Broadway's Reading T1 4-8-4

[kiwi_al]

I measured them being at 10.6mm. I'm sorry, I do not know what that equates to.

Thanks for the measurement, I now might have to get one after seeing that vid   
it equates to approx 67 inches (rounded up)

10.6 × 160 ÷ 1 = 1696 mm
1696 mm = 1696 ÷ 25.4= 66.7717 in

[Tristan Ashcroft]

I measured them being at 10.6mm. I'm sorry, I do not know what that equates to.

If 1 inch = 2.54 cm and N scale is 1:160, then I get 66.8 inches.

[dem34]

Just asking before I pull the trigger, is the decoder a Next18 interface or MTC21

[kscessandriver]

Frustration with preorders; I had preordered at Factory Direct Hobbies. Still hadn't seen an invoice for it, so I figured I better check on it. They claimed invoices went out weeks ago, I never got one. Thankfully, they still had them in stock, so I was still able to snag AFT1, and I got out of being stuck with the Paragon(e) decoder, so maybe it's a win.

[spookshow]

Anybody heard from hogtrainz on these? I have a reservation and supposedly they are in stock, but crickets so far.

-Mark

[pjm20]

Same for Trainworld for a stealth in service.

[dem34]

Mine from Lombard was shipped Yesterday.

[dem34]

Just asking before I pull the trigger, is the decoder a Next18 interface or MTC21

It is a Next18 socket for anyone who needs it.

[propmeup1]

Let add my two cents on these long waited locos.   Being from Reading . PA the T1 is special to me.  In 1966 as a five year old my grandpop took me to the Reading roundhouse and in there was 2100, 2101 and 2102.  2124 was already at Steamtown but I didn’t know that then.  This was my first encounter with steam locomotives.  They were monsters.  I recall the roundhouse being very dark due to small windows and no ship lights on in there.   It was very creepy but I was thrill to see these machines.       About five years ago I talked to Matt at BLI about making them in N since they already had them in HO.   Well, here we are.   I know myself well enough to realize that just one wasn’t gonna be enough so I ordered three right out of the gate.  2101, 2102 and 2108.      Running wise is say these are pretty awesome so far.     Just one will pull 65 loaded hoppers around and up my 1.34%.  It is however in the verge of near slipping and I can hear it straining so I’ll go back to doubleheading with that amount of cars.  2102 pulls 14 custom passenger Reading cars with ease.      I haven’t taken the time to
do any scale measurements yet but things do look very realistic.     My question about reality of the T1 is the drivers are listed as 70”.  I’ve measured the drivers on 2101, 2102 and 2124 and they’re all 67” over the tires.   So with that I will close but let it be known I will purchase a few more of these.
 

[PiperguyUMD]

How difficult is it to add your own decoder to a stealth version? Is it a simple plug and play with the Next18 connector?

[dem34]

How difficult is it to add your own decoder to a stealth version? Is it a simple plug and play with the Next18 connector?

There are 4 screws under the tender. Once the tender shell is off its just a plug and play dummy board. Hoping to have a decoder delivered this evening to get it DCCed.

[peteski]

Next18 interface should be plug-n-play.  Easy peasy.
The only possible issue would be if BLI needed to utilize output 3 (pin 4) and 4 (pin 13) for some functions like LED lights. Some decoders (like ESU LokSound) have those set up as logic level outputs.  But the probability of incompatibility is low.

[R L Smith]

 I had pre-ordered a sound version from my LHS and received it earlier this week. Out of the box it pulled a 30 car train up a 2% grade on a curve with no wheel slip.  However...


This unit HATES Kato # 4 turnouts.  The visible portion of my layout is Atlas 55, but the staging area and its associated mainline tracks are Kato with #4 crossovers.  This loco picks every RH turnout, every time.  No other engine in my somewhat large fleet does this. 

I put down some serious coin for a loco that I didn't really need, and now runs the risk of being a shelf queen. I have to do some investigation to either improve its performance, or substantially change my staging area to eliminate the Kato turnouts.  Neither of which are appealing. 

I'm in hopes that the T-Trakers amongst us will get some run time on a few of the T-1s soon, because if it is a real issue it should become apparent.  For BLI's sake, I hope it is just me and my track-laying skills.  (I feel it is premature to contact them until I hear of other similar cases.)


Ron

[kscessandriver]

I had pre-ordered a sound version from my LHS and received it earlier this week. Out of the box it pulled a 30 car train up a 2% grade on a curve with no wheel slip.  However...


This unit HATES Kato # 4 turnouts.  The visible portion of my layout is Atlas 55, but the staging area and its associated mainline tracks are Kato with #4 crossovers.  This loco picks every RH turnout, every time.  No other engine in my somewhat large fleet does this. 

I put down some serious coin for a loco that I didn't really need, and now runs the risk of being a shelf queen. I have to do some investigation to either improve its performance, or substantially change my staging area to eliminate the Kato turnouts.  Neither of which are appealing. 

I'm in hopes that the T-Trakers amongst us will get some run time on a few of the T-1s soon, because if it is a real issue it should become apparent.  For BLI's sake, I hope it is just me and my track-laying skills.  (I feel it is premature to contact them until I hear of other similar cases.)


Ron

Check the gauge of the drivers, is the first place I'd start. If everything else runs across those turnouts, I'd venture it's not the turnouts. Probably something on the T-1 itself.

[garethashenden]

Check the gauge of the drivers, is the first place I'd start. If everything else runs across those turnouts, I'd venture it's not the turnouts. Probably something on the T-1 itself.

On the other hand, #4 is pretty tight for a big 8 coupled locomotive...