QUOTE: Originally posted by NevinW It sounds like the mechanism is great. It is too bad they botched some of the paint jobs so bad. The Western Maryland paint job was surreal. I would have bought a couple otherwise. - Nevin
QUOTE: Originally posted by kbfcsme QUOTE: Originally posted by NevinW It sounds like the mechanism is great. It is too bad they botched some of the paint jobs so bad. The Western Maryland paint job was surreal. I would have bought a couple otherwise. - Nevin Rumor has it, corrected body shells are on the way!!!![:D]
Modeling B&O- Chessie Bob K. www.ssmrc.org
QUOTE: Originally posted by Safety Valve I wanted to state that I ran ABBA BLI F7 units on a railroad today sucessfully as a consist. It took two throttles to drive all 4 horses but am learning about consisting as I go along.Getting the 4 to work together resulted in a locomotive lashup that will pull everything I own up the wall. I have never seen such brute "Grunt" force in a desiel until today.
QUOTE: It is my humble opinion that these units represent the best Model Railroading can offer and it takes alot to get me to feel this good about a locomotive.
QUOTE: Originally posted by Don Gibson >>> snip <<<< Your BLI's are Powered A's and dummy B'S. >>>> snip <<<<
QUOTE: Originally posted by Don Gibson QUOTE: Originally posted by Safety Valve I wanted to state that I ran ABBA BLI F7 units on a railroad today sucessfully as a consist. It took two throttles to drive all 4 horses but am learning about consisting as I go along.Getting the 4 to work together resulted in a locomotive lashup that will pull everything I own up the wall. I have never seen such brute "Grunt" force in a desiel until today. REALLY? Real F-7's generally pulled 3 - 6 passenger cars and maybe 10 freight cars on the 'flatlands' and ABBA with 16 cars up 2% grades. How many cars are you expecting to pull? Your BLI's are Powered A's and dummy B'S. QUOTE: It is my humble opinion that these units represent the best Model Railroading can offer and it takes alot to get me to feel this good about a locomotive. I'm not sure if what you have is good or bad, but I am disturbed by 1. your need for "2 throttles" to run 2 (powered) units . I dont own a single train that won't work with just one throttle - including some ABBA's with all 4 unit's powered. Something is wrong. 1. your power pak's VA capacity, or 2. something is draggin'. 3. BLI'S with QSI sound require 5 volts just to start. I suggest starting with strong power pak - with meters. 30 VA is only 2.5 amps @ 12 volts. http://www.modelrectifier.com/products/trainSound/product.asp?ID=1265&Subcategory=Big power
QUOTE: Originally posted by davidmbedard QUOTE: Originally posted by NevinW It sounds like the mechanism is great. It is too bad they botched some of the paint jobs so bad. The Western Maryland paint job was surreal. I would have bought a couple otherwise. - Nevin Sigh.....I hate nitpickers David
QUOTE: Originally posted by Don Gibson I was unaware that BLI sold their AB combinations all powered. If so, that might tax a lot of todays power packs. Without meters, how would one know? Sound adds about an extra watt (VA) to each unit. Joe Fugate mentions that BLI 's QSI locos also have a capacitor to charge up. Hmmmm.4 units X 1amps + .25 amp motor + load- and 50% for starting = ???
QUOTE: Originally posted by scubaterry safety valve - I also have an ABBA F consist. Unfortunately they are not BLI but LLP2K. I have sound in all four units. I use the same address for both motor and sound decoders in the first AB set and the other AB set has its own address. That way I can Mu set B to set A and only use one throttle postition. Terry[8D]
QUOTE: Originally posted by cspmo QUOTE: Originally posted by scubaterry safety valve - I also have an ABBA F consist. Unfortunately they are not BLI but LLP2K. I have sound in all four units. I use the same address for both motor and sound decoders in the first AB set and the other AB set has its own address. That way I can Mu set B to set A and only use one throttle postition. Terry[8D] P2K never made F units. Do you mean E units?
