The BLI/PCM website now shows an October delivery for the PCM I1. I'm beginning to wonder if this model is real or vapor.
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PCM I1sa delayed... again.
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 dogman |
PCM I1sa delayed... again. |
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Posts: 4 (08/13/08 11:50 AM) |
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pennsylvania54 |
PCM Decapod | ||
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Posts: 117 (08/13/08 10:26 PM) |
Dogman--They are real, not vapor. Over on PRR-Talk and PRR-Modeling, Bruce Smith, who headed up the Society's cooperative effort with PCM today made the
following post:
Folks,
Just to get your excitement level up, it looks like the PCM I1s/sa models are being built, RIGHT NOW! The I1 working group of the PRRT&HS Modeling
Committee has gotten to hear the QSI sounds, and the banshee whistle sounds great to me! I do not know if QSI and PCM were able to make the whistle user
selectable so that mid to late 1950s era modelers could have some locos with 3 chime whistles. If delivery schedules are typical, I would expect the models
in around 8 weeks.
Regards
Bruce
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devansprr |
There HERE!!! | ||
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Posts: 103 (09/23/08 12:02 PM) |
Almost ran into the UPS truck as I left home this morning - they are here.
To the PRRT&HS modeling committee: THANK-YOU and WOW! Keep up the great work - hopefully these will sell out quickly and BLI/PCM will be tempted to do more PRR unique steam locomotives. No time to run it, but it looks GREAT - for the pre-war short tender, watch the wire grab along the bottom edge of the tender as you remove it from the box - it is in the location I often use to pick up tenders. The grab is a little forward of the mid-point. Traction tire installed on last driver, with spare tires and a non-traction driver in the box to replace it (with wrench). Can't wait to put it on the track and check out the sound! But work calls... Hope we sell these out - as Steve says, you can't have just one, and they often traveled in pairs anyway. Dave Evans |
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Mark1223 |
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Posts: 12 (09/24/08 09:01 PM) |
I got mine today and I have to agree, it is a thing of beauty, an absolutely gorgeous model! I'm especially pleased that they were able to cast the
smokestack as a solid piece, therefore we don't have that gaping horizontal seam all the way around the stack that a number of releases in the past few
years have had. Can't wait to see, and hear, her run.
If she runs well, I imagine I'll get a second. Mark Cole Clifton Heights, PA
Last Edited By: Mark1223
09/24/08 10:19 PM.
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dogman |
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Posts: 5 (09/25/08 10:42 AM) |
Since the I1sa has finally appeared from the vapor, I placed an order for mine today. I can't wait to hear that "banshee screamer".
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youngwoodmodelrr |
PCM I1sa | ||
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Posts: 46 (09/25/08 03:02 PM) |
I was fortunate to see one yesterday as a friend brought one into work. I was very impressed with the model. The coal load in the short tender has a
prototypical depression near the front, as you would expect of a loco that was on a run, rather than just topped off under the coal wharf. I don't think I
have ever seen that modeled in this manner before. A beautifully proportioned model. I did notice the tender deck oxide red paint was a different shade than
the oxide on the roof of the cab; the cab roof oxide was a good bit "browner" if I had to describe it.
Price is steep, and discounts seem limited by a covenant between the dealers and PCM, but that is what we have to deal with for this quality level. All of a sudden three years in coming doesn't seem such a big deal. I hope PCM runs this product a few times; and then perhaps a Centipeed?? Jim Falcsik |
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thirdrail |
Cab roof and tender deck colors | ||
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Posts: 206 (09/26/08 09:03 AM) |
Youngwoodmodelrr mentions that the cab roof is a "browner" color than the tender deck. This is correct. The tender deck was painted
Freight Car Color (a red oxide), while the specifications called for the cab roof to be painted with a 50-50 mixture of Freight Car Color and black.
Oh, if only they'd make this one in N scale! |
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dogman |
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Posts: 7 (09/27/08 09:47 AM) |
Pricing for these ranges from $305 at Trainworld/Trainland to $319 at Caboose hobbies to $339 at M.B Klein to $351 at Toy Train Heaven.
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clehman |
I1sa Arrived Today! | ||
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Posts: 46 (09/30/08 03:55 PM) |
Just received my PCM I1sa. Home layout is DC and club layout is DCC. Ran it for a few minutes on the home layout, and the banshee whistle is fantastic! Almost as good as the real thing I've heard in old videos I've purchased. My only complaint, and it isn't much, is that they should have darkened the side rods and pony wheels. Anyone know of a source for the large air tank that I've seen in photos installed under the cab on the engineer's side? I'd like to add that to my model at some point. Carl |
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thirdrail |
air tank under cab | ||
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Posts: 207 (09/30/08 06:41 PM) |
clehman wrote:That air tank only appears on those I1's that have the second air compressor added on the engineer's side. The tank is under the running board on the engineer's side otherwise, where the second compressor goes if it was added. |
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clehman |
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Posts: 47 (10/01/08 11:17 AM) |
Thank you for the information. I have seen photos of I1's with that large air tank and think it looks good, but didn't notice (wasn't looking for) the second air compressor in place of the regular air tank under the running board on the engineer's side. Guess that rules out installing the large air tank, unless I want to perform some major shop work by removing the present air tank and installing another air compressor - which is more than I want to do - assuming I could find the large air tank in H.O. Carl |
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daletherail |
PCM I1sa Issues | ||
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Posts: 1 (10/23/08 01:07 AM) |
These are really nice models, however, PCM seems to be having some quality control issues.
