BW C-16 question

I ran one in the store that I work in. Sounds great! Can't vouch for the 'prototypacity' of it though. Typical of BLI, on start up, (DC) you hear the dynamo and the light comes on gradually, there is lots of noise until the engine "settles down" and is ready to move. The engine starts moving when the throttle is at about 50%, and the motion is smooth and steady. The store was noisy when I tested the engine so I could not hear if there was any motor noise. The lettering is sharp and very white with no hint of the black plastic behind it. I did not pay much attention to the cab to note any detail, or lack thereof.

When I blew the whistle, it sounded good. When I released the whistle, it finishes off with a flourish. Kind of like a dip and a rise and then off. The bell sounds like a brass bell, but there is no "reverb" to it. It is as if the clapper hits it and it goes clung instead of clungggggg.

This was all noted very quickly and your ears may vary. If I play with it today, I will try to note more things about it.

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Brad,

I own two of the C-16s. Frank's report is right on. I do want to comment on the 50% throttle for start up. This is common with all Broadway products. I have been told that you can program a lower start up voltage, but I have not investigated that because I run with a DCC system. In DCC the start up is the same as most of my other engines. This engine is produced under the Powerhouse banner in Broadway. That means it is spartan in regards to detail. If it had been produced under the Paragon banner, it would have more add on detail. The engine runs well and will take an 18 in radius curve as advertised, although the blind middle drivers hang over the outside of the rail noticeably. The engine is packed with a nice owner's manual that explains everything quite nicely. There is also a plastic "screwdriver" that looks somewhat like a shovel. This is used to turn down the volume which Broadway has turned up to the max. The water hatch on the tender lifts off to expose the screw used to set the volume. All in all, I love the engine. Only negative......if you get one....check the wheel gauge on the front and rear drivers as 5 out of 7 my store got had one axle set either wide or narrow. One out of two that I got with that problem ran well and did not derail but it bounced noticeably on switches. I have a friend that got two from an email source and one of his was the same way. I have sent mine back to Broadway and called them on the phone to make them aware of how previlent this problem may be. Still buy the engine, you will LOVE it.

Bob Rule, Jr. Hatboro, Pa.