BLI Blueline vs. All others

[CB&Q4-8-4Fanatic]

I am planning on buying a blueline locomotive particularly the NYC Niagra. What i would like to know from you guys is how well they run and how well the sound is. one of the club members has a blueline loco and i was amazed at the quality of the sound.

[Medina1128]

I have a couple of BLI locomotives and I like the sounds. They are NOT however true DCC locomotives, so don't attempt to use it on a DCC controlled layout. You'll cook the sound card.

[cacole]

Medina1128

They are NOT however true DCC locomotives, so don't attempt to use it on a DCC controlled layout. You'll cook the sound card.

That is NOT TRUE -- The Blue Line locomotives come with a DCC sound decoder in them, but no motor control decoder -- you have to add that yourself.  The only problem I ran into was losing the sound when I tried to create an advanced consist of two Blue Line locomotives after installing motor control decoders into them.  The solution was to give both engines the same decoder address.

If the same engine has been released as a Paragon2 model, you'd probably be better off getting one of those instead of the Blue Line and avoid the hassle of trying to program two decoders in one locomotive.

 

[Flynn]

I've got the Blueline Niagara.  It's a great locomotive.  I've also added the Digitrax decoder recommended for it by BLI and I've had absolutely no issues with it on DCC or DC operations.  Sound is excellent and I actually like the sound better than the Mohawk brass-hybrid with QSI.  Granted, I've also been one of those lucky few who have about 6 or 7 BLI products with -0- defects/issues.

[ATLANTIC CENTRAL]

I have a Blue Line Heavy Mikado, before I replaced the tender with a non sound Bachmann long haul tender, it was by far the worst sound loco I have ever heard. Tinny and harsh - very bad sound.

I did not care since I planned to remove the sound before I even bought it.

Now, with the Bachmann tender, a new Delta trailing truck and a little more weight, it runs and pulls great. It handled 45 cars on level track with no problem when I test ran it last week.

Sheldon

 

[ATLANTIC CENTRAL]

Flynn

I've got the Blueline Niagara.  It's a great locomotive.  I've also added the Digitrax decoder recommended for it by BLI and I've had absolutely no issues with it on DCC or DC operations.  Sound is excellent and I actually like the sound better than the Mohawk brass-hybrid with QSI.  Granted, I've also been one of those lucky few who have about 6 or 7 BLI products with -0- defects/issues.

I have nine pieces of BLI/PCM. Four of them are PCM F3's (ABBA). The rest are steam. While I did have what I feel are design issues with many of them, I only had one build quality issue with one loco missing a part.

And as for running quality all are very good.

The issues I have had are:

PCM Stealth Reading T-1's where tail heavy and had drawbar clearance issues when close coupled. Added weight in the empty smokebox (left empty for a smoke unit I guess) and filed the tender frame to clear the drawbar.

BLI BlueLine Heavy 2-8-2  - also poorly balanced and lacked weight compaired to older Powerhouse version - added weight, replaced tender, got rid of crappy sound in favor of silence - great loco now puls 45 cars.

BLI Powerhouse 2-8-2 - lacked pulling power even at 1lb loco weight and had no working front coupler. Added a coupler and ordered a traction tire driver from BLI, replaced tender - runs and pulls like the Blueline discribed above.

I run DC and no dual mode decoder I have seen yet runs worth a darn - especially the sound ones.

Sheldon

[jbinkley60]

I have a number of them and no issues.  Good sound and they run smooth.  You do need to add your own motor controller and getting used to programming the dual decoders is a small learning curve but the price is right on the Blueline units.

 

[Flashwave]

jbinkley60

getting used to programming the dual decoders is a small learning curve

For the numbers, put them both in, and prgram it at the same time, much easier.

I have a Blueline Light Mike, and I loved the sound before I stuck it in a non-baffled metal tender. Great puller with the tender it had, the new is a bit on the heavy side, and needs a baffle for the sound, or a floor.

The only issue I have with it, is the engien requires the throttle to be cracked slightly to respond. Not a big deal, but I can't leave the throttle dead and the toggle switch in idle on my UT4, or the engien shuts down.

