Thanks Tom!
As luck would have it, I ordered the #1287 with Scullin Disk, NOT what I wanted, I'll have to contact Tony's and see if I can change it to the #1288!
I'll take a peek at BLI's website... hopefully more info will be forthcoming.
I also ordered a Streamlined Hudson, again very little info available but I don't want to be left behind!
gmpullman wrote: Thanks Tom!As luck would have it, I ordered the #1287 with Scullin Disk, NOT what I wanted, I'll have to contact Tony's and see if I can change it to the #1288!I'll take a peek at BLI's website... hopefully more info will be forthcoming.I also ordered a Streamlined Hudson, again very little info available but I don't want to be left behind!
Ed,
Yea, my original order also had the Scullin drivers. Once I compared the two, I switched my order to the Boxpok drivers. The Scullins would probably look better (or at least more appropriate) on a more streamlined locomotive like the Hudson.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Safety Valve wrote:What is the diff between the pump shields?
Saftey Valve,
From my understanding, here's pictures of the different pump shields:
"Louvered" (See shroud just below the headlight and smoke box)
"Screen" (See "bulls-eye" target in similar shroud)
The following pictures show three of the numbers BLI has listed. BLI is doing the version with the large shield and smoke lifters which is post 1946.
L4a with boxpok type
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nyc/nyc-s3101s.jpg
L4a with Scullen Drivers
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nyc/nyc-s3124s.jpg
L4b with Scullen Drivers
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nyc/nyc-s3149s.jpg
L4a shows original pump shields without smoke lifters
BLI is not doing this version if all have smoke lifters post 1946 era
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nyc/nyc-s3109ahv.jpg
CAZEPHYR,
If you read the response above that I received from BLI, they are "planning" to make a few Mohawks with either the smoke shields removable or leaving them off altogether. The latter is what I'm hoping for.
tstage wrote: CAZEPHYR,If you read the response above that I received from BLI, they are planning to make a few thier Mohawks with with either the smoke shields removable or leaving them off altogether. The latter is what I'm hoping for.Tom
If you read the response above that I received from BLI, they are planning to make a few thier Mohawks with with either the smoke shields removable or leaving them off altogether. The latter is what I'm hoping for.
That is interesting. If the smoke lifters are removable, the pump shields would probably still be the large type only as modlified. It would not be easy to change the shields back to the orginal type without offering a completes set of pumps that could be interchanged.
Thanks for the update.
CAZEPHYR
I decided on the #3101 with the Boxpok drivers and louvered pump shield. I'm hoping that they will choose that one to leave the smoke shields or lifters off of.
Broadway Limited really should offer a version without smoke shields. (Lifters?) in order to be complete in thier run. That way it will compete against other manufactors and thier mountains.
These NYC Tenders. Massive coal and light on water.. these are track pan engines arent they?
Safety Valve wrote:These NYC Tenders. Massive coal and light on water.. these are track pan engines arent they?
Yep. The ratio of water-to-coal storage capacity in the larger Mohawks (i.e. L-2s, L-3s, and L-4s) was pretty small, in comparison with the entire length of the tender. I just got my "Steam Engines of the New York Central" in the mail yesterday that pretty much verifies this. Since so much of the New York Central was water-level or flat, track pans could be used over the 960 miles between NYC and Chicago to replenish dwindling supplies.
I also found out last night that a 4-8-4 Niagara could burn up to 1-ton of coal in a 15-mile stretch.
tstage wrote: Safety Valve wrote: These NYC Tenders. Massive coal and light on water.. these are track pan engines arent they?Yep. The ratio of water-to-coal storage capacity in the larger Mohawks (i.e. L-2s, L-3s, and L-4s) was pretty small, in comparison with the entire length of the tender. I just got my "Steam Engines of the New York Central" in the mail yesterday that pretty much verifies this. Since so much of the New York Central was water-level or flat, track pans could be used over the 960 miles between NYC and Chicago to replenish dwindling supplies.I also found out last night that a 4-8-4 Niagara could burn up to 1-ton of coal in a 15-mile stretch. Tom
Safety Valve wrote: These NYC Tenders. Massive coal and light on water.. these are track pan engines arent they?
The Niagara only required one re coaling stop on the run from Chicago to Harmon NY, but used track pans for water many times. I read the 4449 uses 150 gal of water per mile with a train. If that general number is used for as an example, then the Niagara would need to water at track pans nine or ten times on the trip from Chicago to Harmon. It would seem that they would pick up water fairly often since the NYC had numerous track pans and the Niagara's were equipped with venting to allow water to be scooped at up to 80 mph. How often this was done at higher speeds rather than the normal limits of 40 mph is not known.
