Unveiling Broadway Limited's Brass Hybrid K-2 Mikado: Paragon 4 Detailed Review | jlwii2000

[@jaymz5267]

BLI hit a home run with this one. I know I’m commenting a year after its release, but I ended getting two of these engines and I adore them! The amount of detail on these locomotives is astounding and I love those Vanderbilt tenders.

[@UneducatedEngineer444]

I love brodway limited I just wish the smoke was a little more like mth used to be. Other than that they look amazing and sound great. I love the tender btw!

[@pageba2010]

It’s a simple cv change, look in the manual for idle fan speed, and turn the cv value to like 20

[@UneducatedEngineer444]

@@pageba2010 Interesting! That has me a little more interested. I know smoke is just for fun but for me personally it's a deal breaker for steam engines. I have to make sure my basement smells like burnt coal all the time 😎

[@kevinharris1392]

These 2-8-2 Mikados were the common power on the coal trains on the C&O James River Subdivision that ran from Clifton Forge VA to Richmond VA. Much like the GP 40 locomotive it was good main line power and for yard switching to.

[@jlwii2000]

thanks for the additional info Kevin!

[@cheryltysver4819]

You are exactly right on both counts! The EMD's in both 4 and 6 axle variants were almost always the most responsive general purpose locomotives. The late generation B-unit GE's, given their high horsepower per axle ratios and extended range dynamic brakes, ended up being my favorite 4 axle locomotives! The wheel-slip control on those units was also excellent. I grew up on the C&O 'James River ' Division in Scottsville, Va... and a nurse/roommate somehow found a picture of me and some friends on a Mikado 2-8-2, Engine number 1216... and had the picture blown up for my birthday. The odd part is that I have no idea where she got the original! Are you a bit of a C&O historian...or did you live near the 'James River' Division and if so where? Thanks for your input!

[@caseyjones745]

Great review. It has been awhile since I watched your reviews, and you have come a long way. Short and to the point, with sight and sound video. The more that you show it running, fast and slow, the better. The statistics listed at the beginning are a nice touch. You could include the weight and pulling power in those stats, without showing your measurement process - we trust you. Thank you for your contributions to the hobby.

[@jlwii2000]

Thanks Bruce, I'll try to add those in on future videos.

[@cheryltysver4819]

Sometimes it's important to see the tests. For example, to know whether the weight includes both locomotive and tender and with respect to tractive effort... whether the peak is sustained or momentary while slipping. His being trustworthy is without question to I am sure anyone who has watched his channel as is his reach and work ethic... which I can tell you probably already know!

[@normandedgerly8445]

For $800 the class lights should work! I would LOVE to have one as they are very favorite steam engine of mine, but as others have said, way to rich for me.

[@WWIIREBEL]

After seeing the prices for these various quality locomotives....all I can ever do is watch and drool , lol. I'm way too poor to afford these, so i just stick to the old school DC locomotives ranging from the 1950's through the early '90's.

[@jamescarter6025]

N scale

[@johnhermanson5249]

A GREAT looking loco for sure! The smell of the smoke brings back good memories, but the way it sometimes sits on the loco like a fog is what makes it unrealistic for me.

[@JoshSmith-eq7kp]

James, do you plan to buy a Broadway Limited Pennsylvania Railroad Q2 duplex Brass Hybrid???

[@ericoxner326]

Makes me think of Seaboard Air Line Mike's Q3 class.They had pumps on the front to.

[@thomasavensjr.2790]

Very impressive and well detailed steam locomotive model of a C&O mikado type engine, I would like to see these locomotives offered in the standard non brass lineup of BLI steam engines as the brass engines are somewhat above my price range that I care to spend for a locomotive.

[@DietPizza1]

New to most of this, have not had issues with the BLI decoder but it notice it’s more notchy on the speed steps vs loksound

[@jlwii2000]

usually BLI speeds steps start out a little higher scale MPH. With this one it was pretty low so it could need broken in or CVs adjusted to have the first step be the smoothest one.

[@thomashartmann6718]

Lovely. Servus sagt Thomas

[@denisebasile3813]

Great review you give great info it helps me out a lot thank you before any engines I look at your reviews I have HO scale

[@jlwii2000]

Glad you like them! Thanks for watching!

[@denisebasile3813]

@@jlwii2000 always will thank you I always wanted daylight special some day keep doing videos please GOD you an you an your family

[@SteamFan42]

I just got one of these and I love it. Great review!

[@jlwii2000]

thanks!

[@EricSmith-ve7qi]

Well Done Sir as Always! Beautiful Engine looks as good as it sounds! Your back drop and layout looks Amazing! Thanks for Sharing!!

