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    Broadway Limited HO Big Boy,..problems

    To be fair, BlueLines are 20 year old engines when BLI was a new company with growing pains. Expect to deal with issues on these old models. These are nothing like the new Paragon 4s that have updated tooling and fixed the issues of previous models.
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    Steel wheels in HO scale. What are the pros and cons?

    I have used Intermountain, Walthers, Tangent, and Bachmann on Athearn Blue Boxes. Athearn trucks are pretty forgiving they all seem to work. Out of those 4 going from most universal, best fitting to least, on different types of trucks out there from various manufacturers I would rate 1)...
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    Bachmann locomotives

    Since I model HO, I say mostly yes. I say mostly because there are some annoyances. The Streamlined K4 uses the old sway style drawbar which is a PITA to install and remove. I just permanently installed it and left it as such. Other than that it runs and sounds great with a TCS decoder, not...
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    Helow from Balt. Md.

    You are in the home of the former Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, one of America's first railroads and also the impressive Baltimore and Ohio Museum. You should take a chance to visit if you haven't to learn more about railroads and railroad history.
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    What items would you like to see the manufacturers come out with? Locos, cars, ETC.

    They could but no one wants to pay the price for them to do it. Broadway Limited is coming out with one too but I guarantee you it won't be cheap.
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    What items would you like to see the manufacturers come out with? Locos, cars, ETC.

    There is a bunch of stuff I would like them to come out with. Will they though? Most likely not because they are niche and not as popular as the big name items that sale. Blame the lowest common denominator of the hobby who like the big, popular engines and railroads that make up the majority...
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    Rivarossi and Kadee couplers

    I always replace any plastic coupler. It is not a matter of if but when they fail so might as well just eliminate that issue from the get-go.
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    SCARM

    There is a track laying limit now and other things blocked in their "free" version. In 2015, you could build an entire layout with SCARM, and I did, free of charge nothing restricted.
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    SCARM

    Having used SCARM in the past when it was completely free vs. AnyRail, AnyRail is the superior product especially if I have to pay for it and you can install it on multiple computers.
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    Buying a locomotive with DCC sound vs converting a locomotive to DCC

    Depends on what you are after. If you want nothing to do with sound, you don't like the DCC Sound chip installed in the factory model, or in the case of Broadway Limited steam engines you want nothing to do with smoke (or you don't like their decoders in general which I admit are trash) then...
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    Sound without DCC

    You could buy old Broadway Limited BlueLine locos. They are DC locos with sound. You will have to buy their "Broadway Limited BLI-1011 DC Master Analog Control Module" if you want to be able to control their sounds. For that matter, any modern DCC Sound loco will run on a DC layout but you...
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    Worse case scenario? Bachmann goes out of business

    Unless you care about steam engines, particularly small ones, 19th Century railroading and rolling stock, then you will notice Bachmann leaving the market. Broadway Limited majority does big mainline steam engines, their smallest being a generic 2-8-0 less detailed than Bachmann's model and the...
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    Best DCC Sound Board?

    Well, your first problem is the 8-pin plug is considered obsolete by NMRA standards. https://dccwiki.com/Locomotive_Interface/NMRA_Eight_Pin_Plug Therefore, you are stuck using non-sound decoders or early generation sound decoders from the 2000's that are not very good, at least by current...
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    TYCO track

    TYCO track is Code 100 so will handle any HO rolling stock on the market. However, the track is brass so it is not as electrically conductive or resilient as nickel silver to corrosive elements so requires more maintenance and cleaning which is why most modelers today long abandoned it and only...
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    BLI finally going DCC ready.

    Yeah, he is just their spokesman and hypeman.
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    BLI finally going DCC ready.

    That is Bob Grubba himself, the owner of Broadway Limited.
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    Fox Valley Decoder

    Follow your own advice, most of my collection is BLI. I don't have any Life Like or Model Power either and I model HO. Kato doesn't make HO Steam. Bachmann Steam is fine and BLI has put out plenty of stinkers in N Scale.
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    Fox Valley Decoder

    Okay good for you 👍. Let me know when Walthers, Kato, Atlas, or Intermountain make a 4-4-0.
  19. S

    Fox Valley Decoder

    At least Bachmann will respond and fix/replace the problem.
  20. S

    BLI finally going DCC ready.

    Yep I agree. I sold all of my DC locos that I haven't already or plan on converting to DCC except for my Dad's for obvious reason. Guess I am not a "real modeler" in some eyes because I choose to focus my endeavors in other areas. I am here to run trains not be a repair shop and if I could...




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