Model Railroading > BLI's 2-10-4

I just ordered a BLI Pennsy 2-10-4 from Historic Rails ($299).

Does anyone have this engine?

Comments?

Thanks


Hal

I know someone that has had once since they first came out a few years ago. I have also seen (and heard) it operate. AFIK, he has never had any problems with it. It's a very nice model.

I bought a Bluline version of the J1 about 7yrs ago. My only complaint was jerky operation, even after a reasonable break in period. Also had a flickering headlight. So, sent it back to BLI. It returned with a note that jerky operation not observed. They said they rewired the headlight but it still flickered.
In 2010, I talked to the company owner, Bob Grubba at the National Train Show, Milwaukee. He gave me a new decoder (think it was a Lenz),thinking the problem was the Digitrax decoder I had installed. He said to send it back if that didn't fix it. Ended up sending it back again. This time, the traction tires were removed. This seems to have solved the jerky operation but don't really see why that would be the problem. Said they rewired the headlight but it still flickers.
Last year the sound decoder stopped working so I've replaced it with a Tsunami. Sound is much better, better slow speed operation.
I'm currently in the process of replacing the plug/socket between engine and tender, hoping to solve the headlight issue.
I have 4 BLI diesels and all run fine with no issues.
I'd be interested to hear how the new J1's run and sound.

john

john

I have 3 of them I purchased when they were first released and they're awesome.
I ran them double-headed on a long train at my RR club a couple of years and listening to the exhaust go in and out of cadence at the start is pretty cool.
It reminded me of a sound sequence that appeared on a Railroad Record Club (remember them?) release of a pair of Pennsy I1s starting up an ore train. As the locomotive bagan to fade in the distance, a DC-3 flew overhead.

good luck.

I have one of the C&O T-1s, which is similar to the PRR J-1. The continuing problem that I have is that the T-1 continuously eats gears. The first time, BLI repaired it without any problems. The second time, they wanted to charge me. At this point, I turned it over to a friend that enjoys tuning steam locomotives. He changed out the broken gears and noticed a design flaw. It seems that if the main driver is not place exactly right and the gear cover is not place exactly right, one of the main drivers bearing block will slip out of its retainer and cause a slight binding, which over time, will cause the teeth of the gears to break off. My friend built a new bearing retainer to hold the bearing block in place. So far it is working and has not needed a fourth set of gears. Now this is from the first run T-1s but I do know of another who bought a later run of T-1s and had the same issue.

With the prototype PRR J-1s being based on the C&O T-1s, I do not know if BLI used the same chassis between the two or if the J-1 has a new chassis under it.

Darin Umlauft
A WC, SOO and GBW fan in Slinger, WI