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Post by ncrc5315 on Nov 12, 2019 18:37:06 GMT -8
I would assume with the Scale Trains announcement of a SD45, the chances of BLI actually doing their's, went from doubtful to unlikely. I canceled my BLI order this morning. I knew it had been a while since I had placed it, but was kinda surprised to learn I had placed my order back in July of 2016. Now I will patiently wait for Scale Trains to do some DRGW's. Just curious, if anybody else had the BLI's on order, and if so, has anyone cancelled?
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Post by brakie on Nov 13, 2019 4:05:25 GMT -8
I think BLI will release a SD45 after all Protos,Kato and Athearn SD45 did not stop ST from doing their SD45. If I needed a SD45 I would need to flip a coin to decided if I would go with a Kato or a ST "operator" SD45.. I suppose it might also depend on the difference in price. I do like my "operator" SD40-2 so,that may weigh in as well but,then my Kato GP35 is a jewel. Yup, its coin toss time after all.
Of course when BLI released their SW1500 I kept my BB SW1500s and when Athearn released a Genesis GP38-2 I did not rush out and sell my Proto, Athearn BB or RTR GP38-2s and buy the Genesis GP38-2 since I already had those locomotives.
I'm sure ST SD45 will be a museum quality locomotive and will sell like pancakes at IHOP..
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Post by Judge Doom on Nov 13, 2019 16:09:54 GMT -8
I would assume with the Scale Trains announcement of a SD45, the chances of BLI actually doing their's, went from doubtful to unlikely. I canceled my BLI order this morning. I knew it had been a while since I had placed it, but was kinda surprised to learn I had placed my order back in July of 2016. Now I will patiently wait for Scale Trains to do some DRGW's. Just curious, if anybody else had the BLI's on order, and if so, has anyone cancelled? Part of it may depend on how far along the BLI SD45 actually is. If all the R&D work has been done but they haven't begun cutting the tooling yet, it would be easy to shelve the project. If the tooling has already started being cut and some/much of it is already paid for, it might be a harder decision. If the tooling is already cut and they were just awaiting a production slot, then going ahead and making them would be the obvious choice. Given that they were announced that far back (2016), you'd think that the project would be around the tooling stage by now (or even in production) but...
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Post by Deleted on Nov 13, 2019 16:35:36 GMT -8
I would assume with the Scale Trains announcement of a SD45, the chances of BLI actually doing their's, went from doubtful to unlikely. I canceled my BLI order this morning. I knew it had been a while since I had placed it, but was kinda surprised to learn I had placed my order back in July of 2016. Now I will patiently wait for Scale Trains to do some DRGW's. Just curious, if anybody else had the BLI's on order, and if so, has anyone cancelled? Part of it may depend on how far along the BLI SD45 actually is. If all the R&D work has been done but they haven't begun cutting the tooling yet, it would be easy to shelve the project. If the tooling has already started being cut and some/much of it is already paid for, it might be a harder decision. If the tooling is already cut and they were just awaiting a production slot, then going ahead and making them would be the obvious choice. Given that they were announced that far back (2016), you'd think that the project would be around the tooling stage by now (or even in production) but... I would think so too. However, BLI seems like one of those companies that doesn't pay any mind towards what other manufacturers are doing and just produces what they want when they want.
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Post by Judge Doom on Nov 13, 2019 18:06:35 GMT -8
I would think so too. However, BLI seems like one of those companies that doesn't pay any mind towards what other manufacturers are doing and just produces what they want when they want. Yeah, complete with their own Paragon DCC+sound system that customers who want Loksound or another alternative in have to pay extra for (with no plain DC version for those folks either). But much like MTH's DCS system, they're pretty much committed to it . There's been a few BLI locos over the years I've considered buying, but having to pay extra for their own sound decoder of choice only to disregard it and try to shoehorn in a Loksound decoder (however easy or hard that might be) was always a strike against them.
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BLI SD45
Nov 13, 2019 18:18:42 GMT -8
via mobile
Post by riogrande on Nov 13, 2019 18:18:42 GMT -8
What is this BLI SD45 spoken of? I haven't followed that saga.
The only BLI engines I own are a couple of RSD-15s to model a Utah Rwy coal train late 70s. AFAIK only non brass option in HO.
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Post by gmpullman on Nov 13, 2019 18:26:02 GMT -8
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Post by oldmuley on Nov 13, 2019 18:39:43 GMT -8
Quite honestly, I'd completely forgotten about the BLI SD45. Of course since their expected date of delivery was late 2016/early 2017, I can see why these dropped off my radar.
