Athearn Challenger, Good Grief!

[Point353]

Athearn customer service confirms that the latest production run is using a Soundtraxx Tsunami decoder, rather than an ESU as originally advertised.

[rgengineoiler]

Well then,  I hope they install a brand new Tsunami in my repair because I am sure mine was toast. I sent it back to Athearn, signature required to be sure they received it but have not heard from them about the repair.   It never moved at all and no lights in DCC.  DR

[atsf3751]

I have a total of five Big Boys and Challengers from previous runs with a mixture of ESU and Tsunami decoders and I have had no trouble with any of them. I bought 4014 with an oil tender from the latest run and expected no problems with it. I ran it for two hours forward and backward and it ran flawlessly as expected. So I did the same modifications I have done to all the others, I replaced the factory speaker with a sugar cube and close coupled the tender because it was too far away. I ran it for another two hours with no problem, then the rear engine locked up. Since I had the engine for less than a week, I didn't feel that I had to tear the engine apart to fix it so I got an RMA and sent it to Athearn. I got the same engine (I know because it was close coupled) back and it ran perfectly.

But now the sound was messed up and did not perform properly, so back to Athearn it went again. This time they had it longer and when I got it back it was a new engine, not the one I sent in. This one I ran for three hours in each direction and it ran like it should. I am now going to put a sugar cube in it and repeat the breakin runs. Then close couple the tender and break it in again, hopefully I will now have an engine just like its' brothers.

[mmagliaro]

If this happens to anyone else, look for the following (based on what I found with the one I had here).

It is pretty easy for parts of the valve gear to get bent inward and jam on the crankpins of the drivers.
When only one engine truck jams like that, really look for this.  A crankpin might be pressed hard against one of the other rods, which will jam the whole thing solid, but leave the other truck free.

If it happens to anyone else, may I suggest posting some close-up photos in here so I (we) can see if that's what is happening.  Fixing it is quite easy.  A little careful bending of the offending valve gear part outward will keep it from jamming.

[peteski]

If this happens to anyone else, look for the following (based on what I found with the one I had here).

It is pretty easy for parts of the valve gear to get bent inward and jam on the crankpins of the drivers.
When only one engine truck jams like that, really look for this.  A crankpin might be pressed hard against one of the other rods, which will jam the whole thing solid, but leave the other truck free.

If it happens to anyone else, may I suggest posting some close-up photos in here so I (we) can see if that's what is happening.  Fixing it is quite easy.  A little careful bending of the offending valve gear part outward will keep it from jamming.

Didn't you also discover another problem where the universal coupling was slipping out of the flywheel?  Also, it the valve gear was jamming then both engines would be stuck (since they run from a single motor).  If only one engine is "jammed" or frozen when the other one still runs, then the slipped universal is the most likely cause, no?

[mmagliaro]

Peteski,  Yes.  Two problems.
I had the joint coupling slip out of its cup because they were spaced too far apart, which allows one truck to run and the other to be unpowered, so although on its back, on truck would run, the unpowered one would just try to slide along the track, so on the track it couldn't run.
And I experienced a second issue (which I may have even caused while fixing on it)... where the crankpin jammed.

Good point.
If you seem to have a jam, flip the engine on its back and try it with clip leads.  If one truck runs and the other doesn't, then it's probably the U-joint.

[rgengineoiler]

Question for Marty;  How long did your repair take with Athearn?   DR

[atsf3751]

Question for Marty;  How long did your repair take with Athearn?   DR

The first time it was about three weeks. The second time was much longer, I think about two months. I can't be sure because I had a stroke. All I know is the engine was here when I got home. I'll see if the new engine runs better. The sound is rather anemic with the factory speaker.

[kverdon]

I sent my new SP&S Challenger to Athearn the second week of Nov and am still waiting to get it back

[Jbub]

I'm betting with all the problems we have with our group that the warranty issues on the whole lot is creating quite the back log for servicing

[OldEastRR]

Is there any online info for the MRC decoders in the first Challengers? I'm used to ESU and the tons of documentation online for them, so maybe Athearn or MRC has the like for this loco? I'd like to see all the possibilities for the MRC decoder.

[nstars]

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).

In steam sound I think the Tsunami 2 still has the edge over the other decoders. We replaced the QSI decoder in the Walthers Y3 by a Tsunami 2 and that was a big improvement over the QSI both in running qualities and in sound.

Marc

[rgengineoiler]

I Called Athearn Tuesday and was informed that they are waiting for parts that are expected in three to four weeks.  What a discouraging state of affairs when you spend $360.00 and get nothing right out of the box!  DR

[kverdon]

This is totally unacceptable.  I am in the same boat as yourself, still waiting months for my Challenger to return from Warranty Repair.  It is unacceptable that they did not commission a sufficient supply of spare parts now with 2 runs already being delivered.  I am extremely frustrated with Athearn right now.  I'm out close to $800 with nothing to show for it.  My first engine was RMA'd to the (usually) reliable E-Tailer I purchased it from. Tracking shows it was delivered but I've still not been issued a credit after 2+ months and I have been unsuccessful in getting him to call me back.  The second is still at Athearn for repairs so for my $800 expenditure I have nothing but a hole in my wallet to stare at.

[rgengineoiler]

I wonder how many others are out there with these same issues that you never hear about?  I think Athearn needs to hire new qualified QC and QA supervisors because this is not helping there reputation at all.  So far I am out $360.00 but for you way over double.  I am still in shock I guess, over the whole thing.  I can only work on the layout normally about five months of each year.  I have an acreage that keeps me very busy the rest of the time so I hope they get my Challenger repaired and back to me before April.  DR