ID a Engine for me.
- Thread starter pappywolf
- Start date
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Carey,Until the BL-1/BL-2 EMD did not have a road switcher except for a few NW3 and NW5s( both are identical) but these was not advertised as Road Switchers but,in a way a half hearted attempt to answer Alcos RS1..The BL-2 was EMD's road switcher answer to the RS1 and RS2.
A NW5
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=189122
http://www.northeast.railfan.net/images/tr_sp9016.jpg
Hate to disappoint you Josh. They're from Germany. As a result some people called them Kraut-Machines!
But I guess if you are getting one for "collector value" be certain to get one in the original brown/gold colored box. The blue box ones are a more recent run.
If that is all that is broke, Precision Scale Company and Cal-scale both make detail parts out of brass and plastic. They both have several versions of the pilot (cowcatcher) available.
Precision Scale- http://www.precisionscaleco.com/
Cal-Scale- http://www.bowser-trains.com/
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IronBeltKen
Lazy Daydreamer
I known of two roads that used BL2's: The C&O and the Western Maryland (There's a WM unit sitting in the B&O museum). I can't say for certain, but it may have been an experimental "form-follows-function" body type tried by EMD for use on branch lines and other places where a lot of switching needed to be done. Once the GP7 came along there was no longer any need for this model.
Brakie
Member
A little history of EMD's ill-fated first attempt in the road switcher market.
The first attempt was the BL-1 which is the forerunner of the BL-2.Only one BL-1 was built it share the same carbody as the BL-2.There was 58 BL-2s built.
The biggest problem with the BL-2 was the view from the cab while switching.Unlike the Alco RS1 and RS2 the engineer could not see the switchmen on the ground from the cab of the BL-2..Here is a unit that EMD's design engineers did not like,the sales department did not like and above all the railroads did not like because they felt the BL-2 was no more then a modified F7 with the same basic view problems.. Long time Editor of Trains magazine Dave P.Morgan would comment the BL-2 look like a cross between a Borden milk car and a cab unit.Of course the failure of the BL-2 in sales led to the development EMD's GP7s by EMD's Chief Design Engineer Dick Dilworth..
But that is another stoy.
The first attempt was the BL-1 which is the forerunner of the BL-2.Only one BL-1 was built it share the same carbody as the BL-2.There was 58 BL-2s built.
The biggest problem with the BL-2 was the view from the cab while switching.Unlike the Alco RS1 and RS2 the engineer could not see the switchmen on the ground from the cab of the BL-2..Here is a unit that EMD's design engineers did not like,the sales department did not like and above all the railroads did not like because they felt the BL-2 was no more then a modified F7 with the same basic view problems.. Long time Editor of Trains magazine Dave P.Morgan would comment the BL-2 look like a cross between a Borden milk car and a cab unit.Of course the failure of the BL-2 in sales led to the development EMD's GP7s by EMD's Chief Design Engineer Dick Dilworth..
But that is another stoy.
Cjcrescent
Master Mechanic
Brakie;
Wasn't it developed in response to the ALCO RS-1 or 2?
Wasn't it developed in response to the ALCO RS-1 or 2?
Brakie
Member
Cjcrescent said:
Carey,Until the BL-1/BL-2 EMD did not have a road switcher except for a few NW3 and NW5s( both are identical) but these was not advertised as Road Switchers but,in a way a half hearted attempt to answer Alcos RS1..The BL-2 was EMD's road switcher answer to the RS1 and RS2.
A NW5
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=189122
HaggisKennedy
Coal Shoveler
I'm of the mind that the BL-2 is the ugliest locomotive that was ever invented here in the US....
Kennedy
Kennedy
jbaakko
Diesel Detail Freak
Huh!? What about the Krauss-Maffei Diesel-Hydralic's from Russia?HaggisKennedy said:I'm of the mind that the BL-2 is the ugliest locomotive that was ever invented here in the US....
Kennedy
http://www.northeast.railfan.net/images/tr_sp9016.jpg
Cjcrescent
Master Mechanic
jbaakko said:
Hate to disappoint you Josh. They're from Germany. As a result some people called them Kraut-Machines!
GandyDancer
Member
I just looked on e-bay. Wow, there are some very pricey ones out there in the e-bay stores. I just wanted to say that they couldn't give these things away in the hobby stores for $39.99. I think I got mine for $19. I would really not recommend paying the $69 that I see some of these people asking, they are NOT rare and definitely not worth that much.pappywolf said:
But I guess if you are getting one for "collector value" be certain to get one in the original brown/gold colored box. The blue box ones are a more recent run.
Cjcrescent
Master Mechanic
pappywolf said:
If that is all that is broke, Precision Scale Company and Cal-scale both make detail parts out of brass and plastic. They both have several versions of the pilot (cowcatcher) available.
Precision Scale- http://www.precisionscaleco.com/
Cal-Scale- http://www.bowser-trains.com/
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a commision from some of the links and ads shown on this website (Learn More Here)