Trying to decide what to do with the Bush LHS stimulus tax check. Thinking about a better DCC system but still pretty happy with the current one. But, radio control seems like a good idea.
Then there is the Big Boy quest again. This quest has been very ill fated. I have had two Athearn Big Boys, decoder kept resetting it self and lack of pulling power. Back to the LHS they went. Next was a PCM Big Boy, it now has been at BLI for 2 months! It started having problems all most as soon as it saw the rails. I finally got tired of it sent on a spur looking nasty. So off it went for repairs.
I love to try a Trix, but the stimulus check after been split with the wife will not cover the cost.
What kind of short, comings if any have the Blue Line Big Boys had?
Cuda Ken
I hate Rust
I picked up a Blueline GE AC6000 over the weekend. My layout is DC, so in order to make the loco play the rest of the sounds, I needed a DCMaster Analog Control module. If you're using DCC, you won't need it, and the installation is very easy. I LOVE the locomotive. It has flashing ditch lights, directional lighting, diesel sounds, brake squeal, etc.
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
"I like it, I love it, I want some more of it!"
Well, it's true. Best sound I've heard. Ever. Better than Tsunami in my opionion (As in sound quality and such) Plus, it's die cast with four traction tires, so grab 250 freight cars and lett'er roll. Mine even has a lighted cab and other things like that.
As for operation on DCC, well, slow speed is okay, but that's because I don't have Back EMF, which really makes it good, but the slow speed isn't that bad. As for turnout and radius, #4 (Atlas, so #4.5 or #5) and 22" (supposedly 18") work fine.
For the price, it's just a PCM big boy with better sound that pulls more.
Yes, it's a good one.
Mark
Could any of the owners post a PIC of the coupler that hooks the engine to the tender? That was one of the big problems with my PCM Big Boy! It fit to tight, engine C clamp coupler ( I think it is called a drag bar) C clamp gripped the post in the tender so tight if it hit a hump like a rerailer the front tender wheels came up but never went back down and caused a derail.
One of the internet dealers I know has had two with the same problem.
Thanks for the answer and hope a few Pic as well, time to lay some rail to the mining company.
Oh yeah. That. That is evil beyond reason. The plug from engine to tender is 2" inside the tender, and a pain in the rear to hook up. The drawbar is basically the athearn challenger style hookup, and isn't problematic whatsoever.. But the plug, well, that is just bad.
doc manago wrote:Medina, by Blueline AC6000, with NCE decoder, only light the ditchs when sounds the horn, and shortly. Do you know any other way to light it?, thanks
Uhh, thread jacked. Start another thread about your problem.
Hoople, not worried about a high jack of the thread.
Doc, if you dig through my postings I asked the same question and got a answer that I forgot? One thing that I have learned, you need to change the CV's on the main line, not a programing track? I have a UP 6000 at BLI now because we did not know it.
Hoople wrote: Oh yeah. That. That is evil beyond reason. The plug from engine to tender is 2" inside the tender, and a pain in the rear to hook up. The drawbar is basically the athearn challenger style hookup, and isn't problematic whatsoever.. But the plug, well, that is just bad.
Hoople--
Crandell (Selector) and I have had some conversations about the BLI/PCM loco-tender connections, and we have decided that it's something that the company should REALLY address. Both he and I have had problems with the connectors on our BLI's--mine is on the N&W 'A' and the Pennsy M-1a. In fact, I don't even use my BLI's very much anymore because of not trusting those 12-pin connectors the way they're attached and work themselves loose over time. I really think that they should make the attachment somewhere BETWEEN the loco and tender, so that there would be more flexibility. Just my opinion. They're great locos, but those connectors just frustrate the Heck out of me.
Tom
Tom View my layout photos! http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/TWhite-014/Rio%20Grande%20Yuba%20River%20Sub One can NEVER have too many Articulateds!