BLI F3 and F7

[thomasjmdavis]

100% agree, they spent so much time on making it look awesome but the mech and weight issues just make it a pig covered in makeup with some great pig sounds.

But on it looking "awesome".....

The very first thing I saw when I looked a photo of a delivered unit a few days ago, was the amount of space between the shell and the trucks.  And that the windows really don't look "right".  Now, if this was a $50 model, those things might not bother me.  But at the BLI price level....

I don't know if this fail is quite so epic as the stock car with solid sides, but premium prices should bring premium design and premium quality control.

[SP-Wolf]

For me. I will pass as well. For a lot of personal reasons, that I would prefer not to air out here. I have not had very good luck with the few BLI locomotives that I have purchased. (I replaced all of the BLI decoders with ESU)  Besides -- I have close to 100 F units. I do not need another set of PH-1 F-7s nor do I need another set of PH-1 F-3's. 

Thanks,
Wolf

[Maletrain]

This truck problem is so bad, with both gear mating and electrical pickup issues, I am wondering if BLI will actually do a "recall" and replace trucks with better executed design and/or assembly.  This could effectively end their pre-order business if they don't do something really effective pretty quickly.

I will watch what they do.  But, if they do nothing, there are a lot of units out there that need "help."  I hope that at least somebody like Mark can provide us novices with some detailed instructions on how to take apart, rehabilitate and reassemble these trucks if BLI continues to fail us.

[Chris333]

Does BLI have HO scale problems?

[peteski]

The truck gearing looks to be about the same as early Kato trucks used on the GP38, GP50 and early Atlas locos.

Not really.  Kato design had the idler gear axles cast as a part of the internal metal frames. BLI idler gear design appears to be similar to many models from European model manufacturers.  The idler gears spin on metal rod axles which are loosely fit into the blastic gear casing. Similar to the recent Arnold SW1 and the U-boat.  Then the outside-bearing drivers using stub axles running in holes in metal bearing/pickup plates is similar to what Athearn used on some of their Diesels.

[Maletrain]

But  why manufacturers keep coming out with flawed designs such as this one?  Why don't they embrace the type of reliable low-friction (and reliable pickup) design introduced in U.S. by Kato in their U30C (and still used today, by multiple manufacturers)?  And there is no excuse for sloppy truck gearing design.  I think the Chinese engineers designing these models thing they are children's toys which don't need to be precisely designed.

The problem is usually that somebody decides they can manufacture it less expensively if they change the design or materials a little, then don't adequately test the results. 

I have so many things in my shop that I inherited from my father and grandfather that still work great, while the "modern" versions either don't work well at all or fail after a short life in-use. 

And the really sad part is that many of those new things have the same trade names as the older versions, so they are trading on an established reputation without trying to actually uphold it.  It seems that established trade names with good reputations are bought and then trashed with cheap imitations for quick profit by unscrupulous "capitalists."  Of course, China, as a government-managed economy, profits by trashing established American trade names while supplying its own (like LG) at a higher quality level, to take over the world market.  But, it is U.S. corporations that are facilitating that with the "quick profits today, the heck with tomorrow" business model  that puts its manufacturing in China.

[peteski]

And the really sad part is that many of those new things have the same trade names as the older versions, so they are trading on an established reputation without trying to actually uphold it.  It seems that established trade names with good reputations are bought and then trashed with cheap imitations for quick profit by unscrupulous "capitalists."  Of course, China, as a government-managed economy, profits by trashing established American trade names while supplying its own (like LG) at a higher quality level, to take over the world market.  But, it is U.S. corporations that are facilitating that with the "quick profits today, the heck with tomorrow" business model  that puts its manufacturing in China.

Yes, I notice the same thing.   To take this one step further, names of well-established quality brands are acquired by investors who  then use them to produce sub-par quality products while touting that they are the old-world brands consumers depended on for decades. But the actual products are "as seen on TV" crap.  The only quality there is the (bought) product brand name.
Couple I have recently noticed are Fuller Brush Company and Bell and Howell" . All the products currently made under those names are cheap dollar-store type of crap.

[Point353]

Of course, China, as a government-managed economy, profits by trashing established American trade names while supplying its own (like LG) at a higher quality level, to take over the world market. 

LG is a South Korean company.

[atsf3751]

This whole issue with these engines saddens me. I have lots of BLI engines that are excellent. My BLI fleet is AB E6, AB E8, half a dozen PAs and a Centipede AA, all powered. Only had two problems. The E6 B unit died after one hour of running and they replaced it immediately, I think I had the replacement before they received my failed unit. The other problem was a speaker died. They offered to have me ship it back to them for repair or they would mail me a speaker to replace myself. I chose the latter. Those were the only problems I had and all of these engines have many hours of running on them. The only thing I monitor are the PA's, I run them ABA on my Santa Fe trains and the B unit runs hotter than the A's, I do find that somewhat puzzling. So after a couple hours of running I pull them into the passenger station to cool.


The Centipedes I use with Kato's Broadway Limited. So far no one has asked me about that train stopping at San Diego. But now, I will be gun shy about ordering any more of their product until I see reviews, which means I will probably miss out.

[towl1996]

Well, at least they got the number boards right on the PRR units and JBritton would have been happy to see that. 

I passed on these units, so I'll refrain from comment. And I've passed on the pre reseveration model. I hope this doesn't spill over to the T1, but no matter I didn't pre order one of those either.

Who is in charge at BLI?  This sucks.

[rrjim1]

Not really.  Kato design had the idler gear axles cast as a part of the internal metal frames. BLI idler gear design appears to be similar to many models from European model manufacturers.  The idler gears spin on metal rod axles which are loosely fit into the blastic gear casing. Similar to the recent Arnold SW1 and the U-boat.  Then the outside-bearing drivers using stub axles running in holes in metal bearing/pickup plates is similar to what Athearn used on some of their Diesels.

Your always out in left field, yes I know all that, I'm talking about the gears lining up just look at a old kato truck and you will see what I'm talking about, or do I need to draw you a picture.   

[Point353]

Who is in charge at BLI?

One of the guys in this video:

[peteski]

Your always out in left field, yes I know all that, I'm talking about the gears lining up just look at a old kato truck and you will see what I'm talking about, or do I need to draw you a picture.   

Whatever field I'm in, I'm quite happy there. No need for pictures.
I interpreted your vague statement "The truck gearing looks to be about the same as early Kato trucks used on the GP38, GP50 and early Atlas locos."  as meaning that they share the same type of construction (which is inaccurate).  How could I know that by "looks to be about the same" you meant that idler gears of both types of trucks have quite a bit of lateral play?  I can't read your mind.

Besides, the gears in Kato trucks still meshed properly and didn't cause problems. Mark's evaluation seems to indicate that the BLI truck does have gear mesh problems.

[rrjim1]

Whatever field I'm in, I'm quite happy there. No need for pictures.
I interpreted your vague statement "The truck gearing looks to be about the same as early Kato trucks used on the GP38, GP50 and early Atlas locos."  as meaning that they share the same type of construction (which is inaccurate).  How could I know that by "looks to be about the same" you meant that idler gears of both types of trucks have quite a bit of lateral play?  I can't read your mind.

Besides, the gears in Kato trucks still meshed properly and didn't cause problems. Mark's evaluation seems to indicate that the BLI truck does have gear mesh problems.

Well sorry, but your interpreting is in left field as usual. The word construction never appeared in my post. When a someone talks about gearing there talking about the gears not anything else. end! 

[Ed Kapuscinski]

We're arguing about what here?