Wait 'til next year.

[Mark5]

I agree in essence with Dan's last paragraph - N scale is the first to be put on the backburner (and they've been quite good at it). They just don't seem to give a poop about N scalers. This after a bold, ambitious entry announcement a ways back.

Talk is nice, now how about walking the talk?

[wm3798]

I don't think the mechanism or the shell tooling are the problem.  BLI uses QSI electronics, which are not all that reliable in HO, and now they're trying to downsize everything, and that's probably causing the delays.

What they need to do is bite the bullet and just offer a non-sound DCC ready model, and get something on the shelves NOW.
Lee

[DKS]

What they need to do is bite the bullet and just offer a non-sound DCC ready model, and get something on the shelves NOW.

Yes, quite agree. I think they are being too ambitious for their own good, starting off with the moon and stars. How about some simple stuff? Get those hoppers delivered, for example. Move some product. Worry about bells and whistles after you have some customers.

[kiwi_al]

I don't think the mechanism or the shell tooling are the problem.  BLI uses QSI electronics, which are not all that reliable in HO, and now they're trying to downsize everything, and that's probably causing the delays.

Lee mate,
They are using Loksound not QSI  for N scale so there's no problem there, it's already proven in Europe  ;D
they are just chasing the blue razoo.

[up1950s]

I don't think the mechanism or the shell tooling are the problem.  BLI uses QSI electronics, which are not all that reliable in HO, and now they're trying to downsize everything, and that's probably causing the delays.

Lee mate,
They are using Loksound not QSI  for N scale so there's no problem there, it's already proven in Europe  ;D
they are just chasing the blue razoo.

"they are just chasing the blue razoo"

Say what !

[kiwi_al]

Oops I meant brass razoo 

[Mark5]

I don't think the mechanism or the shell tooling are the problem.  BLI uses QSI electronics, which are not all that reliable in HO, and now they're trying to downsize everything, and that's probably causing the delays.

What they need to do is bite the bullet and just offer a non-sound DCC ready model, and get something on the shelves NOW.
Lee

How will this help the H2 hopper?

[DKS]

Just today, for the very first time since they opened their own Forum, the PCM Moderator visited the N scale side and promptly locked a rather heated thread having to do with the production delays, and proceeded to carry on about how committed they are to delivering quality product to N scalers and how they are planning many more products and how expensive tooling is and how they need to pay for mortgages and feed their children and yadda yadda yadda. Not one hint, however, as to the actual reason for any of the delays, which would certainly have helped cool some tempers.

[3rdrail]

From reading the "forum moderator"'s reply in the BLI/PCM N scale forum I am convinced they really don't know what they're doing. Having been a counselor to small businesses through the SCORE organization, I'd say that they were grossly undercapitalized and squandered their resources on far too many products at once. You need enough capital to go for several years without salary, you need a business plan, and you need to follow through on that business plan and not chase after every perceived opportunity that appears.

Quel triste.

[keystonecrossings]

In regard to the PCM Moderator's post, I am a willing target of their misplaced ire. They've now banned my original user name, but it was so easy to get around that!

Have I financed 10+ $150,000 projects? No. But I have financed several projects which have turned out very well... and consider that I have far less experience and am a one person operation. Every product I have announced has come through... but I have been careful to indicate on my structures that production would commence once a reservation level was reached. It has worked out well and under that pre-stated scenario I think all of the customers have been happy.

But I'd like to counter the $150k argument...

1. With the M1, after initial delays of over a year, then they told us they had to pull the job from one factory and move it to another, causing recreation of some of the masters. Nearly a year later they admitted the project wasn't even off the design board. Now, more than a year later it's held up because there aren't enough reservations.

2. PCM was created and initially they swore there was no relation to BLI. This was found to be outright lies.

3. FDT was created and they swore there was no relation to BLI or PCM. This was found to be outright lies.

4. The E7 second release was among those delayed. Since the engineering, molds, etc., is already done, there is no investment needed other than the production cost per unit.

All they know how to do is point fingers and try to deflect blame.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Jerry, they're a bunch of jokers, there's no way around it.

[DKS]

A few hours after locking that thread about production delays, the thread has been deleted altogether. Then a message appeared on the thread about their steam loco offerings, admitting that they have not even started on the tooling for their M1.

[3rdrail]

Well, I just told them to remove my username and that it'll be a cold day in Hell before I buy any of their products. I don't take kindly to having moderate posts deleted.  > >

[Bob Bufkin]

I just politely showed my disappointment on their forum.  Would you believe they deleted the word "damn" when I used it.  I'm still keeping my order for the M-1 and hoping that some day they'll show us.

[Mark5]

I dropped off the PCM mailing list a while back. I sent them an email basically stating that I was sick of getting email after email about all the HO crap they were doing - while N scale languished in forgotten never never land ....

I'll still buy the H2 hoppers ... if they ever come out.