If you look close at the large tenders, you will see the overflow pipes along the cast tender bed above the centipede trucks on the tender. The picweb site below shows one scooping water at medium speed with the water tank to the right.
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nyc/nyc-s6xxxalr.jpg
You can spot the five overflow presure relieving vents pointing downward to the rear on the tender picture. These were opened during the scooping water to relieve the presure at high speeds in the water compartment of the tender.
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nyc/nyc-s6016o.jpg
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nyc/nyc-s6025o.jpg
That is what messing me up, the NYC is a water road while the B&O crosses mountains. You would think that even the NYC will have some ruling grades that requires these engines to water and coal up before taking a train across. It's probably beyond the scope of this post to go that way.
Im having a hard time understanding how fast a NYC can get a train from Chicago to NYC by way of Buffalo, it is my experience that Buffalo to NYC via Albany is a LONG way. So is Pittsburgh-Harrisburg-NYC.
The B&O and the Pennsy are serious when they get out the big tenders to oil/coal and water for a long trip with a heavy ton train. When desiels showed up all of that steam was rendered irrevelant.
So, water pan engine versus a tender engine, who won? A question for another thread.
Anyway I think these discussions on new releases before they actually come out has been very helpful, it has been educational.
Safety Valve wrote: That is what messing me up, the NYC is a water road while the B&O crosses mountains. You would think that even the NYC will have some ruling grades that requires these engines to water and coal up before taking a train across. It's probably beyond the scope of this post to go that way.Im having a hard time understanding how fast a NYC can get a train from Chicago to NYC by way of Buffalo, it is my experience that Buffalo to NYC via Albany is a LONG way. So is Pittsburgh-Harrisburg-NYC.The B&O and the Pennsy are serious when they get out the big tenders to oil/coal and water for a long trip with a heavy ton train. When desiels showed up all of that steam was rendered irrevelant.So, water pan engine versus a tender engine, who won? A question for another thread.Anyway I think these discussions on new releases before they actually come out has been very helpful, it has been educational.
The NYC did not have any major grades, but the distance was a little farther. PRR (908 miles) NYC (961 miles), about 53 miles more than the PRR. In actual running time, that is can be made up very easy if the train speed is near 100mph for mile after mile. The PRR and B&O did cross major grades and operated somewhat different in steam days than railroads do today. The PRR also used track pans like the NYC on the main line from Chicago to New York runs. Most of the secondary lines did not have track pans.
The running schedule for the 20th Century and the Broadway Limited was about the same since the NYC could run faster the whole trip, compared to the PRR which ran much slower in the grades in Pennsylvania.
This is the reason the NYC used the Mohawks instead of larger engines for their major freight engine. They were called the Water Level Route.
I just got an e-mail from a dealer saying that the orders for the Mohawks are due this Friday.
Chris
Chris,
Yea. On the Tony's Train Exchange web site they mention that, once a release is announced, you basically only have a 3-4 week window to place the order. Makes it kinda rough if you aren't up on the announcements. Hopefully, the production model will be top notch and there will be a strong enough interest in the Mohawk that BLI will think about a 2nd release next year.
tstage wrote:Chris,Yea. On the Tony's Train Exchange web site they mention that, once a release is announced, you basically only have a 3-4 week window to place the order. Makes it kinda rough if you aren't up on the announcements. Hopefully, the production model will be top notch and there will be a strong enough interest in the Mohawk that BLI will think about a 2nd release next year.Tom
I also hope that they will release a 2nd run in the future - I have ordered me 2 of the announced Mohawks and hope they will actually arrive late 2007.
Decided to bump this old thread up to the top again.
I had a thought tonight looking at the revamped BLI/PCM web site. I went to read about the L-4 Mohawks that BLI plans on releasing. Originally they listed the release date as "Win '07". Now it looks like it's been changed to "TBA" and that they are still accepting orders. (I hope that the project doesn't get pushed to the back burner.)
Anyway, as I was re-reading the description of features that had listed for the Mohawks, my eye caught one feature in particular:
Powerful High Fidelity DC/DCC Sound equipped with authentic NYC Mohawk sounds
With the recent release of BLI's new Blueline series, do you think that BLI will be weaning themselves from the QSI decoder in favor of their new DC sound system arrangement that they will be installing in their Blueline locomotives? Tony's Train Exchange web site lists the Mohawks coming with the QSI chip. Just curious.
Maybe I'll ask Tony directly...
I think that they decided to allow us, the purchaser to modify the sounds as we see fit and not be tied into paying money to QSI.
I am getting ready to "Up-chip" the BLI's that I do have from QSI and it's going to be interesting to see how this all plays out.
Dont look now but FDT is selling the Blueline SD40 for less than what BLI or Walthers is charging. There is alot of constant Flux of information regarding many products in the BLI Line not just the Mohawk. Earlier this year I felt poorly thinking that nothing good will ever be released but with the recent activity and some updates I feel more positive about the upcoming products.
