NEWS FLASH - NEW BROADWAY LIMITED SWITCHERS WIRED BACKWARDS

[Anonymous]

Thats right folks...after waitin over a year and a half for the new Broadway Limited SW7 / NW2 Switchers, I put em on the track, and lo and behold

A CORNFIELD MEET

2 - NP NW2'S COLLIDE HEAD ON WITH A SP E-7
and they all came from Broadway Limited.

Nice Job

I am not kidding, they are wired backwards to every other loco on my layout.

Shame on Broadway Limited. NO quality control

What a bunch of idiots

[trolleyboy]

That's awfull hopefully it's not the whole run! Seems to be fairly widespread though the one LHS in town here had two do the same thing as well he got around it by changing the directional cv's on one loco,but becasue of this he only runs the two sw's as a matched pair on the layout. I imagine that BLI will do a recall to fix the problem if it's widespread.From what i've heard their customer service guys are top notch. TB

[Anonymous]

Other people have given reviews here without mention of reverse wiring,The one reviewed by Tonys on their web site does not mention any problem with reverse wiring. As with all manf. there is no perfect models and given their history so far I will wait to see how they deal with the problem Jimmy Hicks is the guy who runs their service dept and my guess sending back the problem one will result in a new model being shipped right away. At least that has been my experience with them so far. I own 12 BLI loco's I think they are one of the best manf. out there But I don't think they are perfect. So running your new locos you did not realise they were running backwards before they had there collision,My self the first time I run a new loco I am very watchfull of every thing tracking gear noise tractive effort and our put thru a series of tests as mentioned before they become active on my roster.I think BLI will take care of whatever problems in a timely manner as compared to other manf, where the old saying hurry up and wait comes to mind more times than not. Terry

[Anonymous]

That's really not good. If you're running DCC and this happens it's easy to fix using programming - just add 1 to the value in CV29. Sounds as though BLI after-sales service is pretty good though, so if you're running conventional DC control I'd second the suggestion to call them and ask their advice - they should be willing to either repair or exchange the locos.

[TBat55]

"Made in China" sticker on the bottom. I really like mine especially the very easy magnetic volume control.

[TBat55]

Another topic in this forum mentions that BLI has had a lot of problems since switching (no pun intended) assembly from China to Korea. My "Made in China" SW7 is OK. Waht does the sticker say on the reverse-wired loco?

[Anonymous]

I have three BLI's and had trouble with one, it sound three chuffs per revolution instead of four. A call to Jimmy had the fix in my hands in less then a week. I've called about other concerns and they have been great to work with.

DON'T KNOCK THE SERVICE 'TILL YOU TRY IT.

Why are they a "bunch of idiots" just because of a mistake. No one's calling you for your "cornfield" meet.

When I get a new loco I always give it plenty of room to run and start out very slooooowley to see what it's going to do.

About the "Quality Control" - try looking at the rest of the loco

Let me get out of here before I offend someone and the Forum Police come knocking on my door.

Bob

[Don Gibson]

Running in reverse is such a SIMPLE fix.,,,

You should be careful WHO you call stupid.

[Anonymous]

Who cares? I have 2 Digitrax DH163L0s that no matter what i do with them they still run backwards. GO BY THE HEADLIGHTS NOT WHAT YOUR CONTROLLER SAYS

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mhannah2

Thats right folks...after waitin over a year and a half for the new Broadway Limited SW7 / NW2 Switchers, I put em on the track, and lo and behold

A CORNFIELD MEET

2 - NP NW2'S COLLIDE HEAD ON WITH A SP E-7
and they all came from Broadway Limited.

Nice Job

I am not kidding, they are wired backwards to every other loco on my layout.

Shame on Broadway Limited. NO quality control

What a bunch of idiots

I would be interested in knowing which direction it runs when you direct it to go forward . The small F should be on the long hood of most SW7 and SW9's and not the cab end.
Did you notice it was going the wrong direction before your corn field meet???

Just a thought.

I think BLI will fix the problem as TEFFY has stated.
The fixed my puffing problem on two of my engines.

Email them and see what they have in mind.

[rrinker]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CNWfan5525

Who cares? I have 2 Digitrax DH163L0s that no matter what i do with them they still run backwards. GO BY THE HEADLIGHTS NOT WHAT YOUR CONTROLLER SAYS

I've installed three, and do not have this problem. I DID have to set CV 29 to change normal direction of travel, because Life-Like sets up the GP-7 to run short hood forward and my railroad ran them long hood forward. I squeezed one into an S-1 switcher and it worked fine as far as direction. If they go backwards for you, you might have them plugged in backwards.

--Randy

[Anonymous]

Whoa, I say Whoa there.............
I didnt really have an actual "Cornfield Meet"....
I am a little faster on the draw than that, although, since I have a long layout, if I wasnt paying attention, I could have.

