Happy Friday, everyone! Curtis Koch here from BLI, back with another edition of The Broadway Flyer!

We've got a lot to cover in this edition, including teasers for upcoming items, a recap of recent product announcements, and a refresher on approaching order deadlines.

So, without further delay, let's dive in!

In The News:

We recapped our last two announcements from The Railroad Hobby Show in West Springfield, Massachusetts, as well as our most recent announcement of HO F-Units and HO Consolidations. You can watch that video by clicking the image above or here.

Jimmy from the YouTube Channel DIY and Digital Railroad did some incredible video work using some BLI models he recently picked up. You have to watch the video!

Our friend James Wright over at jlwii2000 on YouTube recently reviewed a few paint schemes of our recent N scale F3's and F7's. Give it a look here!

New Product Announcements:

We know many of you have seen the image above regarding the Norfolk Southern F-Units. Orders have been coming in strong, and if this trend continues, we’ll look into offering NS Executive cars to go with them.

Plus, don’t forget—we have other great road names and paint schemes available! Contact your dealer and place your order soon, as we expect several road names to sell out upon delivery.

In addition to the F3s and F7s, we also announced a re-run of HO Scale 2-8-0 Consolidation steam locomotives, featuring several road names with accurate paint schemes.


Both projects have a pre-order deadline of March 13th, with delivery projected for September of this year.

Order Deadlines: 

Speaking of order deadlines, we have some fast approaching! We know you've heard this before, but we can't stress it enough—if you want any of the models below, be sure to place a pre-order with your favorite dealer!


Orders placed after these deadlines are fulfilled on a first-come, first-served basis, and many customers who order late end up missing out. Don't let that happen to you—get your order in before it's too late!

Below is the upcoming list of projects that have order deadlines approaching: 

• 2-8-0 Consolidation, HO - March 13, 2025
• EMD F3, HO - March 13, 2025
• EMD F7, HO - March 13, 2025
• Conductors Club ES44, HO & N - May 5th, 2025
• UP Power Car 2066, HO - April 24th, 2025
• Fox River Theater Car, HO - April 24th, 2025
• CNW Yellow Jacket, HO - April 24th, 2025

New Samples:

We recently received several samples from the factory for us to evaluate and bring to future shows. First up is the "early" version of our Union Pacific "Bullmoose" in HO scale. This is a brass-Hybrid model with hand-crafted boiler and tender shells and a diecast chassis for increased tractive effort.

These photos are of the first sample we received from the factory so details are still subject to change.

PHOTO: A close up view of the pipe work and air pumps on the fireman's side of the locomotive. 

PHOTO: That's one shiny Vanderbilt tender!

PHOTO: Here is a look at the fireman's side of the locomotive

Delivery Schedule: 

Customer Q&A:

The last section of The Broadway Flyer is our customer Q&A! Most of the questions we get are about if we are going to build or make a certain locomotive or piece of rolling stock. 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: "Will the AC6000 be brought back to HO scale with the new Paragon 4 decoder? If so, will we get a WNYP railroad scheme similar to the N scale version?" - James via email

A: Unfortunately, we do not have plans to produce the AC6000 in HO scale. If we were to revisit it, we would need to retool the model to reflect the detail variations of the current rebuilds seen on railroads today.

Q: "Can the Reading G3 Pacifics be a project in the near future or are they on the floor? They’re very beautiful and would make great Hybrid models. Another run of the T1s wouldn’t hurt either, perhaps offered in Stealth this time." - James on Facebook

A: As of now, we do not have these locomotives in development. However, if demand is high enough, we would consider them more seriously! As for the Reading T1s, if we were to produce them again, we would need to retool them for diecast. With many other locomotives in our pipeline, a rerun is not currently planned.

Q: "Estimated release for the N scale Cab Forward and FEF?" - Garrett on Facebook

A: We do not yet have an estimated release date for N scale Cab Forwards and FEFs. Developing N scale steam locomotives takes significantly longer than HO scale due to their smaller size. Rest assured, they are still in progress, but we don’t have a timeline for an official announcement.

