BLI centipedes

[propmeup1]

Well it's eight years since BLI introduced the centipedes. I have two pair. Beautiful engines and a pair can easily pull 75 loaded hoppers. However from day one with these engines they have been nothing but trouble. One set has been returned three times and the other two times. I've spent plenty in shipping alone.
     They stall going over any switches all the time so I usually run them with a M1 on the point which helps at keeping the train rolling when the cents stall.   You'd figure with eight drive axles picking up power they would be great runners.
     I have one more idea to help them and that is the possibility making the fwd and aft trailing trucks live to pick up power.   Has anyone done this ?    And BTW I have tried many things that been posted over the years and some have worked somewhat and some not at all.  Wheel spacing was the first issue and that was on part of BLI. They were way off gauge.
    So if anyone has an idea please share,  Thank you,
Keith

[peteski]

Yes, these are horrible runners.  I bought my set from the initial run and it sucks!  Running on friend's layout (Atlas C55 track and switches), It would derail and stall frequently. I put it back in the box even before it ran a complete loop around his layout.

As you mentioned, the main problem is that ll the wheels are narrow in gauge, and Atlas C55 switches have tighter tolerances than typical C80 track so the mis-gauged loco rides over the frog or guardrail, causing it to derail.  The electric pickup is also poor (they don't use the pointy axles like Kato/Atlas trucks, and the Paragon decoder will shut down and reinitialize on the slightest drop of power.

Mine are still disassembled waiting for a really complete tuneup. It has been several years.  While I'm pretty sure I can make them run better, I shouldn't have to do that at the price I paid for them.

[spookshow]

Ha, "conventional wisdom" be damned because mine ran great. The only caveat is that I had to adjust the wheel gauging.

-Mark

[peteski]

Ha, "conventional wisdom" be damned because mine ran great. The only caveat is that I had to adjust the wheel gauging.

-Mark

Well, I have to admit that just adjusting the gauge would have solved the derailing issues, and likely improved the electric pickup, but you know me, I couldn't restrain myself from taking the model completely apart (and then promptly get sidetracked by dozens of other projects).

[haasmarc]

Timely topic.  I just got out a pair to run after they sat for about 8 months.  After a little warm up, they run pretty good.  I have Atlas code 55 track.  I have regauged the wheels.  I also added Micro-trains retarding springs between the outer wheel surfaces and the pick-up strips.  I think I also added a phosphor bronze wire in there to rub on the axle.  I can run them on the lowest speed step with only an occasional drop of one of the units.  I was thinking if I could add a keep alive, then they would run really well.

Anybody know where to add a keep  alive on those decoders?  I think they are paragon 2's if I remember correctly.

[Englewood]

I wish these would be rerun. I'd love a set with the newer electronics.

[propmeup1]

I too would love a new set but I think BLI has had so many complaints that they're a bit gun to try them again unless they re-engineer the pick and stalling issues.

[nkalanaga]

If you plan on running them as a pair, how about wiring them together?  That would give 16 axles spread over four trucks, and should help.

[propmeup1]

Hummmm, they are bolstered together as a pair. I'll try that and see what happens and report later. Stand by.  Thanks.

[propmeup1]

Ok I wired both engines together and they now run great. One stall over one turnout. Went through the yard and all around the layout with the only issue being a small derailment on the aft engine aft truck. I swapped the axle with the tractions tires and they run excellent now.     Before I couldn't go through the yard at all or any turnouts without a stall. I been running them for years with one or two M1's on the point just to keep the train rolling when they stall...      If you happen to be at the show in Jan at Oaks, PA I'll buy you a lunch on Saturday.     I'm just ashamed that I didn't think of something that easy.    Thank you.  Keith      ps, now to do that with set #2.

[nkalanaga]

I did that years ago (1970s!) with Minitrix F-units.  Between having to keep the layout under my bed (trailer), sharp curves, and cat hair, those were about the only locos that I could keep running.  They ran good by themselves, but with three or four wired together, dirt really wasn't a problem.  And the trucks were simple to take apart, so every few weeks I'd remove the cat hair!

After we moved into a house in 1978, and I had four walls of a larger bedroom, I kept the Fs.  Those were my go-to power into the 1990s.

Fortunately the local BN freights were often pulled by solid sets of F-units, so it worked fine.  Just like the prototype!

[dem34]

Huh. Great then, good timing I was just asked about any magic solutions to a club member's pair yesterday. Centipedes are kinda required for Horseshoe Helper service if you model the 50s.

[Lemosteam]

Ok I wired both engines together and they now run great. One stall over one turnout. Went through the yard and all around the layout with the only issue being a small derailment on the aft engine aft truck. I swapped the axle with the tractions tires and they run excellent now.     Before I couldn't go through the yard at all or any turnouts without a stall. I been running them for years with one or two M1's on the point just to keep the train rolling when they stall...      If you happen to be at the show in Jan at Oaks, PA I'll buy you a lunch on Saturday.     I'm just ashamed that I didn't think of something that easy.    Thank you.  Keith      ps, now to do that with set #2.

@propmeup1 , When you do this next set, can you photograph and share how you did it?

[propmeup1]

I certainly will. I’ll have to shoot with my camera because every time I post a pic here using my phone it comes out inverted.