NEW PRODUCT ANNOUNCEMENT: B&M T1a and T1b Berkshires, Big Boy and Stock Car

Boston and Maine T1a/T1b Berkshire, HO Scale

The Lima Locomotive Works supplied the Boston & Maine Railroad with twenty-five "Berkshire" type locomotives, numbered 4000 through 4024, which possessed a distinct appearance. These B&M "Berks" featured feed water heaters encircling the crown of the smokebox. 

The initial batch of twenty locomotives, known as Class T-1a, arrived in 1928. They boasted 63" diameter drivers, 27.5" x 30" cylinders, a boiler pressure of 240 psi, a tractive effort of 66,500 pounds, and a weight of 390,200 pounds. In 1929, the final five locomotives, designated Class T-1b, were delivered, sharing similar specifications but with a tractive effort of 68,990 pounds and a weight of 403,000 pounds.

Right from the start, the Boston & Maine faced challenges with their Lima-built "Berkshires." The trailing four-wheel truck proved problematic due to the locomotive's large firebox and ash pan, requiring an articulated frame. The rear of the firebox rested on a movable base, leading to chronic leakage issues at the mud ring, side sheet stay bolts, and throat sheet as it attempted to accommodate the trucks' motion, causing occasional derailments while in reverse.

Towards the end of World War II, western railroads urgently required locomotives to handle the transportation demands shifting from the European to the Pacific front. The Boston & Maine, dissatisfied with its Lima-built "Berkshires," eagerly seized the opportunity to aid the war effort and dispose of their troublesome locomotives. The B&M sold ten "Berkshires" to the Southern Pacific and seven to the Santa Fe.

Each model comes with our Paragon4 Sound/DC/DCC sound system with synchronized puffing smoke and integral GoPack capacitors. In addition to the Paragon4 version, each model is available in our Stealth Series. These are No-Sound / DCC-Ready models that operate on DC out of the box, or a modeler can easily install their DCC decoder of choice. Out of the box, Front and rear lights are directional, and other lights are always ON with track power. Additionally some lighting functions may be missing depending on selected aftermarket decoder the modeler installs.

The order deadline for these Berkshires is September 21st, 2023. 

Union Pacific Big Boy, HO Scale 

Often called the largest steam locomotive ever made, and certainly a contender for the Worlds Most Famous Locomotive, the Big Boy was forged under some of the most strenuous demands ever placed on a locomotive. The UP Railroad needed a locomotive that could be used to pull a 3,600-ton train over Sherman Hill and the 1.14% grade from Ogden to Wasatch, Utah without the need for helpers. When the design specifications were complete, it was decided on the use of a simple articulated, high speed, 132 ft. long locomotive sporting sixteen 68 diameter drive wheels. What they created was the longest and among the heaviest, most powerful steam locomotive legends in the world. And had not the worker at ALCO chalked Big Boy on the front of the smoke box of one of the 4-8-8-4s under construction, a name that immediately caught on, it is rumored that the name of the type would have been Wasatch, for the mountains they were built to conquer.

There were 25 locomotives fabricated in two different groups. Class 1 were locomotives #4000-4019 and Class 2 was numbered 4020-4024. The first Big Boy #4000 was delivered to Omaha, NE on September 5, 1941. Union Pacific's commitment to the Big Boy required them to replace the lighter rail and straighten out many miles of track for clearance, as well as to resize elements of their service areas (such as turntable lengths, etc.) for the entire line these locos would run on.

The Big Boys demonstrated fantastic strength and speed as they faced these challenges throughout their storied careers. With the total mileage on the Big Boy fleet being approximately 1,000,000 miles for each locomotive, one must say that they earned their reputation.

In this production, BLI is modeling three numbered Class-1 Big Boys, two numbered Class-2 Big Boys, and an unpainted model of each. We will also offer two models of #4014 as it appears today with slight paint variations based on the timeframe. Additionally, we are building two models of the Big Boy in the Union Pacific Two Tone Gray paint scheme - one with aluminum lettering and one with yellow. This is a fantasy paint scheme as the Big Boy never received this paint in real life.

Each model comes with our Paragon4 Sound/DC/DCC sound system with synchronized puffing smoke and integral GoPack capacitors. In addition to the Paragon4 version, each model is available in our Stealth Series. These are No-Sound / DCC-Ready models that operate on DC out of the box, or a modeler can easily install their DCC decoder of choice. Out of the box, Front and rear lights are directional, and other lights are always ON with track power. Additionally some lighting functions may be missing depending on selected aftermarket decoder the modeler installs.

The order deadline for the Big Boy's is September 21st, 2023. 

Stock Cars, N Scale

Stock cars were used to transport a variety of live animals, such as cattle, mules, horses, hogs, sheep, and calves. Animal transport was and still is an important revenue stream for many railroads.

BLI's K7A is a handsome reproduction of the Pennsylvania Railroad design. Our sound-equipped stock cars are equipped with motion-operated on/off technology, so livestock noises can be heard when the train moves or is jostled—just like in real life!

So, if your pike has livestock to move, we have the means. Our sound stock cars have been a hit for many years in HO scale, and now we're bringing them to N scale for the first time! Order yours today.

This run of stock cars has cattle, mule, and sheep sounds, along with some additional fantasy schemes to add some fun to your model railroad! This includes a Spirit of '76 scheme with patriotic sounds, a Halloween car with spooky sounds that would pair perfectly with our Layout Lightning Storm, and two cars to bring in the holiday season.

The order deadline for these cars is September 7th, 2023.