QUOTE: Originally posted by scubaterry CSPMO - One set is a P2K F1 and one set is P2K F2.. Even though I bought them just several months ago the F1 set is the old issue. It had the old light board that hasn't been used in a while.. A great deal I think for 49.95 per set. Bob K - If I use the same address for all four units then I can't run them separately. I don't have a grade on this layout so I seldom run all four together. They do sound good running together though. I put a vid thread up not too long ago with all four lashed up. Terry[8D]
QUOTE: Originally posted by scubaterry Bob K - Well if I understand you correctly I think the way you described is the way i do it. I typically run them in separate AB sets and occasionally run them all together. The F1AB set is all one address sound and motor as they always will be together and the F2AB set has all the same address as they run together. When i run an ABBA I just mu one set to the other. Once mu'd I can use the left throttle on my DT-400 for something else using only one throttle for all four units. Now that most decoders have the locking ability it makes it easier to have the motor and sound decoder on the same address. Yes it is a pain plugging and unplugging to acquire with the digitrax but it is something I can live with. I only have one IR rx at the moment and basically I probably need at least two more to make IR running smooth. So for now I use direct connect anyway. Thanks for the info. terry[8D]
QUOTE: Originally posted by scubaterry One of my favorite sounds on my layout is the ALCO engines idling in and out of sync. The most enjoyable sight is seeing a bunch of F units lashed up. Just something about that tickles me. terry[8D]
QUOTE: Originally posted by davidmbedard QUOTE: Originally posted by CurtMc We are what allow you to use models not toys QUOTE: Originally posted by davidmbedard QUOTE: Originally posted by NevinW It sounds like the mechanism is great. It is too bad they botched some of the paint jobs so bad. The Western Maryland paint job was surreal. I would have bought a couple otherwise. - Nevin Sigh.....I hate nitpickers David Another Shake-and-baker. Ive been bashing locos for 20 years, and have NEVER refused to buy a loco because of a little flaw....I just work around them. Aparently, wana-be model railroaders like you need to have a 'perfect' loco out of the box or you start crying. David
QUOTE: Originally posted by CurtMc We are what allow you to use models not toys QUOTE: Originally posted by davidmbedard QUOTE: Originally posted by NevinW It sounds like the mechanism is great. It is too bad they botched some of the paint jobs so bad. The Western Maryland paint job was surreal. I would have bought a couple otherwise. - Nevin Sigh.....I hate nitpickers David
QUOTE: Originally posted by davidmbedard QUOTE: I would never pay that much for something that is so wrong. Have you acually seen how screwed up the WM F unit was? If it was some close out or a bargain that had potential then go for it. I enjoy kitbashing and superdetailing, but I don't want to have to do it on a new piece that should be right in the first place. Some don't care to or have the time or ability to do as you do, so to each his own, Why ba***hem over it. I am lazy at times and like to pull one out of the box, am I a Want-a -Be modeler as well? Bob K. My point being....he said that people like him are responsible for making me a modelrailroader as opposed to a man playing with toys. My point is that he is COMPLETELY wrong and out of line. There are currently NO Canadian-correct locos out there right now, and with his thinking, Im playing with toys because they are not available out of the box.......he is wrong. I am a Model-railroader. I model trains. I dont buy them, I make them. Ive been doing it for a long time now. What I dont need is some wanna-be comming on here telling me that because he is crying to mfgs about a few little flaws in their products, he is responsible in making me what I am today. That is complete BS. Also, the attitude that 'if it aint perfect, it aint worth buying" is just sad. He is a perfect example of a crying-nitpicker that makes MFGs not want to put out new products. He is NOT a model railroader, rather a Shake and Baker. Nuff Said David
QUOTE: I would never pay that much for something that is so wrong. Have you acually seen how screwed up the WM F unit was? If it was some close out or a bargain that had potential then go for it. I enjoy kitbashing and superdetailing, but I don't want to have to do it on a new piece that should be right in the first place. Some don't care to or have the time or ability to do as you do, so to each his own, Why ba***hem over it. I am lazy at times and like to pull one out of the box, am I a Want-a -Be modeler as well? Bob K.