BLI Announcements

[reinhardtjh]

Nothing earth shattering...  A new run of Mikados, NW2s and SW7s.

It came to me as a marketing email from BLI.  The web page for it is here. It was a large mess but this is the result. I think most of the tracking info is gone.

http://editor.ne16.com/vo/?FileID=91b82401-b9a9-4ab7-838f-6488b7c07621&m=070a8b78-d806-4602-b30d-6764875aad0e

The BLI web site is not fully updated, there are more new versions available than shown on the web ad.  According to the BLI Delivery schedule Updated 2/9/2023), they are "In Production" and due April 2023.

New Mikado page: https://www.broadway-limited.com/paragon4usraheavyandlightmikado2023.aspx
New SW7 page:  https://www.broadway-limited.com/paragon4emdsw7switchers2023.aspx
New NW2 page:  https://www.broadway-limited.com/paragon4emdnw2switchersn2023.aspx

The N&W Y6b's are "In Transit" so should be here in a month or so.  The Reading T1's are still "In Tooling Now" so are a ways off - "Summer 2023"


I'm still waiting for the PRR steam which was mentioned as likely for 2023.

[bbussey]

They've finally released the SW7 in Conrail, after I've stripped and modified an earlier release.  But the unit needs enough external work that the paint job is irrelevant.

[wazzou]

They've finally released the SW7 in Conrail.

Bryan or anyone for that matter, are these units pretty reliable runners?

[Sokramiketes]

Bryan or anyone for that matter, are these units pretty reliable runners?

Yeah, once you pull out the BLI electronics...

[bbussey]

Yeah, once you pull out the BLI electronics...

Bingo.

Runs and sounds incredibly well with an ESU LokSound decoder.

[C855B]

Yeah, once you pull out the BLI electronics...

I'm on that wagon, too, obviously. I cannot for the life of me figure out how BLI management can possibly be that tone-deaf about how bad their decoders are. They seriously need to get over themselves, sign a contract with ESU and put a stop to the negative customer sentiment they are fomenting in the hobby.

[peteski]

I'm on that wagon, too, obviously. I cannot for the life of me figure out how BLI management can possibly be that tone-deaf about how bad their decoders are. They seriously need to get over themselves, sign a contract with ESU and put a stop to the negative customer sentiment they are fomenting in the hobby.

I don't see that ever happening.
They likely have too much (financially and R&D) invested in those decoders.  More realistic would be BLI selling DC locos alongside their sound-equipped locos. A glimmer of hope for that was the survey they had not too long ago.  And (other than what we hear on the forum) is the other large pool of modelers who do not frequent online forums really all that unhappy with their decoders?  If that was the case I think BLI would have closed shop some time ago. Yet, with all the new models they keep releasing, they seem to be thriving (despite those decoders)..

[mike_lawyer]

The Reading T1 will be a nice release this summer.  Still hoping for some PRR steam this year.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I'm into those SW7s.

I've got an undec sitting around that was going to get painted blue. Now I think it's a candidate for a PC patch job.

If anyone asks, that project was waiting to see if they'd do these. Yeah, that's the reason.

@bbussey , what work are you talking about doing?

[bbussey]

Mainly the absolutely horrendous inversed "negative image" front grill but there are some other areas that need work such as the hand rails and supports.

Regarding the basic mechanism, it is solid other than the decoder and the LED leadlights, which were either too yellow or too bright, I don't remember which.  I desoldered the diodes from their light boards and swapped in warm white LEDs and surface resistors for a 1,000% improvement.  And of course, the LokSound with the appropriate SW7 sound package installed.  And you have to squeeze in a keep-alive module.  Stock speaker kept.

[Point353]

More realistic would be BLI selling DC locos alongside their sound-equipped locos.
A glimmer of hope for that was the survey they had not too long ago. 

Thus far, my suggestion to the BLI reps, every time I see them at the Amherst/Springfield show, that they also offer DC/DCC-ready versions of their locos seems to have fallen on proverbial deaf ears.
My suspicion is that, even if the survey results showed that 45% of the respondents would prefer a DC/DCC-ready version, BLI would conclude that more than half of the respondents want factory-equipped DCC/sound, so that's what we'll keep including in all of our locos.

[peteski]

My suspicion is that, even if the survey results showed that 45% of the respondents would prefer a DC/DCC-ready version, BLI would conclude that more than half of the respondents want factory-equipped DCC/sound, so that's what we'll keep including in all of our locos.

Unfortunately I think you're correct.

[kiwi_al]

The Reading T1 will be a nice release this summer.  Still hoping for some PRR steam this year.

Weren't they scheduling the PRR I and J's after the T1?

[TrainCat2]

Just told Brad to order both B&O NW2's for me.

[mike_lawyer]

Weren't they scheduling the PRR I and J's after the T1?

I think the PRR H10 is the next in line, followed by the J1 and I1.