Athearn Challenger, Good Grief!

[rgengineoiler]

After reading many of the other posts about the new N Scale Athearn Challenger I must way in.  I bought mine in October when they were first released but did not open and put it on the track until New Years Day because I have an acreage which keeps me busy 8 months of the year.  So on the track it went and nothing happened.  I am Digitrax DCC, tried to make it do something at adr. 03 and nothing.   I had no lights, no movement, and then it sounded like a fast chatter and stopped.  I decided to go to op's mode on the main and change the adr. to the D&RGW #3805.  It just sat there , but, it was making the Steamer idling sounds so I thought there was some hope after all.  Not so as I had no lighting, it would not move and it just sat there idling. 

Of course it was New Years Day so fast forward to Jan. 3rd and I called Athearn Tech Support.  Had to get out my test track and hook up an MRC Transformer and test it on DC for the Athearn tech.  It would move forward skipping some and just a Chuff or two with on and off sound.  He then had me run it in reverse fast and slow and it had no chuff's at all,  but I did have lighting.  Of course today I am packing it up and sending it in to Athearn.  Remember,  Murphy is still doing his thing these days and teaching all of us about patience.  Good Grief!  Better go out and bring in some fire wood.  It's going to be a long wait so I'll fire up some of my Bachmann's and enjoy those sound steamers on the layout.  DR

[JMaurer1]

...I sure understand about that acreage stuff.

[strummer]

Sorry to hear about your issues, although it seems you're certainly not alone... 

Perhaps Athearn needs to remember the old saying: "K-I-S-S".

Mark in Oregon

[kverdon]

Hope you don't plan on seeing it again any time soon.  They have had mine since Mid November and have not heard a word from them. 

[GN63]

again, it seems I am the odd man out - got mine earlier this week, tested it on my DC layout - ran the 4 scale miles with absolutely no problem - very slow on DC - but still gorgeous - and sounds great -

[mmagliaro]

again, it seems I am the odd man out - got mine earlier this week, tested it on my DC layout - ran the 4 scale miles with absolutely no problem - very slow on DC - but still gorgeous - and sounds great -

You probably already know this, but just so it's clear to anyone who wonders... these run slow on DC because you are running a DCC
engine on DC (like the one I have here).  So it has to get up to about 10.5 volts just to get over the decoder voltage drop and turn on the motor.

Are you planning to only run it on DC?  They do make a DCC "ready" version of it without the decoder.  You can also bypass the decoder with some jumper wires in the plug inside the tender.

[GN63]

You probably already know this, but just so it's clear to anyone who wonders... these run slow on DC because you are running a DCC
engine on DC (like the one I have here).  So it has to get up to about 10.5 volts just to get over the decoder voltage drop and turn on the motor.

Are you planning to only run it on DC?  They do make a DCC "ready" version of it without the decoder.  You can also bypass the decoder with some jumper wires in the plug inside the tender.

  Yes, I did know that DCC sound takes a bunch to get it started - but I have the old Athearn Challenger with the remote controller that was a bit faster - new version looks great, sounds great, runs great - Plans to convert just my main line to DCC at some point (with a toggle to back to analog) so I can run the few of the sound equipped engines - one of these days -  Thanks for the info Max.

[rgengineoiler]

Just an update;  The Challenger has arrived in Long Beach California and yes, I am aware that it could be months before I get it back.  As my new Challenger has a new Digitraxx Tsunami decoder in it,  I was wondering if there are issues with the design of the Tsunami for this model.  I purchased this model from M.B. Klein and I noticed this week that they have a new run of Challengers and they are all equipped with LokSound DCC instead of Soundtraxx Tsunami.  Interesting for sure and the price for the LokSound installed models has risen $47.00 each.  You don't hear anything from Athearn but I do wish they would be more transparent on the subject.  DR  :

[peteski]

Athearn went from MRC, to Soundtraxx, to ESU decoders. I think that more and more model companies are starting to realize which are the top quality (and functionality) decoder manufacturers. Europeans have it all over Americans.  Too bad that QSI (American manufactuer) no longer makes small decoders. Those were excellent (both features, and sound quality).

[spookshow]

Are we sure that Athearn went with ESU LokSound decoders in their new Challengers? Athearn's website says that they all still have Tsunami's, although they do list their HO Challengers as having ESU decoders. Maybe MBK simply has a copy/paste error in their N scale listings?

I bought one from the most recent production run, but it was one of the DCC-Ready versions so I can't check myself.

Thanks,
-Mark

[Point353]

Are we sure that Athearn went with ESU LokSound decoders in their new Challengers?

That was the claim when the latest production run was announced:
http://www.athearn.com/newsletter/012717/10_N-scale_Z-8_Challenger_012717.pdf

[spookshow]

Maybe somebody out there who has one could do a quick read on CV8. Soundtraxx is 141 and ESU is 151.

Thanks,
-Mark

[delamaize]

Maybe somebody out there who has one could do a quick read on CV8. Soundtraxx is 141 and ESU is 151.

Thanks,
-Mark

I wanna say mine came back as a soundtraxx when I programed it. I'll check later today. I'm at work for another 2 hours.....

[delamaize]

Code: [Select]

Ok, just read mine, it came back as a soundtraxx.
Manufacture ID 141
Manufactual version no. 64
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[spookshow]

Thanks, Mike.