Thank-you for your insightful review. I am a "rivet-counter" modeler so I appreciate how closely you studied this model. However, in fairness to BLI and the practical realities of creating and marketing a model like this, none of these glitches would prevent me from purchasing this model. But you review helps me make that informed decision.
Thanks for your comment! Im glad someone can appreciate insights I share. Yea you're right I dont think anyone should NOT buy the model due to any of the things I said. But I think people SHOULD be informed on what theyre getting.
why do you assume i have 18" curves readily available to test on? send me some 18" ez track and id be happy to tell you :) The engine is otherwise very reliable, and should last many years of performance.
You can’t expect the type of nit-picking accuracy you’re talking about in a mass market locomotive. This is why there’s almost no brass sream locomotives being produced anymore and the few that are cost 4-5 times what a BLI loco costs. When you said critically flawed I thought you were going to say there was an actual technical problem with the model like the gears cracked or the die cast boiler started deteriorating like the old Zamac cast locos of the 50s and 60s. But you just are complaining that it’s not completely prototypical. Please get a life and enjoy the hobby and the wealth of great looking locos that are available or just troll EBay nd buy brass models of the Santa Fe locos you want
I can respect you for having your own opinion but I disagree with it. BLI is charging TOP dollar for their steam models, and HEAVILY market how much research goes into making their models accurate and prototypical. To say that "oh its RTR it cant be nit picked because BLI never intended to make their models accurate" would be frankly insulting to their company. I think they strive just as much as any other brass manufacturer to make as accurate models as possible, and therefore I have every right to nitpick when they mess things up. My channel has always been very detail and accuracy focused. Every model these days runs great and has tons of features. There's no point going into the performance when we all know BLI models generally run excellent. If you dont appreciate someone pointing out inaccuracies I would advise you to not watch any of my videos as it would only get you worked up :)
"Critical Flaws" are in the eye of the beholder. The discrepancies trainman440 points out are not "critical" enough in my eye to prevent me from purchasing this model. However, there is nothing wrong with keeping some pressure on the manufacturers to improve both quality and accuracy of their models. Just look at Athearn's transition from "Blue Box" locomotives to the current RTR and Genesis models. Market pressure on Athearn drove this change and in the end, both parties win.
I prefer a hand crafted brass model to a plastic model. If a motor over warms up, the plastic engines shape changes and plastic drys out after years of use.
its diecast so this sort of outdated complaining thinking is no longer relevant. 99% of all RTR "plastic" steam models these days have diecast frames which the motor mounts onto as a heatsink. I have yet to see a recently made model where the motor was mounted on a plastic block. And even so, modern can motors are very efficient and shouldnt be heating up enough to melt plastic. But I would happy to be proven wrong, name me ONE steam model made in the past 10 years where the motor was directly mounted to plastic. I challenge you.
Thank-you for your insightful review. I am a "rivet-counter" modeler so I appreciate how closely you studied this model. However, in fairness to BLI and the practical realities of creating and marketing a model like this, none of these glitches would prevent me from purchasing this model. But you review helps me make that informed decision.
Thanks for your comment! Im glad someone can appreciate insights I share. Yea you're right I dont think anyone should NOT buy the model due to any of the things I said. But I think people SHOULD be informed on what theyre getting.
Love the model locomotive!
me too!
Nice review.
thanks parts323!
You you please comment on the unit’s reliability, especially on 18” curves?
why do you assume i have 18" curves readily available to test on? send me some 18" ez track and id be happy to tell you :)
The engine is otherwise very reliable, and should last many years of performance.
You can’t expect the type of nit-picking accuracy you’re talking about in a mass market locomotive. This is why there’s almost no brass sream locomotives being produced anymore and the few that are cost 4-5 times what a BLI loco costs. When you said critically flawed I thought you were going to say there was an actual technical problem with the model like the gears cracked or the die cast boiler started deteriorating like the old Zamac cast locos of the 50s and 60s. But you just are complaining that it’s not completely prototypical. Please get a life and enjoy the hobby and the wealth of great looking locos that are available or just troll EBay nd buy brass models of the Santa Fe locos you want
SLOW down on your high-speed babble narration; mate ! 🙄🚂
I can respect you for having your own opinion but I disagree with it. BLI is charging TOP dollar for their steam models, and HEAVILY market how much research goes into making their models accurate and prototypical. To say that "oh its RTR it cant be nit picked because BLI never intended to make their models accurate" would be frankly insulting to their company. I think they strive just as much as any other brass manufacturer to make as accurate models as possible, and therefore I have every right to nitpick when they mess things up.
My channel has always been very detail and accuracy focused. Every model these days runs great and has tons of features. There's no point going into the performance when we all know BLI models generally run excellent. If you dont appreciate someone pointing out inaccuracies I would advise you to not watch any of my videos as it would only get you worked up :)
"Critical Flaws" are in the eye of the beholder. The discrepancies trainman440 points out are not "critical" enough in my eye to prevent me from purchasing this model. However, there is nothing wrong with keeping some pressure on the manufacturers to improve both quality and accuracy of their models. Just look at Athearn's transition from "Blue Box" locomotives to the current RTR and Genesis models. Market pressure on Athearn drove this change and in the end, both parties win.
I prefer a hand crafted brass model to a plastic model. If a motor over warms up, the plastic engines shape changes and plastic drys out after years of use.
Except this isn't a plastic model, it is diecast.
That's nice if you can afford brass. Most of us can't so we go plastic. Although, if I could afford brass I would absolutely buy it.
its diecast so this sort of outdated complaining thinking is no longer relevant.
99% of all RTR "plastic" steam models these days have diecast frames which the motor mounts onto as a heatsink. I have yet to see a recently made model where the motor was mounted on a plastic block. And even so, modern can motors are very efficient and shouldnt be heating up enough to melt plastic.
But I would happy to be proven wrong, name me ONE steam model made in the past 10 years where the motor was directly mounted to plastic. I challenge you.