So far I have received 4 of these models. 3 out of 4 have a bind in the mechanism causing the locomotive to lurch and run jerky. The bad ones all have the long tender, meaning, that run may have quality issues. The 4th one has a slight bind that is partially masked by the decoder load compensation. One arrived with a bent eccentric crank. Another had pinched wires in the tender causing intermittent headlight operation. Others have seen issues with these engines. There is a review on Tony's Train Exchange by Jim Albanowski where lurching is mentioned. http://prrthsdiscussionwe...topicreply/id/1934?page=1 Has any one else had issues? I would encourage everyone to pragmatically evaluate you model. Run it with the sound turned off to check for binds. Contact PCM with any issues. They told me repairs would take 6 to 8 week. Dale |
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diesell48 |
I1 dec | ||
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Posts: 582 (10/23/08 09:21 PM) |
About 3 or 4 of the locals got these. 1 had problems. The locomotive would not run at all. It has been shipped back. Evidently they do not test every one.
Still, I would say their record of service after purchase is very good. 3 or 4 out of the 10 Reading T1 engines purchased in our informal group had problems.
All were rectified. That means a lot to me, even if the long wait gets a bit longer.
Bill |
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dogman |
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Posts: 8 (11/04/08 04:02 PM) |
I received my I1 with the short tender and had two problems. The loco would short out my DCC system (I could see sparks coming from the drawbar connection to
the tender) and it would also move a short distance and die. I ended up sending it back to PCM for repairs. For a short time I was able to run it and I was
able to get the banshee whistle to work with the trailing off effect. It didn't sound too bad.
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locoi1sa |
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Posts: 50 (11/04/08 09:31 PM) |
My I1sa runs great. I have a short tender original headlight version. I did find that the draw bar will droop and touch the front axle of the tender and
short when set on the close coupling setting. I figure I can tighten this up or make a plastic draw bar. I reset the bell for hand rung setting.
Pete |
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daletherail |
PCM I1sa Issues Update | ||
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Posts: 2 (11/12/08 05:29 PM) |
Here is the current status of the 6 engines that have passed through my door. I now have 5, 1 was returned to the dealer. Note: Decoders were reset to
factory default before reporting problems.
1. 089 #4268 There was a minor bind in the drivers. I found one of the bearings on the main driver was stuck in the slot in the frame. Bind was fixed by filing on the outside of the bearing for a better fit in the frame. I changed to the non-traction tire driver set and added some weight. Engine now pulls 50 bowser hoppers on level track with no traction tire. 
2. 091 #4440 Engine has intermittent short causing DCC system shutdown. Headlight flickers and backup light inoperative. To be returned to BLI for repair. 3. 088 #4471 Exhaust not in sync with drivers. Too many chuffs per driver revolution. Engine does not respond to DCC speeds the same as others. I swapped the tender with a known good one to isolate the problem. To my surprise, the problem followed the engine, not the tender. To be returned to BLI for repair. 4. 880 #4324 Engine arrived with right eccentric either malformed or bend. There is a bad bind in the drivers causing jerky operation and an obvious wobble. To be returned to BLI for repair. 5. 881 #4595 Engine arrived with tether pinched between tender body and frame. Headlight is intermittent. Sound is intermittent. There is a bad bind in the drivers causing jerky operation and an obvious wobble. To be returned to BLI for repair. 6. 880 #4324 There is a bad bind in the drivers causing jerky operation and an obvious wobble. Returned to dealer. I will post an update after I receive the repaired units from BLI. Update 12/5/2008 1. 089 #4268 above developed an intermittent short after several hours of operation. The short was evidenced by sparking at the drawbar connections to the tender and engine. First a couple of facts: The drawbar is connected electrically to the left rail on the engine. The front tender truck picks up from the right rail and the rear tender truck picks up from the left rail via a system of wipers on the axles. The tender frame is metal and is supposed to be electrically isolated from the tender pickup wipers. I discovered that the wiper on the front tender truck was shorting to the tender frame. A part that is supposed to keep the wiper from touching the truck mounting post was missing. Thus, the metal tender frame was electrically connected to the right rail, and the drawbar connected to the left rail causing the short through the drawbar. My fix was to simply remove the wiper from the front tender truck and un-plug the wiper wire from the board. These types of issues are difficult to trouble-shoot due to their intermittent nature. The short only occurred after the paint started wearing off the drawbar tender connection after hours of operation.
Last Edited By: daletherail
12/05/08 11:22 AM.
Edited 1 times.
