BLI SD70ACe

[Jbub]

I will check my crystal ball and I wager I know what it will say.

1. The BLI will be the most detailed of the two but based on the above posts the paint may not match KATO.

2. The only "given" here is that a KATO out of the box will perform as expected. I have a 1943 unit with ESU Loksound and it was great right out of the box.

Carl

Actually I think the Kato has crisper detailing than the BLI, plus they both have molded on grab irons. The only detail parts that the bli had that Kato doesn't are cab window shades.

[greenwizard88]

On the es44, the truck can turn enough that the brass pickup nubs move off of the brass plate on the loco. When the engine straightens back out, the brass nubs snag on the brass plate and the truck stops swiveling freely. This design looks to fix that. Hopefully it doesn't create more issued.

[spookshow]

Well it did have an incomplete!   Hopefully the full review will be good.

After performing lube removal on the wipers a couple of times and addressing the axle squeaks, it seems to have settled down. I've been creeping it around at speed step 7 for several hours and so far no issues to report. Haven't tried pulling any cars yet, but I'll get there eventually.

-Mark

[spookshow]

On the es44, the truck can turn enough that the brass pickup nubs move off of the brass plate on the loco. When the engine straightens back out, the brass nubs snag on the brass plate and the truck stops swiveling freely. This design looks to fix that. Hopefully it doesn't create more issued.

Ah, OK. I never ran into that particular issue myself, but I'll take your word for it.

-Mark

[spookshow]

Still running well, no additional contact cleanup required. I'll get a little hiccup every hour or two where the sound briefly cuts in and out, but that's not overly concerning. Comfortably pulling 32 assorted 50' freight cars. I think it's going to be a keeper for me.

-Mark

[spookshow]

I´m thinking of ordering one NS version. I wonder if the rear ditchlights are functional on them. Does anyone know?

Looking at the exploded parts diagram, there doesn't appear to be any option for lighting the rear ditchlights - http://www.broadway-limited2.com/support/N%20SD70ACe%20Expl%20View%20Diagram%20(8.7.2019)%20(Small%20File%20Size).pdf


-Mark

[Albersala]

Thanks, Mark. I've ordered one anyway. But I think they 've lost a chance of doing things more prototypical with those ditchlights as Scaletrains did on their N-scale locos.

[Albersala]

Looking at the exploded parts diagram, there doesn't appear to be any option for lighting the rear ditchlights - http://www.broadway-limited2.com/support/N%20SD70ACe%20Expl%20View%20Diagram%20(8.7.2019)%20(Small%20File%20Size).pdf


-Mark

I´ve just got the NS loco I had ordered and you were right Mark: rear ditchlights are not functional. A real pity because this is a beautiful engine with many details that runs fine and having those rear ditchlights working would have been really cool.