Wasn't BLI's first release a NYC Hudson? I don't think it gets any better than BLI when it comes to steam. My biased opinion of course.
You still might be able to buy a Rivarossi Hudson...try trainworld in NYC. I have one made by BLI and like it a lot. Again, trainworld, or surf the web with that descriptor and see what turns up. IHC also makes a Hudson, and I would guess it will be a dependable and rugged motor, fairly smooth running. They are not a high-end product, so the details will be sparse and the actual model, itself, will probably only have a passing resemblance to a real Hudson. You can find them at most etail hobby shops, or contact IHC on-line. I read in the past week that they are closing shop, so make up your mind and order if you are thinking about an IHC.
Crandell, If you were in the market right now, on what of the manufacturers you've listed would you dedicate most effort? I know very little of this wonderful hobby, but I have seem to have gotten the impression that Rivarossi is top notch. I am going to do a 'net search on BLI. Merry Christmas, ST
No question, it would be the BLI model, but in fairness, I have no experience with the Rivarossi. It is probably a very good engine, but someone else would have to offer you a comparative. I have the BLI model and am happy with it. It still has the original QSI decoder without BEMF (due to a lawsuit between QSI and Mike's Train House at the time BLI issued the model), so it unfortunately lurches into motion at about 6-8 scale mph. An upgrade to the chip would solve that problem, but it hasn't been a priority yet. -Crandell
COverton, I did look at Broadway's Hudson. It does look impressive. I still have an American Flyer Hudson S-gauge that's gotta be fifty years old. It runs perfectly! It's made of cast iron, and it's an impressive audio and visual display when in operation. Merry Christmas, ST
From what little I know of the Hudson, they were extremely durable and very fast. I believe they were used almost exclusively for passenger travel. There's a model train show in Anaheim, CA on the 3rd & 4th of next month. Since this a not too far from me, I am going to attend. I will be searching for a good-quality Hudson with smoke and sound. Since I will probably be exposed to a large variety of Hudson locomotives, what should I look for and how much should I expect to spend? Merry Christmas, ST
That's a bit hard to say. You might be better off on ebay, frankly. Or try trainworld who will back up their product and who deliver in days. BTW, I have never ordered from them, but their reputation is solid. You want an engine that will move forward smoothly, no binding or jerking, and that will do the same in reverse. My BLI Hudson is considerably noisier, with gear noise, in reverse than moving forward, but it is still smooth. The speaker should sound good, not muffled or hissy. And the model should track well across turnouts and around curves in the 22" radius range and on up. I would not encourage the use of smoke. It doesn't scale very well, and is tends to mess things up a bit around the stack. Some former users say it leaves a residue on the rails after a while. I have almost no experience with smoke (mine was 47 years ago with a German Marklin HO set), but what I have read seems to be largely negative. For sure the BLI engine won't have smoke included, although it may be retrofitted...not sure since I have no interest and haven't researched it.
