Jacon, 1. Body dimensions are correct. Detailing, IMHO, is not at "Genesis" level. Can be spruced up considerably with parts from Details West.. 2. Sound is clear and not distorted, HOWEVER.................The "actual" diesel primer mover scheme is inaccurate as it belongs to an older class of EMD diesels which were equipped with the 567 series diesel. But if you like the sound....don't let that stop you. As for the horn, it's a Leslie "S" series and is prototypical for certain railroads. CSX uses mostly Nathan K series on their road units, for example. I wonder if, to keep costs down, BLI/QSI apparently does the "one horn sound per locomotive class" practice. Again, some modelers like me are more discriminating when it comes to sound and everyone has his or her own preferences. but if you like the unit go for it. At the club I joined, I met a down to earth memeber named Luke, who is a prototypical modeler. He knows about the discrepancy regarding the SD40-2's sound, yet he's cool with it. Click on the link below and then select "HO". You'll need Media Player or Real One Player. It's a video of a club I joined. The star of the video is Luke's BLI SD40-2 with its horn blowing. http://www.suncoastmrrc.com/gallery.htm#ho If you're curious and want to hear what various prototype horns sound like and what their history is, check out: http://www.dieselairhorns.com Excellent website with lots of sound samples and cool video links. Enjoy!
"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"
QUOTE: Originally posted by selector Jarrell, this is off topic, but did you ever get your shut-down to work?
Thanks Jacon, I hope the links are helpful. I have to say though in BLI/QSI defense that the sounds used in the diesel models are not generic. They are from real locomotives. In fact, I hope to buy one BLI E8. The sounds in BLI's E units are excellent! Now, the sounds in the Genesis F3, for example are generic. A friend of mine who has been a long time musician believes that they were most likely produced on electronic keyboards or synthesizers. So, the sound quality itself is dynamically crisp and clear though not accurate as has been claimed by a magazine review article. But in essence; what counts is the customer's satisfaction. Opinions on this forum can simply be used for useful reference or viewed as useless info. To each his own. Though I'm not a "Rivet Counter" I'm one of those railfans that can identify certain diesel locomotives by sound, only because I was fortunate enough to have been able to spend so much time around them in my teen and young adult days. Got to tape record a few of them too! My local railroad was the SCL,, which was very "Railfan Friendly". ( I miss those days!). If you like what you hear and can get an SD40-2 for $150 or less, than that would be a nice deal. I forgot to mention that Luke allowed my kid to run his SD40-2. He loved that horn! He was all smiles from ear to ear!
QUOTE: Originally posted by jacon12 . I'm a little hesitant about getting the bli now. One would think that a company that kinda specializes in sound locos wouldn't use a 'generic' sound for that many of their locos. Jarrell
QUOTE: Originally posted by bangert1 QUOTE: Originally posted by jacon12 . I'm a little hesitant about getting the bli now. One would think that a company that kinda specializes in sound locos wouldn't use a 'generic' sound for that many of their locos. Jarrell Just to comment on the BLI sounds. They use generic sounds on all of their steam except for the whistles. The chuff is identical for the conventional engines without any changes and the articulated chuffs are a copy of their articulated sound. We have to realize this is a model and it is a hobby.
Jay
C-415 Build: https://imageshack.com/a/tShC/1
Other builds: https://imageshack.com/my/albums
Best Regards, Big John
Kiva Valley Railway- Freelanced road in central Arizona. Visit the link to see my MR forum thread on The Building of the Whitton Branch on the Kiva Valley Railway
QUOTE: Originally posted by canazar Well, not trying to come ot the aid of BLI, but maybe just another view of the problem. Maybe they got a picture of a prototype that was painted that way. I have seen things in the real world painted the way they shouldnt have been. Prototype for everything. .
QUOTE: Originally posted by rgroeling QUOTE: Originally posted by canazar Well, not trying to come ot the aid of BLI, but maybe just another view of the problem. Maybe they got a picture of a prototype that was painted that way. I have seen things in the real world painted the way they shouldnt have been. Prototype for everything. . I guess.. but in my five years of railfanning and countless hours of looking at photos and reading books, I have never seen anything like that...
QUOTE: Originally posted by rgroeling However, Antonio FP45, I respectfully disagree with you.
QUOTE: I think that painting an entire piolt green is not a small error. If therse guys had looked at a photograph...they would not have made this mistake! Which leads me to question the accuracy and quality of the rest of the locomotive.
QUOTE: Originally posted by AntonioFP45 QUOTE: Originally posted by rgroeling However, Antonio FP45, I respectfully disagree with you. Cool. We can agree to disagree. QUOTE: I think that painting an entire piolt green is not a small error. If therse guys had looked at a photograph...they would not have made this mistake! Which leads me to question the accuracy and quality of the rest of the locomotive. --- Point well taken, however we have to remember that in various instances a manufacturer will use "official" railroad blueprints. Before chewing out the manufacturer, check with them and make sure that BLI did make a mistake. Railroads have been notorious for creating a paint scheme on paper, then making a last minute change in the paint shop that sometimes becomes permanent. Good examples are Pennsy's stripe styles on the Tuscan Red scheme, SCL's placement of yellow stripes on hood units in its early days, New Haven's "Reverse" McGinnis paint scheme, and C&NW's shade of yellow in the 70s & 80s. I don't know if this is the case at all with this SD40-2, but it may be worth checking out. There should be a Burlington Northern Historical Society that has the info. Again, while the pilot being green is bothersome and may be a BLI "boo-boo", I still contend that it is an easy fix. Remove from the unit, wet sand it with a Gray Scotch Pad, or 600 grit sandpaper, rinse off, clean it, air brush it with acrylic based Engine Black ( 2 to 3 coats). I would not bother priming it. Total time should be 15 to 20 minutes at room temperature. [;)] Peace