BLI newsletter possible N scale projects

[Jbub]

Saw these tidbits in their newsletter that was sent out today.

Q: "First of all, love your models! Detail is great IMHO. Question: Will BLI be coming out with any N Scale GP models in the future?" - Sandy on Facebook
A: Thanks so much Sandy! We are looking to bringing both the GP35's and GP30's to N Scale. Both were really successful and we'd love to bring them to N scalers layouts!

Q: "Hello! I've been loving running my N scale Paragon4 Light Pacific. Your past newsletters have mentioned 6 n scale steamers are in the works, including the FEF. Any hints on the other 5? Thanks!" - theveeker on Instagram
A: Right now the two we have the designs finished for or are nearly done are the Santa Fe 3751 northerns and the Union Pacific FEF-3's. We are not at the point to tell you which locomotives we have in que at this point in time as we are still gathering data packages, reference materials, price estimates etc. It takes a lot of work to get new tooling accurate especially for road specific steam. The difficulty in gathering these materials is finding enough photography and references from all angles. It helps with our designers to make the model. From there it takes anywhere from 3-4 months, sometimes longer depending on the model to create a rendering. I can't say which ones we are working on, but here is a list of locomotives we want to bring to N scale. SP Cab Forward, New Haven I-5, Commodore Vanderbilt, GS-4, C&O K-2 Mikado, among a few others. We have heard from you N scalers you want more steam, and we're looking to it!

Q: "Hi Broadway I heard that you plan to make Santa Fe 2900 class in HO in the near future how things going with that" - Daniel on Facebook
A: Hey Daniel! I remember you from Amherst! Great meeting you! The 2900 class northern locomotives are in the design process at the moment. We are going to start these off in HO. We hope to bring them to N but we would like to see how the 3751 class would sell first before we make that decision. We have been working close with the folks at the Santa Fe Railways Historical and Modeling society for details and we are working on reaching out to the group who operates 2926 as we would like to record the sounds from the locomotive. As for road numbers the only one we have confirmed is the 2926. We haven't narrowed down the others just yet.

[reinhardtjh]

Saw these tidbits in their newsletter that was sent out today.

Q: "First of all, love your models! Detail is great IMHO. Question: Will BLI be coming out with any N Scale GP models in the future?" - Sandy on Facebook
A: Thanks so much Sandy! We are looking to bringing both the GP35's and GP30's to N Scale. Both were really successful and we'd love to bring them to N scalers layouts!

Q: "Hello! I've been loving running my N scale Paragon4 Light Pacific. Your past newsletters have mentioned 6 n scale steamers are in the works, including the FEF. Any hints on the other 5? Thanks!" - theveeker on Instagram
A: Right now the two we have the designs finished for or are nearly done are the Santa Fe 3751 northerns and the Union Pacific FEF-3's. We are not at the point to tell you which locomotives we have in que at this point in time as we are still gathering data packages, reference materials, price estimates etc. It takes a lot of work to get new tooling accurate especially for road specific steam. The difficulty in gathering these materials is finding enough photography and references from all angles. It helps with our designers to make the model. From there it takes anywhere from 3-4 months, sometimes longer depending on the model to create a rendering. I can't say which ones we are working on, but here is a list of locomotives we want to bring to N scale. SP Cab Forward, New Haven I-5, Commodore Vanderbilt, GS-4, C&O K-2 Mikado, among a few others. We have heard from you N scalers you want more steam, and we're looking to it!

Q: "Hi Broadway I heard that you plan to make Santa Fe 2900 class in HO in the near future how things going with that" - Daniel on Facebook
A: Hey Daniel! I remember you from Amherst! Great meeting you! The 2900 class northern locomotives are in the design process at the moment. We are going to start these off in HO. We hope to bring them to N but we would like to see how the 3751 class would sell first before we make that decision. We have been working close with the folks at the Santa Fe Railways Historical and Modeling society for details and we are working on reaching out to the group who operates 2926 as we would like to record the sounds from the locomotive. As for road numbers the only one we have confirmed is the 2926. We haven't narrowed down the others just yet.

*sigh*  So much for the engineer that told @mike_lawyer that the PRR H8/9/10 and Isa were being tooled for 2023 or 2024...  I'd like the C&O K-2 Mike.  Or any C&O specific locos  ( ahem, H-8 ) But...

I'm glad the ATSF 3751's are coming also.  Another FEF-3 and GS-4s though? I guess.  We got a plethora of Big Boys.

[bigdawgks]

I suppose if they do the I-5 in N I'd probably buy one, even though I don't typically do North American steam.

[asarge]

C&O K-2 Mikado

Bingo!

