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Article: The Broadway Flyer: April 2025

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The Broadway Flyer: April 2025

The Broadway Flyer: April 2025

Good afternoon everyone, 


We're back with another edition of The Broadway Flyer! April was a busy month, full of exciting new product announcements, updates, and more. In this issue, we’ve got plenty to cover—including some fresh teasers and answers to your burning questions. So, without further delay, let’s jump in!

 

An update on tariffs:

Below is a message from our President and CEO Bob Grubba, 


Dear Customers and Industry Partners, 

In April, the U.S. government imposed a 145% tariff on model trains imported from China—products that had previously been tariff-free.  Broadway Limited wants to provide you with a clear explanation of what’s happening, how it affects you, and what steps we’re taking in response.

A tariff is a tax collected by the US government from US companies when we import a product.  Trains from China now have a 145% tariff, meaning a $200 model would have a tax of $290, making our total cost $490.   BLI can absorb some of this, but the retail price would still rise by 80%, meaning the retail price for an HO diesel would rise from $375 to $670.  An HO Big Boy would rise from $849 to $1,500.  We believe that if tariffs are left at this level, the model train industry in the US will be wiped out, including all manufacturers, distributors and hobby stores.  

 

What Tariffs Mean for Model Train Pricing and Availability:





A tariff is a tax collected by the US government from US companies when we import a product. Trains from China now have a 145% tariff, meaning a $200 model would have a tax of $290, making our total cost $490. 

Manufacturers, importers, distributors and hobby stores can absorb some of this, but the retail price would still rise by around 80%, meaning the retail price for an HO diesel would rise from $375 to $670. An HO Big Boy would rise from $849 to $1,500.

We believe that if tariffs are left at this level, the model train industry in the US will be wiped out, including all manufacturers, distributors and hobby stores. BLI started manufacturing in Vietnam 6 years ago, but the process is slow. We now import 1/3 of our product from Vietnam, which only has a 10% tariff.

BLI would like to manufacture in the US, but many of the molds and components are not available here, and since the tariffs were implemented at such a high rate with almost no warning, we will be bankrupt before we can start production. For Broadway Limited, this means our 25 year old company will close and our 15 employees in Ormond Beach, FL will lose their jobs permanently.

 

How can you help?



Broadway Limited would like our government to negotiate with China to eliminate unfair trade practices without destroying the model train industry.

Congress has the power to negotiate tariffs. Use the links below to contact your senators and representative asking them to reduce these tariffs to a reasonable level and implement them gradually to save our hobby and the jobs of American workers employed in the industry.


Contact your Senator: https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm


Contact your State Representative: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative


You can also send a message to the President at: https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact.


You can email the US Trade representative, Ambassador Jamieson Greer at engagement@ustr.eop.gov.


BLI is part of the Hobby Industry Coalition. See the video produced by our fellow model train manufacturers HERE and visit http://hobbycoalition.org/ to find out more about how the industry is working together to solve this issue.

 

Thank you for your support!



Thank you for your continued support. We urge you to continue pre-ordering our products. Since the tariff situation changes daily, we will continue to announce products at their regular MSRP and will increase prices as needed when the products clear customs. You will be able to cancel orders if the tariff is still in place when the product arrives.

Below is a video Jimmy from the DIY & Digital Railroad made regarding tariffs. Jimmy does a great job explaining the situation us and our fellow manufacturers face. We hope you can take a moment to watch his video. 

New Product Announcements!

Let's move on to something much more exciting to talk about, new products! We had 3 new projects coming to HO scale announced in April. They were:


Let's start off with our newest HO scale locomotive announcement. The 3rd production run of our popular EMD SD45 diesels. 

Built on the same frame as the SD40, SD38 and several other EMD staples, EMD produced 1,260 SD45s between Decembers 1965 and 1971.

These freight haulers sported EMD’s 645E3 20-cylinder engine which had 3,600HP output.  EMD’s SD45s served on the Burlington Northern, Southern Pacific, Santa Fe, Pennsylvania, Great Northern, UP, NP and many other railroads.  Today, locomotives are currently preserved at the GN Railway Historical Society, the St Louis Museum of Transportation, the Virginia Museum of Transportation, the Utah State Railroad Museum, the Illinois Railway Museum and the Lake Superior Railroad Museum. 