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wobblinwheel |
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Posts: 1 (11/28/08 06:50 PM) |
Has anyone here managed to find out EXACTLY what's wrong with this run of long-tendered I1-sa locomotives? There must be a common malady that exists with
those that bind, surge, and "lope" along (many with there headlamps flickering) as did mine until I replaced the tender "tether" harness.
but the BINDING won't go away! I did accidently make the binding go away by not getting the left-side geared-driver properly seated in the frame: the
little brass bearing wound up between the gear and the frame, causing the left wheel to noticably WOBBLE, but the binding and lurching at slow speeds went
away! This indicates that the center (geared) driver set is somehow in a bind with the other drivers!? Has anyone found a solution for this? I really don't
want to send it back because I don't wanna admit DEFEAT! The $2.00-a-week Chinaworker was asleep that day, but we should be able to figure it out, RIGHT?
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pennsylvania54 |
Bind and Wobble | ||
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Posts: 124 (11/28/08 09:45 PM) |
Hi Wobblin--Sorry your I1 isn't performing like it should. I do not have good news for you. Unless you are very experienced at getting brass steam
engines to run right, you probably won't be able to fix this one. It is one of two possible discrepancies; either a driver is not concentric with the
axle (very unlikely) or one or more wheels are out of quarter (much more likely). Having all wheels on each side with the same angular orientation is critical
to smooth operation. And you won't be able to figure out which wheel(s) are out by observing where the bind occurs, especially with 5 axles. Save
yourself the angst and make arrangements with BLI to replace or repair it.
Steve Hoxie Pensacola FL |
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PAyank |
Bind and Wobble | ||
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Posts: 1 (11/30/08 05:46 PM) |
Here's what I have discovered with my long tender I1sa. I did a lot of work on the engine as I described in the BLI website HO forum under the I1-SA-big
disappointment discussions-Yank44 item. Basically I re-quarted all the drivers using the NWSL pro quarterer, worked all the driver rod bearing holes and also
replaced the OEM springs with slightly "softer" NWSL journel springs. I had to slightly enlarge the spring holes because the NWSL springs
were about 1mm larger in diameter. I then placed the engine chasis on HO test rollers and closely observed very slow driver operation with the motor hooked up
to a DC power pack. I still had a very slight hesitation about the 3 o'clock position when observed from fireman's side, but definetly not as bad as
before. I also observed the second set of drivers appear to not be concentric. While observing all drivers, I noticed as the wheels/rods approached the 3
o'clock posit, the second set of drivers engineer side wheel would ever so slightly rise off the roller....all the other wheels remained on the rollers. I
need to check it out some more, but I'll probably be calling BLI to see about a set of replacement driver wheels for the problem set. It's too bad
people are having these issues with such a nice looking engine thanks to the work of the team from PRRTHS and BLI.
Yank |
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wobblinwheel |
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Posts: 2 (12/01/08 07:12 PM) |
PAyank,
Thanks for the info, this will be helpfull as my loco seems to be experiencing the EXACT same symptoms. My observations indicate that the axle supports in conjunction with the center one-piece siderod are simply NOT forgiving enough to allow for less-than-perfect manufacturing tolerances. The center three drivers, one geared, are ALL joined by a one-piece rod with very tight clearances, while the axle bearings allow for virtually NO side-to-side or up-and-down movement. While we don't want SLOP, we do need "forgiveness" in a less-than-perfect mechanism. I think my next step may be to file the axle bearings on the center three drivers just to give them a VERY SLIGHT bit of up=and-down play. Also, enlarging the bearing holes in the center rods may be helpfull. I know there is a very fine between a fix and a ****-up, and I hope I don,t cross that line! I'll keep you all posted. By the way, did you keep the traction tires? Mine won't pull poop without them! |
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PAyank |
wobblinwheel | ||
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Posts: 2 (12/01/08 09:01 PM) |
Wobblinwheel,
Sounds like you're going to do a major shop visit with your engine fixer up plans....I took my traction tires off. I don't have a big layout set up yet, just a small oval with some sidings to check out my motive pwr as I acquire them, but I have never been a big fan of traction tires for a lot of reasons which has been previously discussed in other forums, namely long term wear and tear and long term availability from the manufacturer. Before I put the boiler back on the chassis, I plan on adding some weight in the areas as mentioned in Yahoo PRR modeling groups discussions. Since I bought a ton of the NWSL springs, I'm even contemplating doing the spring suspension for all the drivers, but I am a little concerned that it might compound the problems though with adding additional movement to the whole drive train to contend with. Jury's still out on that. I did do the file down of the "bumps" on the bottom wheel retainer plate for the 1st and last set of drivers. I do notice on mine and if you look at the driver sets very closely, the 1st and last set do have a little more material on the inside of the wheel where the axle comes through to limit the side to side motion. The 2nd and 4th set are configured to allow for more side to side motion to permit navigation on smaller radius (18") curves. I think one of the things we are contending with is, as you mentioned, the solid main rod for three axles and a 5 wheel driver set. I have 2 brass Key Samhongsa Decapods that I bought many years ago and they do have the main rod articulated as in the prototype. As a comparison, the PCM decs compare extremely well to the brass ones as far as details go and in overall appearance. Again kudos to the team. I also have the short tender one, have have not run it too much, been spending all my time sorting out the long tender engine issues, but it doesn't appear to have the same problems. I too will keep you posted on my progress. Later, Yank |
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