1. How does it handle 22 inch curves?
2. In your opinion, what is the best 8 pin plug decoder for it?
3. Are there any major problems with the loco?
4. Is this the ONLY run of the Bigboy?
link: http://www.factorydirecttrains.com/12-5083bluelineupbigboy4-8-8-440231944dcsounddccreadyho.aspx
- Luke
Modeling the Southern Pacific in the 1960's-1980's
davidmbedard wrote: New Haven I-5 wrote: 1. How does it handle 22 inch curves? 2. In your opinion, what is the best 8 pin plug decoder for it? 3. Are there any major problems with the loco? 4. Is this the ONLY run of the Bigboy? link: http://www.factorydirecttrains.com/12-5083bluelineupbigboy4-8-8-440231944dcsounddccreadyho.aspx 4. No. Many, many other MFGs have produced the BB. For me, the best example of this loco is the Athearn one. Athearn, Rivarossi, Revell (static model), Bowser, PCM, Trix and AHM have all produced this locomotive as well as brass models.David B
New Haven I-5 wrote: 1. How does it handle 22 inch curves? 2. In your opinion, what is the best 8 pin plug decoder for it? 3. Are there any major problems with the loco? 4. Is this the ONLY run of the Bigboy? link: http://www.factorydirecttrains.com/12-5083bluelineupbigboy4-8-8-440231944dcsounddccreadyho.aspx
4. No. Many, many other MFGs have produced the BB. For me, the best example of this loco is the Athearn one. Athearn, Rivarossi, Revell (static model), Bowser, PCM, Trix and AHM have all produced this locomotive as well as brass models.
David B
Got one and love it. The model is Die Cast and rather heavy. It pulls a ton of cars (60 so far up a 3% grade) no problem. BLI recomends a decoder for the loco and it works fine. The details are very good when compared to a Athearn BB. It easely out pulls my Athearn.
I haven' figured out the CV to trun the number board lights on. Other than that I'm very satified.
I own one and it is very nice. I will answer your questions to the best of my knowledge.
1. When it comes to curves, remember it is almost 20 inches long. I have 18" and 22" curves and it runs to the point I can walk away and not worry. The only issue you will have is switches that are to tight and watch the tender. The rigid long row of wheels on the tender is where you will have an issue if your track work in not up to par. I had one issue but it was my fault and I need to adjust one turn due to I nailed it down in the wrong spot and the track was binding engines. I really had no other issues and thought it ran better and smother than my HO Lionel challenger.
2. I used a Digitrax DN143IP N Scale Plug 'N Play Decoder 8 pin 4 FX with Scale Speed Stabilization (Back EMF) with simple setup & 256 level resolutions, it seems to run fine. This is the first decoder install for me but on other forums I am told the Zimo decoders are nice. I installed it in minutes set it on the track and I was a big boy operator.
3. Issues? Some people do not like the traction tires. I do not see any issues with it. The engine was squeaky out of the box and needed to be oiled on the worky bitz. After that is was great. I took it to my train club layout and pulled 30 cars. I even sped it up and it ran like a champ on the 13x20 layout. The one and only issue is my headlight flickers, not sure why but I sent an email to BLI and so for no answer. I was too engrossed to care about the light since I have been running it so much. It might be a simple connectivity issue. Oh yeah you do not get the lighted number boards, and the 4017 has number error. I have the 4004 and its the ducks gutz!
4. I do not know if BLI will have another run of the Blueline or the PCM model. You might want to ask them.
The sound is amazing, it sounds like it is alive! Sorry I am not a good reviewer but I was worried about this model and now I am running it all the time. My layout is only half finished so the big boy is only on the 5x9, the rest I will build this fall.
What GTX765 said !!!
I'm very happy with mine, so happy I have a second one on the way !
I threw a TCS decoder that I had laying around in mine and it runs beutifully.
The only differences I can see from the PCM version are no smoke, non lighted number boards, traction tires and the way the tether hooks up in the tender ( which I like ). IMHO the sound is WAY better than the Loksound in the PCM.
If you get one, you'll be happy !
Cheers,
Warren