I have about 12 different BLI steamers from issues running between 2003 and last year. I have sent five of them back for a number of reasons, two of which were my fault. It was only in the case of the PCM Y6b, which I dropped (AAAARRGGGHHH!!!) that they agree to fix it for USD$42, parts and return shipping included. That's a bargain for that wonderful locomotive. Works like a champ, although they forgot the reverser rod on one side, which they mailed to me.
On two occasions, one with a fried decoder, they fixed them for nothing. I broke a power pickup phoshpor bronze under the tender of my Hudson. Not too shabby.
So, that's three. The fourth was my brass hybrid Q2...the light wouldn't work. It was gone for three months, maybe four, but it worked when I got it back. Runs like a champ.
That's four. The fifth was a Stealth (DC only) J Class from the Norfolk & Weatern. BLI issued the Stealth series at the same time as they were issuing the first QSI's and the BlueLine series. This loco was from an etailer. The loco hesitated like it was out of quartering. My decoder installer geek/friend said a gear was split. I contacted BLI and they agreed to service it under warranty, five years into it's shelf life. Not too shabby. It came back two months later running well.
My latest two purchases in steam have been BLI's refurbished deals. First was a BlueLine A Class 2-6-6-4. It's a real beauty. It was perfect when my installer tore out the BlueLine sound decoder and installed a QSI Titan. It looks great and runs great.
I have just ordered a Pennsy I1 with short tender from the refurbished deals at BLI. I waited until the price dropped from their orignial 30% off until they showed 40% off. All I had to do was to keep a watch for three weeks while they sat there. Apparently, quite a few other watchers were keeping an eye as well, because seven of them disappeared with a couple of days when the price dropped.
What am I getting at? If you like steam, and would like to continue liking steam, count on the better importers to make them right, but not by supper time the next day. They may not have the parts, but those parts come with the next run. BLI returns to any one run within about 24 months to three years. My PCM Y6b needed a whole new front engine. Those are not likely to be sitting collecting dust two years after the last run of that locomotive. Mine coincided with a recent run, and I was lucky.
Bachmann and BLI are about the only two mainstream HO steamer producers for N. American steam. MTH has a niche market, and I know squat about them or their service history. Recently I have seen negative reports, but BLI had a bad spell between 2009 and 2011. Every corporation has a bad spell, more if they have a history spanning more than a decade.
These models, believe it or not, are not precision instruments. They aren't the $2000 microscopes you'd see in a lab. They aren't dentist's drill sets. If you'd like that quality and reliability, you couldn't afford the hobby in steam, and probably hardly in diesel. Didn't Life Like have a huge split gear problem eight years ago? Yes, they did, but in diesels, not steamers. I have a Life Like Proto 2000 Heritage Series 0-6-0 that is as pretty and as detailed as a brass one costing four times as much, and it runs well.
Guys, last thing: steam isn't for everyone, just like propellar driven aircraft don't appeal to all those in RC aircraft clubs. But for those of us who grew up with steam, and who like all the sliding, rocking, clanking, reciprocating, and rotating rods and levers, being able to watch them in miniature form whenever we want to is a huge form of satisfaction. For me, while I really do admire and like the looks of the SD70ACe, and would be very pleased to have one, when it comes to that or a Pennsy I1, it just isn't a contest...not even close. There's nothing going on when they run past, although the sound is pretty impressive. The ground doesn't shake like it did in my youth when a steamer went past me while I stood trackside. The dynamic augment from the reciprocating mass isn't there with diesels, just that deep roar.
It's just not the same. Our models do a great job of replicating that, but when you consider the cost, compared to brass especially, we have to expect some inconvenience from time-to-time.
And it's fun to watch
Of course, it makes me wonder, how fast I too could be banned!!
