BLI Watch

[Jbub]

 I don't know, they don't look too bad to me. For some reason the grabs on the es44's looked like a 6 inch pipe to me but these look big, but not that big. I would probably get a set of these, 2 A's and 3 B's, if it wasn't for the decoders. I wish they came dcc sound ready so I could put the decoder of my choice in them. And that goes for all manufacturers, even the ones that put my choice in at the factory. I get that some don't like esu and want Tsunami or Zimo or Digitrax. Maybe even include a weight to put in the speaker hole for dc guys.

[thomasjmdavis]

They can add all those hand applied details, but can't buff out the parting line before painting?

No kidding.  Looking a couple scale feet in front of the windshield, the contour where the top curves down into the side looks like Bachmann Plus tooling.  On my old IM and Kato ATSF F3s, that contour looks closer to prototype, and the parting lines are much less pronounced.  And checking the ladder-grabs around the nose against photos I could find, in addition to being oversized, there should be one more vertically and the "drop" of the drop grabs is shallower.  http://www.railpictures.net/images/d1/7/3/1/9731.1178085600.jpg

[ljudice]

I'm in for one Linde cryo tank car.

[GaryHinshaw]

As long as we're lobbing grenades: the cryo tanks are interesting to me, but couldn't they at least pick a contrasting background colour for their model photos?   

[wazzou]

As long as we're lobbing grenades: the cryo tanks are interesting to me, but couldn't they at least pick a contrasting background colour for their model photos?   

It's like they took a picture at the moment another picture was being taken... but right when the flash fired.

[C855B]

What is the heritage on those cryo cars? The best I can determine is they've been around for quite a while, there are around 70 of this particular basic design, and every one has different arrangements of the support equipment.

This photo is allegedly from 1966: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1186339

I don't doubt the date given the other cars in the pic. Not only that... check out the solid axle bearings! If this is true, then I'd be good for at least a couple. That is, if BLI doesn't try to put sound in them.

[wcfn100]

That is, if BLI doesn't try to put sound in them.

I'll get one if it's also a decanter.

Jason

[wcfn100]

What is the heritage on those cryo cars? The best I can determine is they've been around for quite a while, there are around 70 of this particular basic design, and every one has different arrangements of the support equipment.

UTLX 80010-80039 were built in '63.
UTLX 80040-80054 '64

By '66 the series was 80010-80099 with a total of 61 cars.

Jason

[C855B]

Thanks. Good to know these "modern" cars aren't really all that modern. Pictures on rrpicturearchives.net imply that around 80075 and above appear to be a different design, or what I'm seeing are recent pictures of a newer design reusing old numbers.

These limited-use special-equipment cars might be recertified once or twice, otherwise they would have aged-out of interchange several years ago. Maybe they did?

[squirrelhunter]

C855B, the IM SD40-2's have come in both early and late phases so far, although I don't know if they have done both in UP.
I do want to note I'm not sure IM did all the spotting features of each phase, but they for sure did both the early and late radiator grills and I THINK they did both the 81" and 88" short hoods, although I haven't measured them.

[Mark5]

And everyone will now jump on the SD40-2 bandwagon?   

It's about time! Competition in this case is good. We've had to live with a crappy SD40-2 selection for decades so bring it on!

[C855B]

C855B, the IM SD40-2's have come in both early and late phases so far, although I don't know if they have done both in UP.
I do want to note I'm not sure IM did all the spotting features of each phase, but they for sure did both the early and late radiator grills and I THINK they did both the 81" and 88" short hoods, although I haven't measured them.

Mmmmmm... I make it a point of checking every announcement and I just re-checked IM's SD40-2 page, and I haven't seen details yet that correspond to the earliest UP orders, such as the 3100s and 8000s in short nose and snoots. It's things that stand out such as handbrake type, radiator grilles and other vents, IIRC. The earliest being offered corresponds to details from UP's 1977 order.

EDIT: A little more info, and minor correction. UP 3123-3242 had the 81" nose, and I'm fairly sure the IM short noses in UP paint have been 88". The IM snoots have been with wheel-style handbrakes, which came with the 1975 order, they were lever-type before that. Since IM is paying attention to variations and what each road actually had, I certainly understand why they haven't released any corresponding to the earlier UP orders. Doubtless that they will eventually.

BLI's won't be right for early UP, either. Looks like they're just doing the 88" nose with early grid-screen radiator grille.

[ljudice]

As long as we're lobbing grenades: the cryo tanks are interesting to me, but couldn't they at least pick a contrasting background colour for their model photos?   

how do you mess up a shot of a stationary object under studio lights?

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I was just reading the April 2017 issue of Model Railroad News and they had a feature on all the awful SD40-2s made in N scale before the IM version.

Another good SD40-2 is always a good thing. Like GP9 and F7s, these can be turned out monthly for years by multiple manufacturers.

BLI did a Conrail version in HO that was not correct at all - incorrect pilot color. Early phase I where Conrail's were a late phase II. I'm hoping their art department is doing better.

F7s don't look to bad. These photos are about 5 times the size of the model on my monitor. The nose grabs could be a bit smaller.

As for the Kato vs BLI ES44, I think the difference you see is in the lighting. Door thickness, and radiators look to be about the same. I can't tell from the lighting if the details on the BLI model might be just a little more soft than the Kato.

[learmoia]

They have one listed. For the low low price of $299.99!! http://www.broadway-limited.com/paragon3prrgg1-2.aspx

I think that is $50 less than Bachmann's..