Broadway Limited Imports
Encyclopedia
Broadway Limited Imports, LLC (BLI) designs and manufactures limited-run HO scale
and N scale
model railroad locomotives and rolling stock
.
BLI products produced in extremely limited quantities, are equipped with Digital Command Control
decoders and the ability to reproduce the recorded sounds of actual trains.
The company was founded in 2001 by Anton Wenzel, Bob Zimet and Robert Grubba
. In 2004, Grubba bought out the interest of his partners, moving the company to Ormond Beach, Florida
the following year. On April 8, 2007, BLI combined their website with Precision Craft Models, Inc..
The company expanded its offering in 2007 with the addition of its "Blueline" product line. The Blueline HO-scale train models offer digital sound systems but lack the DCC remote control and sell for about half the price of the company's Paragon series models. The purchaser can add the remote control later with a plug-in decoder module.
In 2009, the offered product line expanded again. The new Paragon2 line utilizes an integrated DCC decoder that can be operated on DC track as well, as well as DCC sound capability and and steam generating units on many locomotives . The launch of the Paragon2 line also resulted in BLI being sued by another model train company, Mike's Train House Inc.
for perceived violation of its patents related to model train sound systems, a claim which BLI vehemently denies .
HO scale
HO or H0 is the most popular scale of model railway in the world.According to the NMRA standard S-1.2 predominantly used in North America, in HO scale, represents 1 real foot ; this ratio works out to about 1:87.1. According to the MOROP standard NEM 010 predominantly used in Europe, the scale is...
and N scale
N scale
N scale is a popular model railway scale/track gauge. Depending upon the manufacturer , the scale ranges from 1:148 to 1:160. In all cases, the gauge is . The term N gauge refers to the track dimensions, but in the UK in particular N gauge refers to a 1:148 scale with track gauge modelling...
model railroad locomotives and rolling stock
Rolling stock
Rolling stock comprises all the vehicles that move on a railway. It usually includes both powered and unpowered vehicles, for example locomotives, railroad cars, coaches and wagons...
.
BLI products produced in extremely limited quantities, are equipped with Digital Command Control
Digital Command Control
Digital Command Control is a standard for a system to operate model railways digitally. When equipped with Digital Command Control, locomotives on the same electrical section of track can be independently controlled....
decoders and the ability to reproduce the recorded sounds of actual trains.
The company was founded in 2001 by Anton Wenzel, Bob Zimet and Robert Grubba
Bob Grubba
Robert "Bob" Grubba was the director of engineering for Lionel Trains in the late 1990s.He started Broadway Limited Imports in 2001 with partners Tony Wenzel of Oriental Limited and Bob Zimet of QS Industries, maker of QSI sound systems...
. In 2004, Grubba bought out the interest of his partners, moving the company to Ormond Beach, Florida
Ormond Beach, Florida
Ormond Beach is a city in Volusia County, Florida, United States. The population was 36,301 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 37,929. Ormond Beach is the northern neighbor of Daytona Beach and is home to Tomoka State Park.-History:Ormond Beach was...
the following year. On April 8, 2007, BLI combined their website with Precision Craft Models, Inc..
The company expanded its offering in 2007 with the addition of its "Blueline" product line. The Blueline HO-scale train models offer digital sound systems but lack the DCC remote control and sell for about half the price of the company's Paragon series models. The purchaser can add the remote control later with a plug-in decoder module.
In 2009, the offered product line expanded again. The new Paragon2 line utilizes an integrated DCC decoder that can be operated on DC track as well, as well as DCC sound capability and and steam generating units on many locomotives . The launch of the Paragon2 line also resulted in BLI being sued by another model train company, Mike's Train House Inc.
MTH Electric Trains
MTH Electric Trains, formerly Mike's Train House, is an American toy train and model railroad designer, importer, and manufacturer, based in Columbia, Maryland...
for perceived violation of its patents related to model train sound systems, a claim which BLI vehemently denies .