reverse 4-6-4 hudson, and it said that the Korean drive trains all seemed noisy in reverse. I took it that the rest of the message was, “Get over it.”

Later, when their tech was back from surgery, the tone was much more conciliatory. He said sorry, send it to us and we’ll do what we can, including replacing it if necessary.

If someone from BLI is reading this, your #2 tech guy/gal needs a pin *** to his/her head. It’s gonna blow!

9

I’ve had only one problem with a P2K SD7, but only after many, many hours of hard use.
Lifelike, Atlas and was Stewart have always been helpful. These people build models for the discriminating modeler. Most of the BLI SD40’s growl right out of the box. In the reply are they telling you not to expect much from their “plastic” models, what a load of crap, or maybe they should stop building crap and check their quality control. Won’t be buying a BLI diesel anytime soon.
Bob K.

10

Guess I will not have to worry about finding $$$ for those two BLI N&W J models…

11

Go ahead and put a copy of that reply in an envelope and mail to BLI with “Attention Managers”. A mailed letter does make an impact.

Hopefully this employee was having a rough day and is not normally so rude.

BLI will defnitly need good public relations, especially now that QSI sound is available in Atlas and Proto HO Diesel locomotives and more are to come! Both these brands provide smooth running and better detailing in their diesels.

If I were a BLI manager, I would be concerned!

12

Again…

If Tony’s finds the problem You get the engine’s fixed, BLI has obligation’s under terms of the warranty. (Tony’s would cover the DCC modules ).

Tony’s sold you the product and has a vested interest in your satisfaction., and will bill BLI for any ‘Under warrantee repairs’. You are out the shipping back to the USA. Period.

You have a choice.

13

Whoa,
That response really shocked me. I guess I expected more from BLI considering how much their engines cost. Yeah, when I fork over a small house payment for an engine, your darn right I expect it to be good…

I have to admit I was really consideinring buying a BLI SD-40.Thinking I may reconsider… I have Cab foward that I am haveing some issues with (otherwise, I love it!) and was goign to call them if I couldnt figure it out. I hope to and pray that I dont get that treatment. But If I know I am goign to have problems and get “that kind” customer service… No thanks.
I own my own shop (offroad related biz) and I am very careful what vendors I use just for that reason. Customer Service has to be tops. Even if the guy calling or emailing is a total jerk off, you dont respond like that. The email he ( Ken) sent I thought was pretty good considering he wanted to see if he fix it himself with some help. Wow… That’s ***ty.

One thing to consider, let this thread grow and then send it back to them. If it is an isolated deal with one “sales guy being cranky”, then it needs to be dealt with and hopefully, they will let us know that this behavoir was one man, not the attitude passed on from the top.

Best Regards
John k

14

I’m not surprised by the snotty answer you received from BLI. I wrote them about problems I was having with one of thier N&W 2-6-6-4s. Their answer was to the effect that if I didn’t like the locomotive I should take it back to the dealer for a refund, as surely there was some unsuspecting modeler who would buy it.

I have since have very good luck buying Atlas diesels with QSI sound. They run great and when I once e-mail Atlas with a small problem I got back a very nice response telling me how to fix the problem . No more BLI for me.

15

This sounds like an employee that is leaving the company and doesn’t give two hoots about about the customer or the company. In anycase, the correct thing to do is send snail mail to BLI, and give them this forum address so that the CEO can read the responses from his “prospective” customer base.

16

I have been a little reluctant to send back my hudson.It was back to them about 6 months ago and they indicated that they changed the frame and the motor when it stopped running on me.I just recently got a chance to run the "repaired’ loco and found it to be very noisey when running in reverse…Don’t they test thier work?Do you think that I should send it back again,or will the problem correct itself with break-in and lube?

17

Mike, I thought that with my 2-8-2 light, but still noisey in reverse after many hours of running.

Ken.

18

Ken
Have you run it in reverse for break in? When breaking in a loco, as with any gear set, automotive’s incuded, break in needs to be done both ways. Run it foward, then flip the switch and run it backswords…

Just a thought ot maybe why it is nosier backwards.

John k

19

John I’ve run it backwards, forwards, sideways, upside down, inside out, on DCC on DC still noisey!!!

Ken.

20

Aside from the snotty attitude, methinks that the hotheaded first reply I told you about might actually be the truth! The mechanisms are Korean, and they pretty much are all noisy in reverse.

Who else is trying to get into the lucrative HO steam market? MTH, anyone?