CHALLENGER OWNERS, Can you tell me how long it is?

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I am making a case to carry it around in. I need to know how long the engine is. I need a measurement from COUPLER (front) to COUPLER (tender)

Thanks

Michael

2

Ha…you will need to 120’ Turntable…it JUST fits.

David B

3

David,

Let me be more clear. I need it in inches, HO scale. I need to know how long to make the case. It can be a Riverossi, OMI, ect. it doesn’t matter.

Thanks

Michael

4

I’d have to say around 17", give or take an 1/8".

5

OK THANKS

6

About 16.5" for my athearn challenger.

7

Lionel Challenger is 17 1/4 inches with no front coupler extended.

8

The pulling faces on the original classes were 106’ 6" over the pulling faces of the locomotive - engine plus tender; on a model you must add five or six feet in length to account for the extra spacing between the back of the cab and the front of tender which allows us to operate our locomotives on our ridiculously tight curves. Allowing an extra six feet to the engine-tender gap computes to 15.5" in HO Scale. You must also add the length of the coupler knuckes to that.

The later classes of Challengers were 119’ 10 5/8" over the pulling faces of the locomotive. Allowing the same extra six foot engine-tender separation these later classes compute to 17 11/32" in HO Scale plus the length of the coupler knuckle.

8500HPGASTURBINE, no one is going to be able to give you a coupler to coupler measurement because no one knows what kind of coupler you are using.

These calculations come to you courtesy of Texas Instruments!

9

Hey, R.T., that’s a pretty decent answer! You are correct, the closenes of coupling between tender and engine will make a difference of at least 1/2".

-Crandell