Broadway Limited T1

[chicken45]

Glad they made it to market!  They look and sound great!  Were I still "N scale Pennsy on a door" guy I'd be running mine right now at the head end of a Blue Ribbon train.

You'll always be N scale Pennsy on a door to me. and the rest of the internet that can never, ever, let anything go.

lol

[mike_lawyer]

Glad to see them in action.  I am a Pennsy guy, just getting back into N scale, and this is really cool.

Now to build some more I-1s from Kato Mikados!

[ChristianJDavis1]

How does the detail stand up to the two brass versions released previously? I own a Key, worked on another, and have seen the NJI's in person, and one glaring thing (to me) is the size of the rivets. Are they noticeably large in person like they seem to be in all of the promotional material and user images/videos? Just seems like every room they run in is either really cold or they have a case of the chicken-pox. Glad we have more PRR steam in N scale, though (means I can hopefully get the brass alternatives a little more readily; not a fan of BLI).

[dougnelson]

How does the detail stand up to the two brass versions released previously? I own a Key, worked on another, and have seen the NJI's in person, and one glaring thing (to me) is the size of the rivets. Are they noticeably large in person like they seem to be in all of the promotional material and user images/videos? Just seems like every room they run in is either really cold or they have a case of the chicken-pox. Glad we have more PRR steam in N scale, though (means I can hopefully get the brass alternatives a little more readily; not a fan of BLI).

Detail is very comparable to the Key brass version.  Although the Key runs relatively well, it cannot compare to the BLI model for running qualities.  Of course, the BLI version is also capable of negotiating curves (thanks to the bling center drivers).

[dougnelson]

Is that a brass PB70 in the video?

No, there are no brass PB70s, or P70s for that matter.  The car is a surgically altered Lima PBM70.  Thanks for noticing. The PB70 is really a car that every Pennsy modeler needs.  MicroTrains or Bachmann - how about it?

[CodyO]

No, there are no brass PB70s, or P70s for that matter.  The car is a surgically altered Lima PBM70.  Thanks for noticing. The PB70 is really a car that every Pennsy modeler needs.  MicroTrains or Bachmann - how about it?

It is true I need PB70's more than anything else. Only need 1 P70

[OldEastRR]

No, there are no brass PB70s, or P70s for that matter.  The car is a surgically altered Lima PBM70.  Thanks for noticing. The PB70 is really a car that every Pennsy modeler needs.  MicroTrains or Bachmann - how about it?

I asked because I convert those Lima cars to correct PB70s. I was wondering where you got the roof vents. I also like the window shades. I sold one of mine a while back, thought maybe it had made a movie debut there.

[spookshow]

Still working up my performance review, but technical info is now available if you're interested - http://www.spookshow.net/loco/blit1.html

-Mark

[Lemosteam]

I asked because I convert those Lima cars to correct PB70s. I was wondering where you got the roof vents. I also like the window shades. I sold one of mine a while back, thought maybe it had made a movie debut there.

@OldEastRR , FYI, I offer every style of PRR vent for every roof type for quite some time now and were specifically designed to fit the Lima P70 roof.
 Can you share pictures of your PB70?

http://www.keystonedetails.com/products/n-scale-details/2016/9/16/n-scale-lima-models-prr-p70-upgrade-arch-replacement-roof-7rjp7-ze6ce-4p7md-ybbba-mw5yz-hs697-a6a8g-c46wd-rrtmz



http://www.keystonedetails.com/products/n-scale-details/2016/9/16/n-scale-lima-models-prr-p70-upgrade-arch-replacement-roof-7rjp7-ze6ce-4p7md-ybbba-mw5yz-hs697-a6a8g-c46wd



http://www.keystonedetails.com/products/n-scale-details/2016/9/16/n-scale-lima-models-prr-p70-upgrade-arch-replacement-roof-7rjp7-ze6ce-4p7md-ybbba-mw5yz-hs697-a6a8g



http://www.keystonedetails.com/products/n-scale-details/2016/9/16/n-scale-lima-models-prr-p70-upgrade-arch-replacement-roof-7rjp7-ze6ce-4p7md-ybbba-mw5yz-hs697



http://www.keystonedetails.com/products/n-scale-details/2016/9/16/n-scale-lima-models-prr-p70-upgrade-arch-replacement-roof-7rjp7-ze6ce-4p7md-ybbba-mw5yz



http://www.keystonedetails.com/products/n-scale-details/2016/9/16/n-scale-lima-models-prr-p70-upgrade-arch-replacement-roof-7rjp7-ze6ce-4p7md-ybbba



http://www.keystonedetails.com/products/n-scale-details/2016/9/16/n-scale-lima-models-prr-p70-upgrade-arch-replacement-roof-7rjp7-ze6ce-4p7md

[carlso]

Mark,

that is the most thorough and understandable write up that I have seen. Thank you for sharing the excellent work.