[nscaler711]

I posted about 3751 a while ago:
https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=57008.msg784567#msg784567

[mike_lawyer]

I have asked every month on Facebook about the I1 in N scale and any plans for other PRR steam in N when they field questions for their newsletter.  They have dodged my question every month.  So who knows what their plans are at this point.

[Jim Costello]

I'm in for a few NH  I-5  and the I-4 if they make them. Should be a easy project for BLI as they have done both of  them in HO.

Jim
NHRHTA #L082
Modelling the New Haven down under.

[Englewood]

Santa Fe steam is seriously lacking in the N scales. Hopefully it won't be too many years out.

[MetroRedLine]

I posted about 3751 a while ago:
https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=57008.msg784567#msg784567

Good to know it's in the works. Since it's still in operation, it'll be a great addition for modern-era modelers as well! I got to see it chug along at the Train Festival at Los Angeles Union Station last Summer.

[thomasjmdavis]

Good to know it's in the works. Since it's still in operation, it'll be a great addition for modern-era modelers as well! I got to see it chug along at the Train Festival at Los Angeles Union Station last Summer.

I am wondering how many versions of 3751 they will do. My assumption is that they will do the "current" version including whatever modern appliances have been added to make it road worthy in the 2020s. Hoping they also do it equipped as it was around 1950, and in several numbers. Not sure if that would be identical to the 1941 rebuild, or if there were additional changes after WWII.  I doubt they would also do the "as built" (but would be great if they did- we could use the chassis for all sorts of things) since as built (if online sources are accurate) it had 73" drivers, and was rebuilt it 1941 with 80" drivers. 

I am left scratching my head on how the ATSF shop crews managed to replace 73" drivers with 80" drivers, but I assume the result was virtually a new locomotive.

This is one locomotive I will buy (if my retirement funding allows) even though it is an anachronism on my planned layout - the 4-8-4s never came east of KC, except for exhibitions, due to bridge limitations, or so I've read, and the 3751 was retired in 1953, prior to my 1956 target date.  But, it's my railroad, and if I occasionally park a 4-8-4 powered Ranger next to a high level El Cap....well, tough.

[PiperguyUMD]

I have asked every month on Facebook about the I1 in N scale and any plans for other PRR steam in N when they field questions for their newsletter.  They have dodged my question every month.  So who knows what their plans are at this point.

I’m don’t know how a Hippo wouldn’t be a home run for them. The Pennsy had hundreds and they had a long service life. Not to mention a solid 2-10-0 mechanism in N scale would be excellent kitbash fodder. I’d be good for 3, and I don’t even model the PRR.

[robert3985]

A: Right now the two we have the designs finished for or are nearly done are the Santa Fe 3751 northerns and the Union Pacific FEF-3's.
 

I hope BLI recognizes that FEF-3's don't all look like the 844 and does some of them without the Worthington SA Feedwater Heater so TTG in-service versions that were done starting in 1946 will be correct.

Also, since the only noticeable differences between late FEF-3's and FEF-2's are the pilot and some FEF-2's had a slightly thinner welded double-stack instead of the cast version, a double-stacked FEF-2 would be soooo easy to produce!

Some FEF-3's and FEF-2's had triple stacks too, and that would be easy to do if BLI consciously engineered it into the model.

FEF-2's were delivered with single stacks, so that would be nice also, but since the boiler on BLI steamers is cast metal, I kinda doubt they'd do that.

FEF's were all coal-fired as delivered, the last FEF-3 being delivered in 1944, but were all converted to oil in 1946...which would mean that if BLI decides to do both coal and oil versions, the firebox needs removable ashpans and the tenders need to have either coal bunkers or oil bunkers...kinda like they did for their Big Boy, except with the simpler original oil bunkers that got put in in 1946 as well as the later OSHA version on the 8444/844.

AND...easily removable smoke deflectors.

Kinda exciting for me, being the transition era UP fanboy that I am!

For another N-scale steam locomotive, I wish they'd do a Harriman Era consolidation in both the SP and the UP versions...with different road-specific details, the most obvious being SP's distinctive whale-back tenders vs UP's small Vandy tenders.

OR/AND a really nice SP GS-2 with and without skirts would be great!...or maybe an MT-4

It's interesting to see what they'll come up with!

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[ridinshotgun]

It'd be nice if they could make some Aux tenders for the Y6's in n scale.  They did it in HO but ignore the request in N scale.

[draskouasshat]

Finally, after nearly 50 years, we have a non-brass ATSF steam locomotive!

[basementcalling]

You mean I can learn all this without the BLI version of the Plaid Membership in their club?