CPRailModeler, just you wait! Ive got a Bachmann SD40-2 DCC ready (yes, its a Bachmann, but for 40 bucks it is worth a try) and when It gets here, Ill bash it and install sound.
Who knows how thatll turn out!
David B
If Athearns new plastic handrails will fit, then I’ll buy them.
What really disappoints me about this loco is how poorly it runs. I was expecting a nice Kato like smooth drive, but alas, that was not to be. I’ve got 20 year old athearn blue box engines that run better. Ok maybe thats a little harsh, but not too far off.
Supposedly this loco was only run on the sellers layout for a few hours. I recieved it “like new” in the box with the warranty.
uhh…whats that supposed to mean? i just hope the bashing and sound installation goes well.[B)][{(-_-)}]
First…Sorry but,the BLI SD40-2 I saw for 3 days of open house didn’t look anything like yours and it ran fairly well considering it takes a lot of power to get a sound equipped locomotive moving.
Heres the one I saw.
I zoomed in on the engine for better look…
As you can see it doesn’t come close to looking like the one in your picture.[:(]
The Blue line locos uses a in house sound system…not QSI.
Good catch!
I got the BN version of that its very nice but i had to paint the walkways black so it would match BN practice. I love it though and for $129.99 at Trainworld it was a good deal.
See this is why the internet is a problem. I don’t knoiw what this thing is but it is not current Blueline. It might be an original that somebody has bashed, but there is no paint scheme like that in the Bluelline. As others have pointed out they do not use QSI. As always, buyer beware and don’t try to post something that is not fact.
I agree that is a repainted locomotive.I also believe a review should be done with a NEW locomotive and not a use locomotive from E-bay.
You and Brakie are both WRONG! Look it up in BLI’s roster. This is an original Blue Line with QSI sound. It’s #713 Helm Leasing #6388 HO. And here’s a few pictures to prove it. It came out sometime last year or so.Get your facts straight gentlemen.
I’m glad Simon brought up the QSI point because the new Bluelines are supposed to come with BLI’s in-house proprietary sound system.
Frank, when you bought your SD40-2 off eBay, how was it advertised? New? (C-9) Brand spankin’ new? (C-10) Was there any mention of it being repainted? If it was misrepresented somehow, I’d contact the seller and eBay. Something “sounds” fishy here…
Tom
[After seeing the pictures]
Frank,
That’s NOT the Blueline series. BLI only just released them within the past month or so. The sound versions of the SD40-2 were advertised for $150 MSRP? The Bluelines were targeted for the DC sound crowd. BLI’s proprietary sound system would allow you to PNP a decoder so that you could run it on DCC.
Tom
GENTLEMEN!
DONT USE THE WORDS BLUELINE AND QSI TOGETHER WHEN DISCUSSING THE SAME EXACT ENGINE!
BLUELINE = NO. QSI. SOUND. DECODER. BLI’s OWN sound under Analog power ONLY!!!
QSI = FULLY EQUIPPTED WITH QSI DECODER AND SPEAKERS AT THE FACTORY!!!
NOW> ONE MORE TIME>
DONT MIX words “BLUELINE” “QSI” when discussing the SAME GAWDDAYUM BLI ENGINE!!!
NOW. PAY ATTENTION!!!
THERE were TWO SD40 runs involved here.
1- The orginal SD40 run with the QSI Decoder/sound etc etc etc. THAT run did not do very well. It did not meet high expectations and disappointed.
2- BLUE LINE is the SECOND run of the SD40 engine WITHOUT the QSI stuff.
Broadway Limited SPECIFICALLY did the BLUELINE for THIER OWN sound, to STOP using QSI and stop paying them money AND… to gain market share for those who HAVE NOT YET started DCC.
I blame BLI for screwing with us model railroaders with these high-faultin and fancy terms in the marketing bullcrapth.
That is als
Driline,
I hate to tell you this, but you’ve been scammed. The main difference between BLI old units and the new BlueLine Series is the fact that the BlueLine doesn’t use the QSI Sound System. You purchased an older Paragon Series (Sound equipped w/DCC) locomotive. Not to mention that the BlueLine locos are just now starting to hit the distributors…my dealer hasn’t received his initial order yet.