Each of our Paragon4 Series SD45 models has our newest Paragon4 Sound/DC/DCC control system featuring Rolling Thunder, and is equipped with integral GoPack capacitor packs.  All of our models have road-specific details and lighting.

In addition to our Paragon4 models, we are also building these 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.  All of our models have road-specific details and lighting.

We are pleased to bring several striking paint schemes to HO scale including SP 7399 which was constructed in September of 1966 as Southern Pacific SD45 #8837. In1981, #8837 was rebuilt by the Southern Pacific themselves under the Southern Pacific's M-99 rebuild program into an SD44R and renumbered to it to #7399, thus making #7399 the only example of the SD44R.

We also have several other popular road names! This includes Montana Rail Link and Wisconsin Central, including locomotive 7525 which still runs today at the Illinois Railway Museum!

We also have something unique for you Wheeling and Lake Erie fans! You loved our GP35's and now we are bringing 90's era Wheeling to HO! These SD45's are exclusively offered through Chase's Train Garage, if these locomotives interest you, be sure to get your order in for these!

Next up, we're excited to introduce the latest addition to our Union Pacific Business Car lineup: Car 101, known today as "Lone Star", and formerly named "Lincoln". This release is entirely distinct from our previous "Kenefick" car, featuring unique details, a different interior layout, custom drumheads, and more.


Car 101 gained attention as it trailed Big Boy 4014 during its nationwide excursion in the summer of 2024. It has also sported a variety of drumheads over the years, giving you the flexibility to customize your model to match a specific excursion or create the perfect scene for your club layout or personal railroad.

Window Arrangement: Looking at these renders, you can see the 101 in the foreground, with the "Kenefick" in the background. Car 101 has a different window configuration on the side of the car with a much longer window. 

Underbody details: It's not uncommon for the U.P to rearrange the underbody details to swap out parts. However our car will represent the most common arrangement of these details. Notice how there is a different placement of piping, generators, tanks and warning labels. 

Roof Details: This car also sports different roof details compared to the Kenefick. Note the white GPS dome with cable, antenna arrangement, and wire sanctions.  

One of the most striking drumheads ever worn by this car is available exclusively from Spring Creek Model Trains! This special version celebrates the "Nebraska 150 Express", marking a unique moment in Union Pacific history.


Our own Curtis Koch talked about this car with the folks at Spring Creek and Tony Cook. Click the video thumbnail above to watch the video!


This configuration replicates the car as it appeared at the rear of a commemorative passenger train that carried UP officials and then-Governor Pete Ricketts across Nebraska. Over the course of three days, the train departed from Omaha and made stops in Columbus, North Platte, Ogallala, Sidney, Gering, Kearney, and Grand Island, celebrating Nebraska’s 150th anniversary in grand style.

If this drumhead version interests you, place your order here with Spring Creek.

Back by popular demand! We’re excited to announce a second run of Union Pacific #119 “Kenefick” in HO scale. Our first release was such a hit that it sold out before production even began—and we’re expecting the same response this time around. If you’re modeling the UP Business Train, don’t miss your chance to reserve yours!


This run includes all the drumhead versions from the original release, plus one brand-new addition: the Missouri Bicentennial drumhead, as worn by the car in 2021.


And for our East Coast modelers, we’ve got something special just for you! We're teaming up with TrainWorld to offer a fun fantasy version of “Kenefick” in a CSX Santa Train scheme—exclusively using the same high-quality tooling. You can visit their website and place a pre-order here!

Project Updates:

 

 As we mentioned earlier there are a few projects that will inevitably be delayed due to the ongoing tariff situation. However we do have some projects coming in from our factory in Vietnam. See below for a few updates.


  • HO Scale EMD GP35: Assembly is complete, but we are holding these at our factory for the time being, while we await a resolution on tariff rates.

  • N Scale EMD NW2 and SW7 Switchers:  These locomotives were assembled in Vietnam and are stateside and are enroute to dealers. 

  • HO Scale Heavyweight Combines/Business Cars/ 5 Car set: These cars are in the final stages of production and are scheduled to leave our Vietnam factory around May 14th. With shipping around 4-6 weeks, we expect these to arrive around mid June. We will keep you updated and let you know when the models arrive. 

  • Conductors Club HO Scale Challengers: The Conductor's Club Challengers are in the process of being shipped out! We expect them to be shipped out by early next week. If you ordered one, keep an eye out for an email with tracking information. Our shipping department is working as fast as they can to get them shipped out. 

