Broadway Limited 2-10-2

[TheK4Kid]

Yesterday the Broadway Limited Santa Fe 2-10-2 I had ordered arrived at my Hobby Shop. I took it home to run on my layout and had a terrible time with it. I fought with the plug that connects the tender to the engine for over an hour and it would just not make a good connection. It seemed as if the receptical for the plug was not correct. I did manage to get it to run about six feet and then it stopped again and that was it. It also tripped the overload on the power supply. I returned it to the Hobby Shop for a refund and they ordered another one for me. I also contacted BLI and they aplologized for the problem and told me that if I had problems with the replacement to send it directly to them and they would take a look at it. Has anyone else purchased one of these engines and have you had any problems with the plug? I am hoping this problem was just with this one engine and not the entire production line. I have three of their 4-8-4 Northerns and have never had any problems with those.

Thanks,

George

I use a small pair of long needle nose pliers and very gently grasp the plug and work it in, and pull it out the same way on my BLI's.

[rrinker]

 The plugs are tough to deal with, for sure - I have large fingers which makes it even worse. I would not use a screwdriver to pry them apart though, too easy to break the shell of the socket. I just pull by the wires - but NOT hard, and ONLY by grasping all 8 wires at a time, not just yanking on one. Some gentle wiggling works them loose without applying too much pressure to the wires.

                                     --Randy

[frisco1519]

That was the first thing I checked before I even tried to plug it in. It seemed as if the receptical was to small for the plug. I also failed to mention that sparks were seen under the trailing trucks on this engine when it did move. BLI tech support thinks there was a problem with the plug and an internal electrical problem. It took almost full throttle to get the engine to move the one any only time it did move. The plugs on my two Northerns are easy to plug and unplug. This 2-10-2 was, as it turned out, impossible. My replacment will be here in a few days and we will try it again. I do wear strong reading glasses for things  such as this and the jewlers screwdrivers and some plastic picks I picked up somewhere.

Thanks for the help,

[selector]

George, I sometimes have more difficulty with connecting those items at times, and it doesn't seem to make sense.  I have taken to using an opti-visor and good light, plus a jeweler's screwdriver.  I fit them to be sure the pins are oriented correctly, and then press alternately on the sides, back and forth, beside the wire bundle, until I can press is snug and home.  I had problems with a loco that stuttered and stalled for no apparent reason until I looked at the plugs, and could see that they were not nested properly.  You could use a toothpick or a piece of thin bamboo, such a s a bar-b-que skewer to keep from scratching the plastic.

You did have the plugs oriented correctly, right?

[CAZEPHYR]

Yesterday the Broadway Limited Santa Fe 2-10-2 I had ordered arrived at my Hobby Shop. I took it home to run on my layout and had a terrible time with it. I fought with the plug that connects the tender to the engine for over an hour and it would just not make a good connection. It seemed as if the receptical for the plug was not correct. I did manage to get it to run about six feet and then it stopped again and that was it. It also tripped the overload on the power supply. I returned it to the Hobby Shop for a refund and they ordered another one for me. I also contacted BLI and they aplologized for the problem and told me that if I had problems with the replacement to send it directly to them and they would take a look at it. Has anyone else purchased one of these engines and have you had any problems with the plug? I am hoping this problem was just with this one engine and not the entire production line. I have three of their 4-8-4 Norherns and have never had any problems with those.

Thanks,

George

George

I got my BLI Santa Fe engine when they first showed up and it runs OK, with no major problems.  It is not the best running BLI to date, but after it is broken in, you will probably have very little trouble.  The trouble you have with yours is something that can happen to any model.  I am sure they do not run and test the models, only ship them.  

I have to agree with your experience the plug is hard to connect and when you start to disconnect it, it is even harder since you should not pull on the wires directly.   The small connectors that are being used by almost all of the steam models need some kind of a handle so they can be removed also.

Good luck on getting it fixed.  BLI will replace it if it is not fixed.  They are good about that but most of the time, it will be fixed.

I got the latest BLI N&W J last month and it has quality problems also.   Seems like quality control is out of control or out ot lunch.   

 

[frisco1519]

Yesterday the Broadway Limited Santa Fe 2-10-2 I had ordered arrived at my Hobby Shop. I took it home to run on my layout and had a terrible time with it. I fought with the plug that connects the tender to the engine for over an hour and it would just not make a good connection. It seemed as if the receptical for the plug was not correct. I did manage to get it to run about six feet and then it stopped again and that was it. It also tripped the overload on the power supply. I returned it to the Hobby Shop for a refund and they ordered another one for me. I also contacted BLI and they aplologized for the problem and told me that if I had problems with the replacement to send it directly to them and they would take a look at it. Has anyone else purchased one of these engines and have you had any problems with the plug? I am hoping this problem was just with this one engine and not the entire production line. I have three of their 4-8-4 Northerns and have never had any problems with those.

Thanks,

George