Don Z.
OMG! I just had a light bulb go on a moment ago…
If Ebay sellers WHO DONT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING are selling these QSI equippted units using the words “BLUELINE!” in a attempt to sell these crappy first run units… that is misleading, scamming and potentially TROUBLESOME for the buyer who THINKS they dont NEED DCC.
Those hand rails on the engine in question here look like they are severely damaged. I would scrap the entire set and BEG BLI for a new set even if you have to buy it.
DRILL LINE, I caught you specifically stating that this is a “ORGINAL BLUELINE WITH QSI ENGINE”
Im sorry SIR… but YOU are WRONG!
Please… take a moment, read my post and get learned so that you wont make this mistake again. And potentially SAVE another person from making the same mistake again as well.
Hmmmmm. I see.
So this is Broadway Limited’s “Paragon Series” and NOT the Blue Line series. Well, its still the same manufacturer, just a different line. I hope they completeley re-tooled the Blue Line series so that it looks and runs better.
Thanks for clearing this up guys! I didn’t know there were two different BLI lines of locomotives.
So there is the original series “Paragon”?
And then along came Blue Line?
Are there any other lines I should know about regaring BLI?
Dazed and confused…Driline[:)]
PS I just changed the heading to reflect “Paragon” and not blue line so that others are hopefully not mislead like I was.
Frank,
Here’s a recent forum thread about the newly released Blueline SD40-2:
http://www.trains.com/TRC/CS/forums/1141055/ShowPost.aspx
Tom
Dang it! Now I’m going to have to apologize to that old curmudegeon Brakie for getting it wrong. Sorry Brakie, you were right, I was wrong.[:)]
When our Maker created BLI to run some trains on the 8th day he thought that there will be sound and light so that all things will be good in the railroad.
They labored long and hard to build QSI engines in many different forms and found that they are in too much pain having to use someone else’s technology for sound. So they decided to cast QSI out of the land and make thier own sound called Blueline.
Paragon Series means to have a little bit less detail than the Higher Level Series of engines. I forget this moment all the specific different series.
SD40 I think was released with full QSI sound to much anticipation and according to these forums there was a mix result a few years ago. That was the first run.
The dawn of the Blueline engines basically allows BLI to RE-RUN the old Paragon stuff possibly using the same tooling. I point to the Blue Line PRR M1a 4-8-2 as evidence. That engine advertised today under the BLUELINE MATCHES VERY closely what I have on my workbench as a first RUN QSI from 2003.
So, I am of the firm opinion that yesterday’s PARAGON is DEAD. Long LIVE Blueline reincarnated using the old PARAGON tooling.
Anyone want to take bets on me being wrong here with my wild and totally un-educated GUESS?
Drillline, I hope you harbor no hard feelings to my counter-top truck stop style-coffee sloshing hammering of this thread.
[quote user=“Safety Valve”]
GENTLEMEN!
DONT USE THE WORDS BLUELINE AND QSI TOGETHER WHEN DISCUSSING THE SAME EXACT ENGINE!
BLUELINE = NO. QSI. SOUND. DECODER. BLI’s OWN sound under Analog power ONLY!!!
QSI = FULLY EQUIPPTED WITH QSI DECODER AND SPEAKERS AT THE FACTORY!!!
NOW> ONE MORE TIME>
DONT MIX words “BLUELINE” “QSI” when discussing the SAME GAWDDAYUM BLI ENGINE!!!
NOW. PAY ATTENTION!!!
THERE were TWO SD40 runs involved here.
1- The orginal SD40 run with the QSI Decoder/sound etc etc etc. THAT run did not do very well. It did not meet high expectations and disappointed.
2- BLUE LINE is the SECOND run of the SD40 engine WITHOUT the QSI stuff.
Broadway Limited SPECIFICALLY did the BLUELINE for THIER OWN sound, to STOP using QSI and stop paying them money AND… to gain market share for those who HAVE NOT YET started DCC.
I blame BLI for screwing with us model railroaders with these high-faultin and fancy terms in the marketing bu