Regarding the Q2, are all current photos put out by BLI of the pre-production model? Because I noticed the keystone is missing on the front of the engine, and there is no “pennsylvania” lettering on the tender.
Secondly, is there any major visual difference between the “as built” prototype version vs the other ones that appear on their website, the “in production” models. Is there any reason for wanting the protoype over the others I mean.
Now about the Blue Line GG-1, who on here managed to get one before it was discontinued? The reason I ask is because its considerably cheaper than the Paragon version, and my LHS told me that the Paragon GG-1’s had gear problems, Nick and Smith Trains had several Paragons, but my LHS told me not to buy them due to this.
Anyway, I’m really trying to track down the Blue Line GG-1, is it worth the hunt and the money?
As far as I know, there is no public photo of the actual production Q2’s. What has been released is the pre-production model.
I have never read a complaint about the BLI GG1’s. I do know they’re scarcer’n hen’s teeth. I snatched a Trix metal version from a retailer this summer. What a beauty!!
Thanks Crandell. Yes, the BLI GG1’s are very hard to come by, I should have just gone with my gut and bought the one at Nick and Smiths trains while they still had it. [:(] It was the tuscan one with the 5 pinstripes (my favorite). They still have one in stock, but its silver with a single red stripe, which I’m not really into.
They also have the Trix/Marklin GG-1 in stock. It looks fantastic, but man is it expensive. $600? I’m a little cautious about laying down that kinda cash for a german company, not to say that they don’t make quality products, but I’m always worried about maintenance issues and the lack of repair service available. Also, I was under the impression that Trix engines only ran on a special type of european 3-rail track for HO, but I guess I was wrong?
Crandell, would you mind posting a video of yours sometime? I would love to see it in action [:D]
-Oh and btw, your BLI class J in your avatar looks awesome. [tup] Its a beautiful engine, I’m not sure which run you got, but the one you have really does the prototype justice.
Trix/Marklin locos are of a built quality that has yet to be reached by the likes of MTH or BLI. They will give you years if not decades of trouble-free service with only very little maintenance required, i.e. the occasional drop of oil.Trix is 2-rail DC/DCC, just make sure that the loco has NMRA wheelsets! To my knowledge, the Trix locos sold in US have those as standard.
I got the last one at Bill Ott’s modelbahnott.com, and couldn’t believe my luck. I recall paying $340, and it was a fairly decent deal in view of their scarcity and how nice they really are. Heavy! Sir Madog is correct, they are meant to run on your HO track with 2 rail DC/DCC because of the earlier LokSound dual mode decoder. I had no qualms about the fact that it was German…in fact that was gravy for me. [8D]
About a year ago internethobbies.com acquired a clearout lot of a bunch of the earlier runs of BLI Paragon and Stealth series engines. They didn’t attempt to unload them by discounting them. They may still have a GG1, but I wouldn’t tell you to drop everything and give them a call. It has been a year, and it wasn’t like they had 6 of everything in this otherwise surprisingly large and varied lot.
Trainworld shows they have some, but I called in the spring and they said their add was in error.
Your only other practical option these days is eBay. Prices can be steep, especially the Buy it now ones.
I would think that BLI tightly controls the amount of information/pictures that get out onto the internet.
The production photos dont bother me much. However. Some time ago… actually some years ago, they posted a drawing for a B&O 4-6-2 President Class Pacific. It took months to years for that image to be updated. When they finally did, it was a shot of a Light 2-8-2. Eventually it all fell off to the wayside and canceled.
The Q2 incorperates some technology such as couplers on both ends, sprung drivers etc etc. I had one planned for a long time and decided to get out of HO scale anyway.
The Pennsy GG1’s will always be a good seller. I have heard that they are good runners and pullers. Now if only someone makes the older P-5q (I think… correct me someone.) freight early version of the GG1.
All in all, Tony’s Trains or MR or some third party gets ahold of the engine (Whatever it may be…) and then issues new pictures online. Usually pretty close to delivery time.