I just sent the following message to Tony @ TTE this evening:
UPDATE: Got the following reply from Tony this afternoon:
MRC does not equipt PCM engines. I think you meant LokSound Decoders.
If that is going to be a trend, we are going to rough it as Digitrax, MRC and others fight for a slice of the decoder market. QSI and LokSound may see an oppertunity to sell installation services for a price to those who wish to have these decoders.
If that does not happen, then I would think Decoder installation will become a required skill in the hobby if one wishes to enjoy the technology.
Eventually the future must have Decoder locomotives equipted out of the factory as DC is left behind. Sorta like VCR's did with the CD's and eventually DVD's
One other problem I noticed. All of my engines generally follow the same CV's however... different manufactors like QSI, Lok and MRC seem determined to make different CV assignments for different functions and associated trees such as individual sound selections and volumes.
They really need to make one CV standard for everybody. It's only software and should be done so that everyone can understand this CV from that CV.
Safety Valve wrote:MRC does not equipt PCM engines. I think you meant LokSound Decoders.
Oops! You're right, Safety. It's Athearn that has MRC and PCM that has LokSound. Thanks.
Eventually the future must have Decoder locomotives equipted out of the factory as DC is left behind.
I don't think DC is going to go bye-bye anytime soon. With the advent of the BLI Blueline series concept, it may be that locomotives in the future will actually come from the factory in DC (with or without sound) and an 8-pin PNP (for the decoder of your choice), if you want to convert it to DCC. That might just please both camps (DC & DCC) and make conversion easier and more modular for the consumer.
tstage wrote: Safety Valve wrote:MRC does not equipt PCM engines. I think you meant LokSound Decoders.Oops! You're right, Safety. It's Athearn that has MRC and PCM that has LokSound. Thanks.Eventually the future must have Decoder locomotives equipted out of the factory as DC is left behind.I don't think DC is going to go bye-bye anytime soon. With the advent of the BLI Blueline series concept, it may be that locomotives in the future will actually come from the factory in DC (with or without sound) and an 8-pin PNP (for the decoder of your choice), if you want to convert it to DCC. That might just please both camps (DC & DCC) and make conversion easier and more modular for the consumer. Tom
You have a good point about DC not going away soon. The sound models from BLI started a new trend when they came out with sound and would operate in DC or DCC automatically. This new phase of Blue line DC with sound may turn out to be popular also since it is a model that is perfect for DC operators and can be upgraded with a plug and play decoder to work with DCC.
The price is lower too and the reserved advertised discount price is even lower at dealers. The web page from BLI was eliminated last weekend and now when you type in Broadway-limited.com, you get the regular PCM / BLI web page. I noticed the BLI name is being phased out slowly, but it is not used as much.
1. I contacted BLI and asked which decoder they will use in the NH I-5, UP TTT & NYC Mohawk and they answered as usual within 24 hours and it will be a QSI Decoder & Sound!
Why no one else here tried to contact BLI instead talking rumours I don't know...
2. Broadway Limited is not phased out but they simply combined both websites and both brands shows prominently on the website and BLI just announced also the Coast Daylight set. Why do you think that BLI is being phased out? BLI was more active lately than PCM.
3. FDT has a good discount on the Blue Line series but other dealers did even have better prices; we'll see how well this line of engines is received by modelers.
Daniel,
Thanks for following up on that. With the new news about the BLI Blueline DC sound system, I was merely "speculating" whether BLI would still go with the QSI decoder in the Mohawks. It was not my intention to start a rumor to say that they actually wouldn't.
It is "possible" that BLI may eventually decide to start installing their own proprietary DCC sound system to save money. That was what I was getting at and what I think Tony was saying.
Daniel1975 wrote: 1. I contacted BLI and asked which decoder they will use in the NH I-5, UP TTT & NYC Mohawk and they answered as usual within 24 hours and it will be a QSI Decoder & Sound!Why no one else here tried to contact BLI instead talking rumours I don't know... 2. Broadway Limited is not phased out but they simply combined both websites and both brands shows prominently on the website and BLI just announced also the Coast Daylight set. Why do you think that BLI is being phased out? BLI was more active lately than PCM.3. FDT has a good discount on the Blue Line series but other dealers did even have better prices; we'll see how well this line of engines is received by modelers.
WHat rumors are we addressing here. I dont see any rumors. However I am guilty of speculation and creating ideas of a possible future as I see it with BLI.
I very much doubt that my LHS's will have better pricing than FDT does right now. I will have to wait about a year or so and catch em when they are being blown out in New York City at one of the discount train houses. BLI also maintains pricing at the Outlet Direct list by telephone direct. They do well.