The Branch-Line or BL-2 from AHM is among the company's earliest
offerings. As such, it does suffer from some degree of crudity. The unit rides on the truck used for the FM C-Liner, rather
than the prototypical EMD Blomberg truck. The model also lacks steps on the cab doors. Possibly its most distinguishing feature
may be its slightly overweight appearance. The AHM BL-2 appears to be a bit wider and bigger than it should be at 1:87th actual
scale.
The early roadnames for this model included: C&O, MoPac, Western Maryland, and Monon. In the 1967-68
AHM Catalog, the BL-2 has a $8.95 retail price. The above AHM ad is from the BL-2's early days and comes from the December
1963 issue of Model Railroader magazine.
AHM offered its BL-2 as a powered and also a non-powered model.
Adding a "D" to the model's stock number was the designation for non-powered examples.
AHM sold the BL-2 in pairs (one powered and one non-powered) for a time
in the 1970s and into the '80s. A BL-2 pair is seen below in the Chicago & Eastern Illinois dress. As was
typical of this period, both BL-2 models carried the same roadnumber.
Plans for the EMD BL-2 diesel are included in the June 1962 issue of Model
Railroader magazine.