  • HO Scale F3/F7's: Due to lack of orders we unfortunately have to cancel our Amtrak type HO scale F7's. These are SKU numbers 9684 – 9689.

Now for an exciting update regarding our HO scale Class D Shay! As many of you know, this project has been in development for some time and has experienced a few delays along the way. The primary reason was our decision to refine the tooling to allow the model to reliably navigate 18-inch radius curves—a highly requested feature from our customers modeling logging railroads. We're proud to say we took that feedback seriously and put in the extra work to make it happen.

Now that the tooling is complete and we've received production samples, we’re excited to announce a more firm delivery date of this fall!


With that comes an important note: the order deadline is June 5th. We also are building these models to order, meaning no extras will be built. If you don't pre-order by then, you will not receive this model. 

Our Shay locomotives have been popular and the anticipation on these models is very strong, so if you haven't placed your order yet, now is the time to reserve yours through your preferred dealer!

 

Garage Sale:

On June 7th, we are hosting a garage sale! This event will be a one day only event at our headquarters here in Florida.

Our address is 9 East Tower Circle, Ormond Beach, FL 32174.


Here is what you need to know: 

  • Event will go from 8 AM to 5 PM on June 7th
  • This in person event will allow visitors to get first dibs at whatever parts they want!
  • Parts include shells, wheels, chassis and more!
  • If you can't make the in person event, you will be able to purchase grab bags online for $29.99!
  • Grab bags can be chosen by the scale (HO or N) and are guaranteed 2 pounds of parts per bag, however parts in the bag will be randomized.


Whether you're an experienced modeler or just starting out, this grab bag is a fun and affordable way to expand your parts collection and let your imagination run wild. Every bag is different, so you'll never know exactly what you're going to get—but that's half the fun!


Supplies are limited, so don’t miss your chance to grab one while they last! Sales begin on June 7th—mark your calendars for our in-person event. If you can’t attend, be sure to watch for our announcement on the website and social media. 


Click here to order your HO Scale Grab Bag

Click here to order your N Scale Grab Bag

PLEASE NOTE: Grab bags will be shipped following the in person June 7th Garage sale event at our Florida headquarters.

 

In The News:

We've got several videos out showing off our latest releases! Here are a few of our favorites! 

The Steam Channel did a review of our "Kenefick" Business Cars. We are sold out of our first production run, however if you missed out don't worry as we have a second production run in the works with an estimated release of early 2026.  

While in Denver for the Rocky Mountain Train Show, we ran into a Mark "Hyce" Huber showing off his pair of T1a Berkshires! You can watch his video on them here. 

 

Teasers, Renders and Samples!

We have several items to show off to you today! Let's start off with a tease of a new piece of rolling stock we are working on!

(ABOVE): It's time for some accurate business cars for other railroads! As we've said a few times before, we are working on the BNSF and Conrail/CSX Theater Cars. Pictured above is the Santa Fe version of car #89, the "William Barstow Strong". This car will come in various versions. No timeline for an announcement yet, but we anticipate these to be extremely popular! 

(ABOVE): Pictured above is our first draft of the modern day BNSF version of the "William Barstow Strong".

Other samples that have arrived to our HQ for evaluation include... 
(ABOVE): Some samples of our upcoming Heavyweight Combines. 

Delivery Schedule:

As we mentioned earlier, due to the tariffs, we are in the midst of trying our best to move production over to Vietnam. However there are still some projects we have to build in China. So as of today, here is our current delivery schedule. 

 

Customer Q&A:

We know many of you have questions from tariffs to new product ideas or updates. We will try to answer as many as we can below. If you have a model you'd like us to build, please fill out our Product Suggestion Portal. It's the best way for us to collect data on how many customers want the model you are suggesting, and if we get a high amount of requests, it can influence us to re-arrange the timeline for when a model will be built. 


Q: "Given that you are faithfully doing the UP business and support cars, are you planning on doing UP 9336 ( express boxcar used as a material car in the steam program)  as part of the lineup?" - William via email

A: We haven't gotten to that point yet, we will most likely going to work on more of the passenger cars before considering some of the support freight cars. 

Q: "Will the HO PRR H10 see a return again in the near future? They have not been made since Paragon 2 era at least a decade ago." - Joseph on Facebook

A: It might! We haven't ruled out a re-run of that locomotive. We don't have a timeline for that but it is definitely a possibility to be brought back again in the future. 