[@tulyar1043]

Another good video from you. You didn't mention if this loco had any traction tyres or not. With the high traction,13 ounces I suspect it may have. Could be wrong though.

[@jlwii2000]

It does have traction tires, yes. Thanks for watching.

[@utahrailroadsofamerica1991]

WOW! Shes A Beaut 🚂, Steam Locomotives Are The Best Machines Ever Made In The Old Days! 👏

[@jlwii2000]

yep they're pretty sweet!

[@utahrailroadsofamerica1991]

@@jlwii2000 IKR? Awesome Designs Are Railroad Founding Fathers Made Back In America 👍, I Wish We Where Back In Time To See Those Machines Run On The Rails Again

[@adimasguntur]

Hi James, sorry for the out of video loco question. In your opinion, what is the best version of H0 Big Boy locomotive for now? Especially for the details Thanks

[@cheryltysver4819]

To > Jlwii-2000: I hope you are doing well. Congratulations on the job you are doing on your model RR! It looks to be very much like the ideal type and size of model railroad that I would like to eventually build! As noted in an earlier comment the rest of your life is seeming to follow a similar pattern, congrats on that as well! With regard to the extra set of 'traction-tires'...are they extras/spares since the tractive effort results are as high as they are I would assume that the locomotive already had them on for the pull tests...am I right? Are the drivers equipped with traction tires dedicated to being so equipped or can they be applied to any of the drive axles? Lastly, do you know what the weight of the locomotive only is? You are our number one source of information on new products for model railroaders... thanks for being there! Take care...

[@jlwii2000]

The traction tires are extra, as there are already some installed. The tires can only be installed on two specific sets of drivers. The weight of the locomotive without the tender is 15.5 oz so just under 1lb.

[@TrainLovers-TL69]

great model

[@randydobson1863]

hello james it's is randy and i like yours video is cool thanks friends randy

[@jlwii2000]

thanks for watching Randy!

[@michaelgmoore5708]

Broadway limited is the best for me because without smoke and sound, a steamer is useless for me. Even tho the others have gorgeous detail even with out smoke.

[@jlwii2000]

Broadway now offers stealth series locos, DC and DCC ready.

[@jonnyspeed]

Why are the BLI smoke units so poorly configured from the factory? You can adjust them via CVs, but they usually don't work well out of the box.

[@silaspennington]

Do bli steam trains run smoothly on a Bachmann dcc controller because my big boy keeps on stoping at random points on the track and I can’t control the speed, I am using a bachman dc controller

[@dsingh412]

Are you going to do a video of the new shay when it comes out next year by Broadway Limited Imports HO Scale Locomotive 🚂 James.

[@jlwii2000]

Yep I plan to!

[@mikediehl1468]

I thought Broadway Limited wasn't as good of quality as Bachmann, Atlas, and Kato. Your thoughts here would be helpful. Thank you.

[@jlwii2000]

Broadway's running quality is fine, they experienced some issues with previous decoders but that seems worked out now with Paragon 4. It's hard to compare Bachmann, Atlas and Kato. I know Kato is known for it's reliable long term running but they don't make much in HO at all and don't seem to be doing much of anything in the market very often. Bachmann I've had mixed results on and Atlas as well. No one company has it perfect, they all have strengths and weaknesses.

[@csxisaiahjonesproductions2290]

Nice Job

[@jlwii2000]

thanks Isaiah!

[@robertom5808]

Nice work

[@jlwii2000]

thanks!

[@adamschubert1626]

Just wish the smoke was better

[@CrkdFngrGngrBndt]

If you have any influence at all over any of the model train company’s HOn3 K class locomotives ( K-27, K-28, K-36 and K-37) would be greatly appreciated

[@jlwii2000]

I don't but sometimes they read the comments :)

[@James-Railyard]

From what I've been told, Blackstone Models owned by Sountraxx, has plans for those engines. They needed a new factory and have located one, now they need to move the tooling to the new factory and get the productions planned. I have inquired about this before and that is the answer I got from them. I mainly do East Coast items but I too would love some of those D&RG locomotives.

[@CrkdFngrGngrBndt]

@@James-Railyard that was there response to me in 2017, 2019, 2022 and 2023 because I have the k28 and k36 preordered

[@James-Railyard]

@@CrkdFngrGngrBndt unfortunately then that is all we have for now. When I last brought it up to them I recommend them team up with Bowser here is PA to help make them. I did that as a way to add to promote the “engine and decoder made in America.” Also because Bowser has a history working with steam engine production. If only they kept the old toolings or kept up those steam engines. They’d be the best Pennsy steamers on the market.

[@bxjibaro73]

@jlwii2000 - Does BROADWAY LIMITED have a BRASS NYC NIAGARA 4-8-4 yet?