Bachmann’s 2-6-6-2 is another example of tightly controlled pictures. Only pre-production photos until the current iHobby Show was held and one of the attendees used a camcorder to capture a model running and upload it to You Tube.
Usually You tube has it first if there are any imagery of engines running and stuff.
Everyone else either issues a PDF with drawing as Athearn does (Pretty durn close if you ask me…) or simply sticks a internet image place holder with a blank space saying “Image coming soon.”
Kind of like those old office clocks saying “Will return at: time needle” No one ever uses it.
Finally but not last, China Factories probably disallows cameras or any imagery inside the production floor. One reason why it’s difficult to get imagery ahead of release.
The reason this bothers me alot is Pre–order. If you dont pre-order, you dont get it. If
To address some comments to your Q2 questions. The prototype was the Q1. This was a semi streamlined engine of 4-6-4-4 wheel arrangement in which the rear wheels ran backwards to the front ones by having the pistons behind the wheels. It is totaly unlike the Q2 production version. The mechanism for the BLI model was at the PRR convention in June and looked pretty good. All the pictures are preproduction and the proper details should be included. The PRRT&HS members who worked on the project with BLI are very excited about its appearance.
Yeah, thanks for the link. I have seen those in person up there actually, but I guess I’ll go for the Trix GG-1, although I was reading somewhere that the Trix GG-1 would often derail due to its weight, whereas broadway’s version had the weight centered around the bottom which is apparently more practical. Although I also read that the Trix sound is far superior to the QSI system in BLI’s GG-1.
The trix versions look gorgeous, but I still can’t go for it yet…too expensive. Thanks for the pics Crandell and Ulrich.
Let me tell you why I think those expensive G’s are not worth it. I grew up on GG1 pulled trains. I lived a couple of blocks from the corridor as a kid in Philly. G’s don’t make much in the way of train sounds. When you saw one the first thing you heard was the catenary starting to sing from the pantograph contact. That started when the engine was about 1/8 to 1/4 of mile away. Then you heard the rush of the train and normal passenger car noises. The only time the horn was used was the two beeps when starting along with the bell. Since there are no grade crossings on the corridor you usually only heard them when in a station unless they were giving a warning blast. So one horn and bell sound placed under the railroad at a station will suffice for all G’s. The only other sound you heard when they were sitting still was a some blower noise. The Rivarossi G s a fine runner and very smooth. There is plenty of room to add a decoder and I defy anyone to tell me who made the G shell by looking at it. Since it is smooth sided there is no detail to warrant the expensive versions. For $400.00 for a Trix ( as seen on EBay) you could buy ten or more Rivarossi G’s on E Bay. Now if you are into saying you have the most expensive version out there go for it. For me I’d rather have several. By the way, I know some people don’t like the traction tires but I have pulled 98 cars with an out of the box Rivarossi G and the flanges aren’t a problem on code 100 rail which is correct for the corridor.
The Q2 also had a first prototype and then the production run. The first Q2 ( 6131) has a different front side panel that is much larger than the production run. Its side panel runs down to the front cylinders and had a cut out for the drifting valve. I believe BLI had mentioned this one also in their first announcement of the Q2.
The PRR book Pennsy Power shows the prototype Q 2 6131 and the difference can be viewed on page 234 of the Pennsy Power book.
All of the rest of the details seem to be like the production run numbered 6175 to 6199.
There is a picture of the 6131 on the BLI web site.
Is it safe to say that the actual Q2 model, whether protoype 6131 or the production runs, put out by BLI will have “pennsylvania” written on the side of the tender?
Thats the major factor in my decision to buy. I really want one, but I don’t want a blank tender as in the picture in the announcement.
The coal load looks amazing too, just like MTH’s class J.
The Pennsy painted all their tenders with lettering and other pertinent information. The model in the image we see from BLI is just a quickly constructed first kick at the cat. You can bet that all but models sold as “unlettered” will have the proper decals affixed.
You can see a production model in this B&W photo, and the lettering on the tender is clealry visible.