The point is this:

1. I have a Broadway E-7 that has rattled since day 1, and yes I live in Beaverton, Oregon, and I took it directly to Quantum Sound, and they replaced a speaker, and it still rattled, and when I pointed it out, they said, "Well its probably just the shell rattling, fiddle around with it a little bit, and see if it goes away", and pretty much showed me the door.
2. They announced the SW7/NW2 switchers a year and a half ago, and they have been postponing the release dates time and time again, and they wont even respond to my emails asking when is the switcher due out.
3. When they do release it - IT RUNS BACKWARDS TO EVERY OTHER LOCOMOTIVE I OWN - AND THATS OVER 150 OF THEM - ANALOG / DCC / DUAL MODE
4. Quality Assurance - WHAT QUALITY ASSURANCE - and yes mine does say made in China. Oh yes, it looks nice, it runs good ( a Kato its not) the sounds are OK, too much reverb on the horn, and one of my pair has a noisy mechanism

For $165.00 the thing should at least run the right direction.

Defend Broadway if you must. As far as I am concerned to release a locomotive wired backwards only tells me someone is asleep at the helm. Come on.....

On a scale of 1 to 10 ( with 1 being the best and 10 the worst)

I rate them
# 1 for features & looks
# 10 for quality assurance & customer satisfaction

[Don Gibson]

SIMPLE FIX - or 'follow the money'.

You don't seem to be doing either.'
You aren't QSI's customer. BLI is. You have a warrantee - from BLI. - It comes packed in the box. (Read It)
Biggest share of your money went to the dealer. ...you MIGHT Return / exchange it to HIM.

A News flash for you. ;Crying' won't help

[Anonymous]

Mr Gibson,
I have talked to both BLI and QSI before concerning my rattling E-7
Met the Vice President of BLI and President of QSI in person !!! Bill Zimot.

Talked to the dealer, who by the way treated me better than anyone else.

And for your information, I am not cryin, and I read the warranty.

I am pointing out the fact that this is shameful business practices on the part of BLI, to promise products, deliver them extremely late, and to top it off, the darn things are wired backwards.

I'll keep these 2 NP NW-2 Switchers, and I will not return them for repair, because I dont trust them to do the job correctly, since they couldnt get it right in the first place, and the fact that they never did fix my E-7 and just blew me off.

And by the way, its a free country, and if you dont want to listen to me complain , you dont have to.

I'll keep on complaining to anyone who will listen, because I surely dont promise my customers products, only to deliver them a year and a half late, and then completely backwards. If I did that I would be out of business. Lets see.... Ive been in business over 10 years now......Lets see how long BLI stays in business.....

[Don Gibson]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mhannah2

Mr Gibson,
I have talked to both BLI and QSI before concerning my rattling E-7
Met the Vice President of BLI and President of QSI in person !!! Bill Zimot.

Talked to the dealer, who by the way treated me better than anyone else.

And for your information, I am not cryin, and I read the warranty.

One thing you will learn is (1).. MAN is not perfect ;
therefor (2) Things MADE by man are likwise not perfect.

With the possible exception of yourself: what have you done to correct anything? Perhaps that is not your actual goal?. Only 2 wires go to the motor.

Responsible sellers will correct their mistakes.

[Anonymous]

Mr Gibson,
I have contacted BLI, and they emailed me back with some pictures and instructions on how I can re-wire it myself, or they also offered to take them back and re-wire them for me. By the way, you are incorrect, this re-wire job entails reversing 4 wires, not 2.

Thank you for your observations.

Since you seem like such a kind, understanding person, I hope you decide to order something from my company. Lets see how your attitude changes when your order is delivered a year and a half late, and its wired backwards.

This conversation is at an end.

[Don Gibson]

I

QUOTE: I have contacted BLI, and they emailed me back with some pictures and instructions on how I can re-wire it myself, or they also offered to take them back and re-wire them for me. By the way, you are incorrect, this re-wire job entails reversing 4 wires, not 2.

I DID have a brass locomotive once wired in reverse AS WELL AS a new chassis drive from the manufacturer. Maybe you have 4 wires, but only 2 actually feed the motor. Perhaps the other is the headligt..

since BLI has offered to fix it for you, what is your problem? The $7 shipping?

I am understanding - and sometimes even kind. But not too simpathetic in your case. I guess I have a failing - but I can switch wires on a motor.

[Anonymous]

If you want something done right, do it you'r self or shut up
Ch

[andrechapelon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mhannah2

Thats right folks...after waitin over a year and a half for the new Broadway Limited SW7 / NW2 Switchers, I put em on the track, and lo and behold

A CORNFIELD MEET

2 - NP NW2'S COLLIDE HEAD ON WITH A SP E-7
and they all came from Broadway Limited.

Nice Job

I am not kidding, they are wired backwards to every other loco on my layout.