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Post by brakie on Nov 13, 2019 19:49:59 GMT -8
I would think so too. However, BLI seems like one of those companies that doesn't pay any mind towards what other manufacturers are doing and just produces what they want when they want. Yeah, complete with their own Paragon DCC+sound system that customers who want Loksound or another alternative in have to pay extra for (with no plain DC version for those folks either). But much like MTH's DCS system, they're pretty much committed to it . There's been a few BLI locos over the years I've considered buying, but having to pay extra for their own sound decoder of choice only to disregard it and try to shoehorn in a Loksound decoder (however easy or hard that might be) was always a strike against them. I have one of their SW7s and it sounds like a EMD 567A prime mover but, the programable horn has a echo to it which I find annoying. I choose the IIRC Nathan chime horn since I removed the single horn and replaced it with a Atlas SD24 horn. The engine and sound plays well with my MRC Tech 6. First I'm far from being a diesel detail guru like you fellas but, I will say overall it a very nicely done engine and when the sound is muted it whisper quiet.. The only issue I have with this engine is the aforementioned horn echo.
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Post by wp8thsub on Nov 13, 2019 19:54:03 GMT -8
I wonder what the actual model will look like. Broadway's SD40-2 was an obvious crib of Kato's, to the extent that nearly every quirk of Kato's tooling ended up in the BLI version, with BLI adding some mistakes of their own. I have three of the Kato SD40-2s, and later was given a damaged BLI. In the process of rebuilding it, I was struck by how things Kato got wrong were directly copied.
By way of contrast to the generic SD40-2s, the BLI SD45 renderings show at least some prototype specific details (horns, ground plane towers, trucks, SP cab window, fuel tank fittings, etc.). Based on prior product, I would definitely have to see the new SD45 in the flesh before considering a purchase, but I'm at least curious how they'll turn out.
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BLI SD45
Nov 13, 2019 21:01:23 GMT -8
via mobile
Post by onequiknova on Nov 13, 2019 21:01:23 GMT -8
I wonder what the actual model will look like. Broadway's SD40-2 was an obvious crib of Kato's, to the extent that nearly every quirk of Kato's tooling ended up in the BLI version, with BLI adding some mistakes of their own. I have three of the Kato SD40-2s, and later was given a damaged BLI. In the process of rebuilding it, I was struck by how things Kato got wrong were directly copied. Their E6 was a near direct copy of the Proto E6, horrible windshields and all. They copied the shell mounting lugs inside the shell, even though they didn't use them. The BLI chassis also has provisions for the funky opening door mechanism on the Proto shell. At least they fixed the size of the radiators.
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BLI SD45
Nov 13, 2019 21:03:22 GMT -8
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Post by onequiknova on Nov 13, 2019 21:03:22 GMT -8
They have traction tires?! 😂
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Post by sp8234tim on Nov 13, 2019 21:10:20 GMT -8
oh cool Traction tires, a revolution in model railroad for the 21st.
Tim Hanesworth
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Post by lvrr325 on Nov 14, 2019 1:34:16 GMT -8
Maybe the delay is so they can copy the scaletrains one.
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Post by brakie on Nov 14, 2019 2:36:40 GMT -8
They have traction tires?! 😂 Don't laugh to hard.. There are those in the hobby that still wants traction tires so their engines can pull their overweighed freight cars up their 5% grades. Frankly, I can't stand traction tires but, to each their own..
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Post by simulatortrain on Nov 14, 2019 5:27:36 GMT -8
It wouldn't be too hard for them to cancel it, just tell the guy with the bar of soap to put his pocketknife away.
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Post by riogrande on Nov 14, 2019 5:42:55 GMT -8
I wasn't serious as the BLI SD45 was not on my radar - and generally most BLI engines aren't. I've already got a boat load of Athearn RTR SD45's and they have enough primarly RR specific details and run surprisingly well. But I'm pleased the ST is going to be running them now.
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Post by Donnell Wells on Nov 14, 2019 5:46:02 GMT -8
Maybe the delay is so they can copy the scaletrains one. That was low...funny, but low.
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Post by lvrr325 on Nov 16, 2019 19:07:22 GMT -8
Low, but also not unrealistic. People have been copying other people's trains for probably as long as we've had trains, some almost identical, some laughably crude but still sporting the same flaws as the model they copied. A good example is the Globe/Athearn F7. The windshield area is poorly rendered. Oddly, the 1962-ish Tyco F-unit, the 1964 Penn Line F7, and the 1973-ish Cox F3 all share the same shape here. Side by side, they appear identical save a few details.
BLI keeping such specific things in their E6 is a little wild though.
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