Just thought I’d let you guys hear about my experience with BLI. When I first received my BLI Hudson I still had my old 4x8 layout, being anxious to try out my new loco I ran it a few laps around the mainline, of course on the final lap with increased speed it crashed to the floor [Thank God for wall to wall carpet] but I did manage to break off the front dummy coupler and throw the front truck out of alignment. I did not run the engine again until I had laid the mainline on my new around the room shelf layout. After 2 or 3 weeks it stopped running, it would short out my whole system {Lenz DCC] Anyway I sent it back to BLI with a check for $7.00 and settled in for the long wait. My LHS guys said I wouldn’t see that engine for months. To my surprise it arrived home today after only 3.5 weeks which includes shipping to and from. They not only fixed the problem [replaced the main board] they repaired the front pilot and replaced the dummy coupler even though that damage was totally my fault. I feel thats pretty good service.
I just purchased a BLI SD40-2. This is my first sound-equipped loco. That alone was the reason I purchased it. I’m pleased with the overall performance but the front headlight just went out. I was wondering how long it would take to get it back, so thanks for your post.
Wow, that makes me feel good. I, too, have the J1e from BLI, and have generally been pleased. No mishaps, yet, but probability is against me.
Would you do me a favour? Have a look at the Hudson from the side, at about two feet away, and tell me if you can notice a slight squatting, or settling, over the trailing truck. Mine seems to, ever so slightly, and I don’t know if it’s just me.
Yours may sit differently now that it has been repaired. (I’ll bet you were…ah…steamed when it fell!?)
Hi Selector, I just checked my Hudson and its sitting perfectly level. If i were you I’d email BLI, before I sent mine back I emailed them and they replied right away, good luck.
Many thanks, willist. I’ll remove the trailing truck and see if I can put a bit, repeat- ‘bit’, more resistance into the coil spring by putting a spacer behind it. I can always undo that slight mod if I need to.
Thanks, again, and may you enjoy your J1e many long days.
I bot the Athearn Challenger for DC operation and THEN the GG1. That sound, WOW! Makes me want
to consider more BLI models. I think the BLI sound is one of the reasons Walthers reduced their price
on the Riv FEF-3.
I think BLI has very good service, especially if you take the trouble to call. My 2-8-2 was defective out of the box. I sent it back to BLI. Less than 3 weeks later I got it back. But, there was a mix up at the repair facility and I recieved an un-decorated one back instead of the CB&Q model I returned. When I called, they could not undertand what happened, and could not find my Q model. These were sold out, so they could not replace it, but were expecting more in a couple of months later. They told me to keep the un-dec and use it as much as I wanted and they would send me a Q when it came in. Sure enough 3 months later a new Q loco arrived and I returned the un-dec. Anyway, Ifelt that even though there was a screw up, they were able to resolve the problem and stuck to it, even if it took a few months.