I preordered a BLI J Class (#611 railfan) to replace my Bachmann Spectrum. (The BLI can take 18" while the Bachmann can only take 22" My layout is a 4x8 so with the BLI I should be able to run it more as well as be better detail) The delivery has been pushed back from Dec, to Jan, to Feb, and now to march. The closer it gets the the intermountain heritage units the more I wonder if the BLI is all it is cracked up to be. Are BLI good reliable steam engines or should i see if i can still back out?
The quality of assembly is usually what separates a unit from all others, but not just for BLI or Bachmann; it applies across the hobby. The engineering in the upper crust non-brass equipment is pretty darned solid these days, but the variance comes from lubrication, assembly, testing, and packaging. Shipping is almost never a problem, except from the distributor/dealer to the customer where mail and package handling introduce their own problems.
That said, I have had a few minor problems with BLI locos, of which I have a good sampling. It seems that their frequency of repair was rather poor about two-three years ago, but their latest offerings have a better record. I have purchased a couple of their Hybrid brass series, and they are fantastic. I believe the last few Paragon 2 locomotives have been largely trouble-free. So, they must have a factory at last that can assemble HO scale locomotives and ship them with few defects. I also have a J on order, and expect that if I do get a dud, BLI will, as they always do, make good on it. All my BLI steamers run like gazelles now.