A couple of observation on my part based from your images and comments. 1). i am not especially happy about plastics gears but I suppose that depends on the plastic used.  2). I can't help but notice, in the picture with the bottom driver plate removed from the one engine, that the bearings look to be quite nice and think that KATO needs to take a lesson on how to do bearing blocks. I can't help but think of my 2 GS4's that had travelling bearing blocks because the chassis was cast so poorly.

Just my 2 cents worth about your posting and thanks again,

Carl

[dougnelson]

For those interested, here are some comparison photos between the Key brass T1 and the new BLI T1.  I would say that BLI did very well especially considering it comes at a fraction of the price of the brass.

[jdcolombo]

Well, I'm not a Pennsy modeler, but I'd opine that the BLI model is in some ways BETTER looking than the Key Brass.

When injection molding and delrin details get this good, it's no wonder the brass market is dead (though I will admit that my Key brass Berkshire is far more detailed than either my LifeLike or Bachmann units; but the Walthers/LL ones kill it in terms of smooth running).

John C.

[carlso]

Doug,

Nice post, thanks for sharing the pictures.

Carl

[ChristianJDavis1]

Well, I'm not a Pennsy modeler, but I'd opine that the BLI model is in some ways BETTER looking than the Key Brass.

When injection molding and delrin details get this good, it's no wonder the brass market is dead (though I will admit that my Key brass Berkshire is far more detailed than either my LifeLike or Bachmann units; but the Walthers/LL ones kill it in terms of smooth running).

John C.

My main problem with BLI isn't their detailing, usually (excluding the F-units with the backwards grilles). I will admit the T1 looks very good, and I own a centipede pair by them and I do enjoy them. My main problem with BLI is their general attitude towards N scale and the fact that almost every BLI model I have seen has some weird flaw with it that makes me not want to pay the ridiculous prices they sometimes ask. From talking with them at more than one show, they seem not to know their own market and insist that they know better than their potential customers, constantly touting that they make the "premier" N scale equipment when in reality they are leagues behind the competition in several regards. Somewhat of a rant, and for that I apologize, I just don't want to support a manufacturer I don't feel knows what they are doing.

Now that being said, the reviews of this model in particular seem promising, but not owning one I can't comment (I would like to test one, but I'm not giving BLI money right now). Not being a fan of sound at all, I immediately find fault with it because I don't want to pay for a feature I dislike, but that's me (and they don't offer a DC version). Aside from that, it looks great. The rivet's don't look nearly as bad in Doug's photos as they did in some other shots. I guess it might depend on the lighting. A lot of the details actually do look a little better than the Key (or at least crisper/more defined). Wish there were similar photos of the NJI version as well to give another comparison (but I assume the BLI will still win out). Overall I'm glad they produced this model, and I wish them success so that they continue to produce more models like this (and less like the F-units and the stock cars), but really only so I can get the brass pieces at better prices.

[CodyO]

My main problem with BLI isn't their detailing, usually (excluding the F-units with the backwards grilles). I will admit the T1 looks very good, and I own a centipede pair by them and I do enjoy them. My main problem with BLI is their general attitude towards N scale and the fact that almost every BLI model I have seen has some weird flaw with it that makes me not want to pay the ridiculous prices they sometimes ask. From talking with them at more than one show, they seem not to know their own market and insist that they know better than their potential customers, constantly touting that they make the "premier" N scale equipment when in reality they are leagues behind the competition in several regards. Somewhat of a rant, and for that I apologize, I just don't want to support a manufacturer I don't feel knows what they are doing.

Now that being said, the reviews of this model in particular seem promising, but not owning one I can't comment (I would like to test one, but I'm not giving BLI money right now). Not being a fan of sound at all, I immediately find fault with it because I don't want to pay for a feature I dislike, but that's me (and they don't offer a DC version). Aside from that, it looks great. The rivet's don't look nearly as bad in Doug's photos as they did in some other shots. I guess it might depend on the lighting. A lot of the details actually do look a little better than the Key (or at least crisper/more defined). Wish there were similar photos of the NJI version as well to give another comparison (but I assume the BLI will still win out). Overall I'm glad they produced this model, and I wish them success so that they continue to produce more models like this (and less like the F-units and the stock cars), but really only so I can get the brass pieces at better prices.

In the end BLI will get my money every time. No one else is making a M1 or T1 and I assume BLI will keep making more Pennsy steam.

The F units did have some issues but the shell detail can`t be beat by any other manufacturers RTR F Units. If they do a second run of F units with additional weight that should fix the pulling power issues.


@dougnelson thanks for the comparison shots, looks like BLI got all of those nice fine details down, can`t wait to have my in hand.