BLI Watch

[reinhardtjh]

Sometime this past summer, one of the Railwire regulars talked to the BLI people at a show and was told that another N Scale steam project was going to be announced later in the summer.  The new BLI catalog came out, other shows passed and no announcement.  I supposed it was because of the delays in the M1a/b - not wanting to announce something while everyone was still waiting for the last item.  But once in a while, I wonder, if it was to be a PRR K4s and they got word that Bachmann had one ready for release so they cancelled the announcement.  After the M1a/b, the K4s would have been a natural for BLI since they also had already done a very well received version in HO and I'm sure they knew about people (SPFs especially) clambering for one.  We'll probably never know for sure.  But just a thought.

[YouraverageSPF]

Sometime this past summer, one of the Railwire regulars talked to the BLI people at a show and was told that another N Scale steam project was going to be announced later in the summer.  The new BLI catalog came out, other shows passed and no announcement.

Funny you mention that. I remember back at World's Greatest Hobby 2014 in Philadelphia, I brought up the idea of bringing their PRR T1s into N scale. Ken responded with "we're working on it." I'm not saying that the PRR T1 is the mystery locomotive, but it would make sense for it to be made into N scale.

[eric220]

I talked to Ken in Sacramento last summer. His comment to me was that they see N Scale as their next big growth market, and it's not a coincidence that their name is Broadway Limited. I forget how specific he got, but there was a heavy implication that they have more N Scale PRR steam in the works. After the M1 fiasco, I'm sure they'll be a little more cautious about announcing the next one.

[djconway]

What's the beef? Just put who will inherit the loco from your estate if you're gone when it arrives. That's what wills are for.

This is my beef -

By announcing that the M1 were coming soon (2003?) they effectively told all of the other manufacturers "this one is ours" and since the model railroad industry is so small, other manufactures have kept their hands off and stopped any further development (if any) on a M1 project.  Now 12 years later still no M1.

I understand that the N-Scale market is too small to have the same locos produced by different manufacturers (the pie is only so big) will hurt profits or even existence for a company.
But maybe - If more than one manufacturer made the same loco they could grow the market, with locos that could be in stock and avoid the feeding frenzy every time something is announced.
Just my $0.02 -

[towl1996]

But maybe - If more than one manufacturer made the same loco they could grow the market, with locos that could be in stock and avoid the feeding frenzy every time something is announced.
Just my $0.02 -

In todays economy, manufactures don't inventory sitting on the shelf. This is what lead to todays pre reservation model. Which as a consumer, I not a fan of, but understand.

[bbussey]

Agreed.  It's simply not sustainable for multiple manufacturers to release models of the same prototype, and it would mean far fewer new models in the long run.  Everyone gets ecstatic when new models are introduced, particularly of esoteric prototypes.  How many mass-market RTR Pennsy-specific N scale models exist today?  None of that would happen if the industry practice returned to what it was in the pre-Atlas RS3 era.  You grow the market by introducing more variety, not by increasing quantities of an existing model pool.

And again, BLI's intent most certainly was to release an M1 years ago.  And again, it's better to have the model late and correct and functional than to push an inferior model to market just to meet a previously-stated release date.  That simply would be foolish, and self-destructive.

It's not as if this is the only N scale locomotive available, and no one can operate their layouts until it hits the market.  There are multiple options available today to hold Pennsy modelers over until the M1 finally arrives.  Or, kitbash your own.

[Dave V]

It's not as if this is the only N scale locomotive available, and no one can operate their layouts until it hits the market.  There are multiple options available today to hold Pennsy modelers over until the M1 finally arrives.  Or, kitbash your own.

True 'nuff...and I did kitbash one (that needs a new decoder, and frankly I don't want to mess with it if BLI is going to come through), but for modelers of Pennsy's Middle Division in the 50s, it was arguably much more iconic than even the exalted K4.

[bbussey]

Understood.  But there are thousands and thousands and thousands more non-Pennsy modelers who never will see the number of home-road esoteric N scale models that Pennsy modelers have.  For a road that's been dead for nearly half a century, there arguably are more road-specific models released for Pennsy than any other road.  Incredibly, almost every current N scale manufacturer of RTR equipment has released at least one esoteric Pennsy prototype.  It's long past time to just humbly say "thank you" when any Pennsy-specific models arrive on the market, instead of throwing tantrums when product gets delayed ... no matter how long the delay is.

[Dave V]

Bryan, I don't really want to go down this road...  I don't think we're throwing tantrums.  We're just upset that this one model has been all but held hostage for well more than a decade, and that every additional delay makes it seem all the more fleeting.  We absolutely have that right, as would you if a key model you need badly had been strung along for just as long.  That Pennsy is well-represented already has little to do with the comedy of errors that has been this one, single, solitary product's life.

At this point I half expect the container to wash off the ship!

[peteski]

I understand that the N-Scale market is too small to have the same locos produced by different manufacturers (the pie is only so big) will hurt profits or even existence for a company.

Really?  I've seen several examples of multiple manufacturers making the same N scale model. Latest just happened:  Kato and Bachmann GG1.

Then there are the F-units and some of the new modern diesels (don't recall the specific model as I'm not into those).

[Dave V]

I've seen several examples of multiple manufacturers making the same N scale model. Latest just happened:  Kato and Bachmann GG1.

This...  I would really love to know what Bachmann was thinking with their GG1.  It does have sound, so there's that.  But even an after-market sound decoder plus a Kato G doesn't come close to what Bachmann's asking.

In the meantime...

Glad to hear that BLI wants to follow up on the M1.  In the spirit of @bbussey's post it might be nice to see them do the NYC J3a next even if my Pennsy wishlist is still half a mile long!

[nstars]

I'm with Bryan. For me it's not a problem if it takes a little bit longer, as long as the M1 is good. They have shown pre production versions and it will come some day.

Marc

[Dave V]

No, I agree with that...  And the passage of time has allowed for better decoder technology to boot.

I guess my other heartache with those whole process (other than a childlike impatience) is the fact that I'd love to know when I can expect to be smacked with the bill for two of them.  I canceled another major pre-order when previously the M1 had been declared imminent, a decision I obviously regret.

[Mark5]

Although this (M-1) was announced in 2005 (!) and has been a long term tease, it does appear to be around the corner.

I am hopping that the M1 is very good, and then they can start releasing some of the iconic steam that they've been releasing in HO scale for over a decade.

Mark

[bbussey]

Bachmann doesn't follow the normal pattern regarding choice of models to produce. More often than not, the manufacturers don't overlap models within the same general time period. Releasing an updated model of a prototype when the original model was first released years prior shouldn't be included in the equation.