Q: "How have the Stealth Line models been selling?" - Nick on Facebook

A: Stealth diesel models have been selling well. However, sales of Stealth steam locomotives have been lower than we had hoped since reintroducing the Stealth Line.

Q: "What’s the chance of synchronized smoke in an N scale locomotive, or are the models too small to accommodate it?" - Robert on Facebook

A: Due to the small size of N scale locomotives, it is extremely difficult to implement a synchronized smoke unit that functions properly. The smoke unit we have developed for N scale is the best solution currently available for producing smoke in steam locomotives.

Q: "Are the Burlington E5s going to happen?" - Rick on Facebook

A: Yes, they are! We are actively working on the designs and have received valuable feedback from the CB&Q Historical Society. We are also coordinating with the Illinois Railway Museum to record sound from locomotive 9911A.

Q: "When Sunset Models produced the Southern Pacific AC-9 recently, they reached out to the community with their CAD drawings and received feedback on details that previous models had gotten wrong. How do you verify your designs and balance detail vs. economy?" - Geoff on Facebook

A: For every project, we work closely with the historical societies of the respective railroad, as well as with railroad officials who operated or maintained the prototype. For example, in our Santa Fe 2900-class project, we received drawings, measurements, and feedback from both New Mexico Heritage Rail—the organization that owns and operates No. 2926—and the Santa Fe Historical Society. Their input has been invaluable.
Similarly, for our Frisco 1522 project, Don Wirth, who operated the locomotive during its excursion career, provided feedback on the model and helped source drawings for its design. Our models are thoroughly verified by multiple industry sources and historical societies to ensure accuracy and authenticity.

Q: "I know this is oddly specific, but were you considering making a model of the unstreamlined version of the N&W J Class produced during WWII? Maybe their K2 Mountains?" - Elliott on Facebook

A: We have received this request a few times. It could certainly be a candidate for a future model, but as of now, it is not on our development radar.

Q: "You previously offered stock cars with sound in HO and N scale. Have you ever considered adding sound to other cars, like passenger cars or even a caboose?" - Tyler on Facebook

A: Only where it makes sense. Our HO Scale UP Power Car #2066 will be available in both sound and non-sound variants.

Q: "Obligatory status update on the ATSF-BNSF Business Car fleet?" - Alexander on Facebook

A: As of now, the ATSF/BNSF Inspection Car "William Barstow Strong" is in development. Additional BNSF-specific cars may follow, depending on the sales performance of these models.

Q: "Are there any plans to make the 1976 American Freedom Train cars? Maybe in time for America’s 250th birthday in 2026?" - Everett on Facebook

A: Yes! We are actively working on both the 1976 and 1947 Freedom Trains. The 1976 Freedom Train will be released in phases, starting with the display baggage cars, with additional components of the train to follow.

Q: "When can we expect samples of the Frisco 4-8-2s that were hinted at? Will Frisco support cars (passenger cars) be available for the 1522 if it is made? Additionally, are there any plans to make more Great Northern or Northern Pacific steam engines?" - Daniel on Facebook

A: The Frisco 4-8-2s are currently in the design phase, so we do not have a timeline for samples yet. Before producing support or passenger cars for locomotives, we need to see how well the locomotives themselves sell first. If sales do not meet expectations, it would not make sense to invest in additional rolling stock.

Q: "Are there any plans for CN or GTW steam locomotives in the future, especially 4-6-2, 4-8-2, or 4-8-4 models?" - Benjamin on Facebook

A: Not at the moment, but that could change! If you have a model you'd like us to build, please fill out our Product Suggestion Portal. This helps us gauge customer interest and prioritize future projects.

Q: "Would you ever consider producing 1860s-era steam locomotives?" - Carter on Facebook

A: Not at this time. The demand for steam locomotives that are either still in operation today or ran during the 1940s-1950s far outweighs the small number of requests we receive for 1860s-era steam.

That wraps up the February edition of The Broadway Flyer. Thanks again to all of you—our amazing customers! We look forward to seeing you at future shows this year!

From all of us at BLI, happy railroading!