BLI Watch

[reinhardtjh]

The HO people I've talked with seem to like their steam engines.  However, there were some early teething problems - the old cracked gear syndrome on the first run I1sa, I think.  Maybe some others.  But BLI offered replacement gears for all that asked for them.

Also, good HO engines does not necessarily translate to good N scale.  Hopefully their designers were on their A game for the N scale M1a/b.

[eric220]

The videos that they've posted look promising, and I think they're aware that they NEED to knock this one out of the park. Given how long it's taken, and the repeated delays that they explained away as "wanting to produce a model that owners would be proud to run," anything short of a home run will cause a major backlash.

[OldEastRR]

The videos that they've posted look promising, and I think they're aware that they NEED to knock this one out of the park. Given how long it's taken, and the repeated delays that they explained away as "wanting to produce a model that owners would be proud to run," anything short of a home run will cause a major backlash.

Well, on Railwire, anyway. Hopefully before anybody gets their M1a the mods add those new imojis of the head-banging on a wall and one of a mad face getting red, swelling, then exploding. Might need 'em.

[eric220]

Well, on Railwire, anyway. Hopefully before anybody gets their M1a the mods add those new imojis of the head-banging on a wall and one of a mad face getting red, swelling, then exploding. Might need 'em.

Given how long we've been waiting, the premium pricing, and the "we want to make it perfect" excuses we've been getting over the last year, if there are any issues, I think there would be a lot of upset modelers if it falls short. I don't think the backlash would be confined to RailWire.

To be clear, I'm taking a roundabout route to say that I have high confidence that this is going to be a superb model. I neither anticipate nor desire any backlash around this product.

[reinhardtjh]

BLW is posting that they expect their stock to arrive 4/27.  Given their usual method of operation, Pete will send out all the pre-orders first, before actually updating the web site so it may be a few days (or more depending on how many pre-orders there are).  So maybe we will have our first reports by next Monday, the 2nd of May.  Maybe sooner if MBK gets theirs at the same time.

Walthers also lists them as being in stock or in transit or temporarily out.
http://www.walthers.com/exec/search?category=Locomotive&subc=STEAM&scale=N&manu=187

As for myself, I'll be waiting for the email from my local pusher @SkipGear for the notice that mine are ready to pickup. 

[Joetrain59]

I have one on pre-order from BLW!
 Joe D

[basementcalling]

BLW is posting that they expect their stock to arrive 4/27.  Given their usual method of operation, Pete will send out all the pre-orders first, before actually updating the web site so it may be a few days (or more depending on how many pre-orders there are).  So maybe we will have our first reports by next Monday, the 2nd of May.  Maybe sooner if MBK gets theirs at the same time.

Walthers also lists them as being in stock or in transit or temporarily out.
http://www.walthers.com/exec/search?category=Locomotive&subc=STEAM&scale=N&manu=187

As for myself, I'll be waiting for the email from my local pusher @SkipGear for the notice that mine are ready to pickup. 

Saw that last night and thought lots of SPF might be happy.

http://www.buynscale.com/pcm-prr-m1.htm

[SkipGear]

BLW is posting that they expect their stock to arrive 4/27.  Given their usual method of operation, Pete will send out all the pre-orders first, before actually updating the web site so it may be a few days (or more depending on how many pre-orders there are).  So maybe we will have our first reports by next Monday, the 2nd of May.  Maybe sooner if MBK gets theirs at the same time.

Walthers also lists them as being in stock or in transit or temporarily out.
http://www.walthers.com/exec/search?category=Locomotive&subc=STEAM&scale=N&manu=187

As for myself, I'll be waiting for the email from my local pusher @SkipGear for the notice that mine are ready to pickup. 

I'm checking the backorder list a couple times a day to see when they are actually on their way to us although I have had items show up before the backorder was actually updated.

[Bob Bufkin]

BLI just emailed me that mine has been shipped.

[eric220]

Got my shipment notification from BLW! I thought I felt a sharp pain in my wallet...

[Dave V]

Um...  I didn't get my notification from BLW...   

[Lemosteam]

Just got min @Powdered Toast Man , don't worry yours are coming!
 Muwahahahahah!

I declare an SPF year, much to the chagrin of non-SPF's! 

[eric220]

I declare an SPF year, much to the chagrin of non-SPF's! 

Hey, you're to blame for that as much as anyone! 

[Dave V]

OK, got mine!  But...have to update the credit card.  Which is odd because I did call them earlier this year to update to the right one.  Oh well.

[Dave V]

To be honest, I never thought this day would come.  Years ago I wrote this off as permanent vaporware.  And that hurt, because for the section of the Pennsy I model in the era I model the M1 is everything.  Nothing--and I mean nothing--comes close to representing the spirit of the PRR's Middle Division in the 1950s in the way the M1 does.  Even as late as 1956, nearly half of all the trains on the Middle Division were pulled by M1s.  The vast majority of the 301 M1 variants built and bought by Pennsy were still in service in steam's last year of 1957, and while they served all over the system, they were synonymous with the Middle Division.  They were the Middle Division.  Without the M1, my 1950s Middle Division is at best a distant cousin in a parallel universe.

Hence the magnitude of my anticipation, disappointment, frustration, surprise, and elation over these last 12 years.

I've little doubt that these will be amazing little machines.  I feel confident that when my coal drags and fast freights are rolling behind M1s as nature intended I will look back and say yeah, it was worth the wait!