Surprise, Lionel Challenger Arrives!

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[Here is a follow-up: Lionel Challenger Needs Tinkering
and more: Lionel Chalenger Tweaking]

Every day when UPS arrives the crew stops to see what's come in and then react like kids in a candy store! Yesterday, unannounced, a Lionel Challenger arrived totally unexpected. So within seconds the box was opened and the loco was on our test layout. Here are some of our initial observations:

The Boiler and Tender are all die cast, great detail, in some areas a little better than the Trix Big Boy and others areas a little less. The Lionel boiler shows rivet details not seen on the Trix, and the Trix has applied grab irons the Lionel's are in the casting. Both units have fine detail that will satisfy most folks.

The running characteristics were relatively good with a smooth creep at Speed Step 3 in the 128 range. Speed Steps 1 and 2 had the loco slowly moving with some slight hesitations at one of the quartering points. This may be a break in issue. The Trix is dead smooth at Speed Step 1/128.

The Lionel Challenger is fitted with QSI sound and is characteristic of the QSI performance seen in the Broadway Ltd locos. Except this unit had a distorted whistle and we were disappointed. We tried lowering the volume with little improvement. This may be an anomaly, I am contacting QSI today to have them listen to determine what's wrong.... more later.

The QSI motor output features BEMF control to improve smoothness under varying loads. Full stall was about 1 Amp as measured by our RRampmeter an normal running under load is 0.2-0.4 Amps.

The Challenger has essentially all wheel pickup. The loco drivers use the same type of Phosphor Bronze wipers used on the Heritage 2-8-8-2 and most Bachmann Spectrum Steam locos. Ultimately these type of wipers will require adjustment and cleaning. The Trix Big Boy has a better method and is done through the axle journals.

Traction is about the same as the Trix, neither loco could overpull the other in a head to head duel.

Overall the Lionel Challenger is an impressive loco and joins the ranks of the other new high tech offerings by Heritage, Trix, BLI and Bachmann Spectrum.

The Trix is still the leader in engineering precision, smoothness and detail closely followed by the Heritage 2-8-8-2, BLI and Bachman Spectrum series.

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