[tstage]

CB&Q,

I bought a Blueline Niagara 2-3 months ago.  It runs VERY well and the sound is quite impressive.  The whistle and chuff have a wonderful "guttural" sound to them - like what you'd expect if you were standing right next to one.  And, like Flynn, I think it sounds much better than the QSI decoder in the Mohawk.

I had some slight binding problems with the drivers on my Niagara - even after breaking it in for a little while - so I sent it back to the BLI backshop for repair.  BLI ended up replacing the middle driver and both gears.  It runs very well now with no binding at all.

If you want your Niagara to really crawl at speed step 001, I would highly encourage you to consider installing a Lenz Silver MP decoder in yours.  It's a little on the pricey side ($28, discounted) but it has excellent BEMF and is well worth EVERY penny, in my book.

However, one special precaution must be taken BEFORE you install one into your Niagara:

You MUST clip the GREEN wire off the decoder and/or decoder socket. 

This is noted both in the BlueLine Steam Operator's Manual and confirmed by Bruce Petrarca @ Litchfield Station.  Bruce states, "Otherwise, weird things will happen."

Anyhow, I actually like the fact that the Bluelines come with separate sound and motion decoders because that allows me to choose a motion decoder with BEMF for great low-speed operation.  (More important for me than sound.)  The only sound/motion combination decoders that I have that achieve great low-speed operation are my Loksound V3.5 decoders in my Trix Mikes.  And, every steamer I have is compared to them.  The Blueline Niagaras with the Lenz Silver MP decoder rival the Trix Mikes in that respect.

If you do get one, CB&Q, I would also encourage you to download the BlueLine Steam Operator's Manual off the Documentation page of BLI's web site.  It has some very helpful suggestions if you should ever run into any problems addressing your decoders.  I had no problems addressing mine.  (FYI: The sound and motion decoders are addressed simultaneously.)

Hope that helps...

Tom

[rjake4454]

Blue line locos have a nice labored and drift chuff effect, and as a rule, they do tend to creep at slower speeds better than their paragon counter parts.

However, blue lines can have some major trade offs, depending on the model, one being an extremely cheap and poor lighting system compared to the bright headlights used on Paragon engines. The headlights have flickered and died out on several Blue Line J1a's and plus they were already extremely dim and blue to begin with.

I model mostly the PRR, so I can't really speak for other roadnames, but I prefer the original Paragon J1 2-10-4 vastly over the blue line. Even more so, the T1 duplex.

Has anybody noticed that the lettering on the tender of the Blue Line T1 duplex is incredibly out oversized, whereas the Paragon T1 got it right?

I think they cut a lot of corners with Blue Line and I have heard several hobby shop owners and workers from various stores say that the Paragons are far superior, even beyond the QSI sound issue, they are simply of better quality. This is probably due to the fact that many Paragons were made in Korea, whereas most BLI engines now are made in China.

Just my opinion.

For those of you who enjoy their Blue Line engines, I'm really happy for you, and wish you the best in model railroading.

However, I really would wish that Broadway could return to the quality of the original paragons, even if no longer using QSI.

[cudaken]

 I have not bought a Blue Line steam engine but I do have 3 of there diesel's and love there sound. With the 3 Blue Lines I have a total of 9 Broadway engines. As a whole I have had bad luck, seem to get the Lemons the first time around. But there repair staff has all wise made the Lemons into Lemonade!

 I will buy from them again, hoping for a Q2 someday. I would look at there refurbished engines, I saw a Nigeria listed. I think buying one that has been fixed is a better bet than counting on the QC in China.

     Cuda Ken

[CB&Q Modeler]

I have but one Blueline the Santa Fe 4-8-4 3754 and have had zero issues with it,Runs great using a Digitrax DZ125PS motor decoder, And  the headlight stays bright but not over powering .Not nuts about the whistle but thats small potatos.

Just bought the new Paragon2 Y6b and while some have had issues with them arriving with broken gears which BLI took care of they are a outstanding locomotive that'll pull the studs out of the walls. and while I don't really recommend it I have pulled 100 cars plus caboose with this brute just as a test.

 

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmQswlKbQic

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d43t-ms3yJI

 

[CB&Q4-8-4Fanatic]

I find it useful using the latest version of decoder pro. use identify decoder for the motion decoder. and then manually click on broadway limited, then click on ho steam and then click on blueline. decoder pro will read the sound decoder and not the motor decoder if you select broadway limited.