Q: "When could we see the 4449's auxiliary?" - Zane on Facebook

A: There are still a few projects to be designed ahead of it but we hope to begin the design process this year. We don't have a definitive timeline for the model, but if we were to guess, sometime next year is most likely for an official announcement. 

Q: "Would you ever see consider doing a basic 4-6-0 design? Something that can be lettered for any railroad and not be based off anything specific." - Carter on Facebook

A: When it comes to steam, our most successful projects are road specific steam. When it comes to "generic" locomotive types. It's hard to pick one prototype and try and use it for a base of other models. The only examples where it has worked for us is the 2-8-0, and USRA steam locomotives. However according to the market, it makes more sense for us to invest tooling costs into more road specific steam locomotives. 

Q: "What’s next on the docket for 80’s steam excursion once Frisco 1522 is done? I’ll love to see Savannah & Atlanta 750 get made." - John on Facebook

A: Savannah and Atlanta 740 is not on our list of models to make at this point in time. We do have a few other locomotives on our list to do that were once excursion stars during the 80's, but we cannot share what they are publicly at this time. 

Q: "What is your process for picking and/or matching paint? Do you try to find original drift cards or historical society sources or use existing pictures and video? Are the models then painted with a custom mix or color matched to off the shelf?" - Geoff on Facebook

A: We always start with getting color chips from historical societies of any given railroad we work with. We then work with our factory on getting a match to those color chips. In some cases if we are working with colors where there would be matching involved, (for example GS-4 daylight colors to Daylight passenger cars) we work together to get them to match. 

Q: "How seriously do you consider product suggestions from Collector’s Club members and customers? Will we receive any feedback on a suggestion?" - Bill on Facebook

A: We take them seriously! We on average receive 15-20 suggestions a day. We would not reach out to customers on a suggestion they make unless they have materials we can use that can go into the research or development of a model. 

Q: "In regards to the UP business heritage cars, any plans on doing the last three, the “Feather River”, “St. Louis” and “Cheyenne” cars? AND…Will you make all the drumheads for these cars, including those on the “Kenefick”, “Lone Star” and “Lincoln” as an available part that can be purchased separately so they can be interchangeable with those assigned/installed on the named cars? - John on Facebook

A: Answering your question on the remaining cars, yes we plan on doing the last three! We do not have a timeline for an announcement of those cars yet. In regards to the drumheads, unfortunately they will not be available as a separate part. Given how they are designed with their lighting feature, it does not make it feasible for us to sell them separately. 

Q: "How are the preorders coming for the Illinois Central steam engine? Are they good enough to consider other IC steam?" - Joshua on Facebook

A: Unfortunately no, but we are still a ways from the order deadline. We hope those improve! Tell your Illinois Central steam friends to get their order in to up those chances! 

Q: Has the release schedule changed, or are models such as the PRR S1 and Big Boy 4014 still expected as planned? - litobi on Instagram

A: All models are continuing to their production schedule. Unfortunately there might be extensive delays on when models arrive due to supply chain issues similar to what we experienced during the COVID-19 Pandemic. However we can't say for sure. 

Q: "Will we ever see a return of the pre war daylight observation car? It's the only car I'm missing to complete my train" - ennzrr on Instagram

A: At this time, we have no plans to re-run the Daylight passenger cars. 

Q: :Is there any chance that ATSF #62 might get produced at some point? Maybe for 2026-27? It started out as a Coach Bar Lounge and later became a Director’s Club Lounge. This car has never ever been done in plastic, only brass. Today it’s part of BNSF’s Business fleet. I would love to have it for my Santa Fe Business Train." - anthony_angelici on Instagram

A: There is always a chance! However before we make more AT&SF and BNSF business cars, we want to see how the "William Barstow Strong" car sells first. 



That wraps up the April edition of The Broadway Flyer. Thanks again to all of you—our amazing customers! We hope you have a great weekend! 

From all of us at BLI, happy railroading!

- Curtis and the BLI Team

 

Written by Curtis Koch

3 comments

Any chance of a 2nd release of the N scale PRR CENTIPEDES ? He asked with fingers crossed

WALT DIDGET

will you ever make more great Northern locomotives in n scale?

Asher Johnson

Are you doing more CSX HO Scale Business passenger cars? Maybe some HO Scale Amtrak stuff too.

Stephen Gregory

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