Shame on Broadway Limited. NO quality control

What a bunch of idiots

I'd have some sympathy for you if it weren't for the fact that in 1973, I found out that Ford Motor Company screwed up when they installed the condenser on the Pinto station wagon I had bought a few weeks prior. We were coming out of LA on I-5 ascending towards Saugus in the fast lane when the engine quit. My wife and year old son were in the car and I couldn't move over, so I had to stop in the fast lane, turn on my flashers and get my wife and son as far away from the car as possible.

Fortunately, the car wasn't hit and the CHP showed up within ten minutes, pushed me to the side and called a tow truck. All that was wrong with the car is that the condenser lead had been run over the distributor hold down clip and the engine vibration had broken the wire internally killing the engine and putting the lives of myself, my wife and my son in jeopardy.

Having an HO scale switcher wired in reverse is small potatoes.

Don Gibson is right. Get over it.

Andre

[Anonymous]

Another problem with BLI's switcher is that the trucks have almost no play. I can run my Hudson through the yard ladder but not the switcher!!!! I think this is because they had to fit the sound system in the cab, but this is certainly not going to be a quick fix.

Also, I see no reason why a person shouldn't have the right to complain about a faulty product, or at least bring it to people's attention. Backwards wiring is shoddy manufacture. No play in the trucks is shoddy engineering.

[Anonymous]

Another problem with BLI's switcher is that the trucks have almost no play. I can run my Hudson through the yard ladder but not the switcher!!!! I think this is because they had to fit the sound system in the cab, but this is certainly not going to be a quick fix.

Also, I see no reason why a person shouldn't have the right to complain about a faulty product, or at least bring it to people's attention. Backwards wiring is shoddy manufacture. No play in the trucks is shoddy engineering.

[Anonymous]

hmm mine was wired correctly... Its an NW2 and labled made in china. maybe the guy wiring yours was cross eyed or something

[ellisjamesrobertson]

Reading all the above has been most interesting with a whole range of opinions on BLI.
Presumably a good sample was tested before the locos were released, which must have shown there was a wiring error and I am surprised it was not corrected then. Both mine, a friend's and the dealer's remaining stock were incorrecty incorrectly for normal operation on DC. A few years back I'd have whipped the body off and fixed it but my fingers are not as nimble now so when the dealer offered a full refund I accepted. I am sure that Proto 2000 will rerun their switchers before too long so I will wait for them as all five of my P2k switchers operate flawlessly, as do all my other P2k locos.
Cheers
Ellis

[Don Gibson]

QUOTE: "Backwards wiring is shoddy manufacture.

NO. it's production line error, and unfortunately repeated over and over by women bored out of their skull doing wiring @ minimum wage., not BLI.

QUOTE: "Also, I see no reason why a person shouldn't have the right to complain about a faulty product, or at least bring it to people's attention".

COMPLAIN? - and you did, twice. Mhannah2 came 'unglue'd! You are under a warrantee. Better to Complain to the people who will fix it for you.

If you are not willing to endure the growing pains accompanying new product's - including Athearn - don't buy them.

Dare I mention General Motor's?

[davekelly]

Man, I hope I never make a mistake.

[Anonymous]

I recieved some images and wanted to post them here:

**Thanks to Steve Blackledge for providing them




Rewiring procedure:

1) Removing the shell;

Carefully remove the two handrails at the base of the cab that are attached to the frame

Squeeze tabs (4 of them – two in front, two in back) just over the trucks – pull up shell.

2) Unplug red plug that connects shell to circuit board.

3) Unscrew the 4 board mounting screws (Philips head)

4) Under the circuit board you will see three plugs – 2 black and one blue.

5) Pull both black plugs only (male)

6) On one side of the plugs you will find two “tabs”.
Lift tab with exacto type knife and the wires will slide out. Reverse both wires on both plugs (that’s four wires) and then plug them (male) back into the sockets (female)

7) Screw 4 board mounting screws back in place.

8) Plug red plug to circuit board

9) Install the shell over the chassis then reinstall the handrails.

If you have any questions call us at;
540-949-8300 Ext. 149
service@broadway-limited .com

[Anonymous]

Even though I do not have a BLI product, I feel I should chime in here.

First off, the original poster has every valid right to complain. The complaints are justified. I'd hit the roof if I just paid $150+ for a switcher wired backwards, not to mention one that has NO play in the trucks. After all, what good is that if you want to send a SWITCHER to SWITCH industries or yards with tight curvature or rough track and it can't handle it because it's derailing all the time.

The poster has every right to complain. Not sure why it turned into such a heated arguement. Maybe the "bunch of idiots" comment wasn't necessary - I'd let the issues speak for themselves. Personally, if I paid that kind of money, I'd want the product to be right.

Just my two cents worth.

Kevin