Allamuchy, there is also another way. Pay $9,000 for that freight car you haven't seen in 30 years. Next week, someone will release it in 47 different road numbers !!! :teeth:
In fairness, the major feature of BLI's locos always has been sound. The M1a is being offered with no sound, but I wouldn't be surprised if someday they make all their locos with sound as cost-effective, just like Bachmann now puts DCC in every new loco they make. But really, once you run a loco w/ sound (especially a steamer) it's hard to resist having one for yourself.
I don't understand why you are frustrated. The vast majority of new N scale locos do not have sound and of the ones that do, most are also offered without sound.
Actually, this loco is only being offered with sound, there is no Non sound version in this announcement. The original precision craft announcement had non sound versions listed but they killed them iwth this announcement. Broadway only produces sound equipped locos. Their sound system is their selling point. There is nothing that says you can't run these locos on your DC layout. They work perfectly fine and you can even mute the sound if you like if I remember correctly. If you want to play with the "bells and whistles" they sell a box you can put in line to allow you to play most of the sounds on a DC system.
I'm not sure what announcement your talking about, the only thing I have seen is an updated delivery schedule. On their PAs and E units, they no longer list any non-sound units, but on their M1s they do. I could not find any information on their N scale Centipedes. Regardless, even if this one manufacturer does drop non-sound uints completely, that's a far cry from "all new locos being produced with sound."
This was posted on the store site were I pre-order. Important: PCM had originally announced an analog version w/out sound. This will not be made. The new version has a dual mode decoder which operates on both analog and DCC layouts. With the use of their DCMaster (temporarily out of stock), full use of the sound features can be obtained on an analog layout.
i have to BLI with sound, run DC and I will be just fine if I never add another sound equipped unit. Novel but not necessary.
Sound on a diesel is a novelty in my opinion also. Sound on a steam loco is a whole different effect. It is amazing how much more you pay attention to speed when you can hear the chuff rate of the loco. A steam loco was a living, breathing machine and the sound effects help that experience. Diesels are pretty much a rumble in the dark if you ask me, and I own 5 sound equipped diesels, (4 of them being PCM/BLI).
The M1a's are now listed on a certain E-tailer website with a retail price of $349.99. Street price is, of course, less. Delivery is January 2015. The PRR Centepedes have a retail price of $367.49. That is for an AA set. They are also showing an AA set lettered for UP [Nos. 1600A & 1601A]. I didn't know UP actually had any of these. They originally did have two on order [Nos. 998 & 999] but for some reason, the sale did not take place.
Diesels are only a rumble in the dark if you can't tell the difference between an EMD, Alco and GE prime mover. Have never stood next to a set of tunnel motors in run 8 on their knees as they struggle up the sierras. I agree sound on a steamer is more important though.
First... Am I on the right thread... the one for bashing and trashing a model railroad manufacturer? Okay I guess I in the right place... LOL Well... I want to say that it's a great day to see that BLI/PCM has re-announced a long awaited model for the Pennsy and Northeastern railroad modelers. Plus they have announced another unexpected model... the Baldwin Centipede... to appease those same modelers. Frankly they deserve the reward after waiting so long for the previously announced 'vaporware' M1a and M1b from 2003. Let's hope their souls aren't ripped out of them again. As far as the Union Pacific version... it's fantasy (period). UP did order... but never received the #998 & #999. In fact... I wonder why BLI/PCM chose to use the ALCo FA1 numbers 1600A & 1601A? I will say though... that by announcing a western road name which 'could have' had these Centipedes it gives the western road modelers a reason to acquire a pair. I certainly am intrigued... and somewhat interested... but would have rather they used the road numbers 998 & 999 as originally intended to be purchased by UP. A pair of Centipedes may find a home here even though they were shunned by UP. Pricing for these is about what would be expected from BLI/PCM... they are the high-end... all bell & whistles (literally)... maker of model trains.
I'll probably end up getting a pair in Nationales de Mexico. I've got a thing for unusual locomotives, and these definitely qualify. I hope BLI does well with both these releases, and they expand their N scale offerings.
The explanation for the different road numbers can be found here: http://utahrails.net/up/up-diesel-story-1934-1982-b.php#heading_toc_j_5
Thanks for the link and suggested reason for the numbering. Too bad UP never got a few sets... would have been interesting to see them in photos plying the rails along desert landscape of the Salt Lake Route to Los Angeles. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Salt_Lake_Route.jpg
Interesting, the UP units then are not so much of a fantasy as the things some other manufacturers come up with. I notice they are doing Baldwin demonstrators in HO, they are the ones I would buy in N scale.
I have much fewer sound equipped locomotives than non-sound equipped. Most of the sound equipped are Athearn steam engines (Challenger/Big Boy). I like the sound in the large steam engines more-so than on the few diesels that have sound.
