When I first looked at Athearn’s Challenger I had some serious reservations buying it because of several statements, made on this forum, regarding the sound quality.
After doing some research and visiting the MR review sight I decided to risk it.
After running this loco for the past four days I’d like to say the following, and please remember this is my opinion.
There is nothing wrong with the sound! this is a great engine and yes the whistle is not your typical “whistle” but then again after listening to several different recordings on several manufacturers sites, what is a typical sounding whistle? Personally I really don’t care for BLI’s N&W’s 2-6-6-4 whistle as it sounds more like quitting time. Again this is a personal preference and I know after owning a BLI that this is not a quality issue but as I said before a personal one.
I just wi***he manufactures would make all their sound bites available as it’s hard to determine which is to my liking.
So before you go on line and write something, remember what you say could have a major impact on someone’s future actions.
I totally agree. The sound on the Challenger is excellent. I happen to love that whistle (and yes, the BLI 2-6-6-4s whistle does sound like quitting time![:p]).
The point is the BLI 2-6-6-4 whistle sounds exactly like an N&W Class A. I have heard it in person, and I have several videos/DVDs, and they got it dead on. N&W afficianodos call them a ‘hooter’ whistle for a reason. That’s also why I am so looking forward to their Class J.
I have never heard a Challenger whistle in person, but I do have several DVDs, and the whistle on the Athearn unit I heard did not sound anything like those… at least to me. If you like what you have, great, you don’t have an issue, and I am happy for you. I will add that the Athearn Challenger I saw at a show was an extremely nice looking model, and it ran well the little bit I saw.
The Lionel unit I saw, I thought sounded a bit better than the Athearn one, but the whistle still wasn’t great, and the Lionel unit did not look nearly as nice as the Athearn one.
These are just my opinions, so feel free to differ.
I don’t have the Challenger, but I just bought the MRC Steam decoder (I believe it is the same one in the Challenger) to put in my Proto 2000 N&W 2-8-8-2. I got the decoder for $46 online, and I figured I would see what the sound was like compared to my BLI Class A. I have to say that I have never heard the Class A or the 2-8-8-2 in person, however I think the sound from each is great. When you factor in the price I paid for my Proto 2000 and the cost of the decoder, I still paid less that what a new 2-8-8-2 with QSI sound ($339 is the cheapest I have seen it) would cost by about $100.
I am quite pleased with the quality of the MRC sound, I would just recommend that the volume is turned down some from the maximum.
You are correct in your evaluation of the Challenger whistle, the Athearn unit does not sound anything like the real one. Ths whistle is close to a duplication of a NYC hudson that I have recording of in Illinois. The whistle also has some reverb sound in it. I purchased two of the Athearn Challengers because of their detail and running qualities, but a Soundtraxx unit will replace the sound unit in the one I will use. The DCC decoder also has limitations and that will be replaced also. I also have the Lionel Challenger and its whistle is closer to the steamboat whistle that the UP used. The Lionel sound can be improved with a replacement speaker and the Lionel Challenger puffs in and out of sync like the real engine puffs. Both are very good examples of the engines you can buy today with little or no other modifications and still have fun with them.
The Trix Big Boy has a good sounding whistle, but when you blow the whistle, it does a preprogammed sequence that is not correct for operations. It
4884 Bigboy.
I’m going to give you the California Challenger Video and you can conduct a comparison and report
back your on hands comprehensive evaluation.
This thing is beinng beat to death like the old problematic Kato SD-2.
I paid $307.00 for the Riv Allegheny and $262.00 for the Challenger with sound , remote, un-questionable warranty. I got my monies worth.
Before I get to the Challenger whistle, let me say: OBOY! a Northern Pacific Z-something or other? Next to the Rio Grande Baldwin 4-6-6-4, that’s the handsomest Challenger I’ve ever seen!
Okay, now to the Athearn. Maybe my hearing was off back then, but some years ago when UP brought 3985 out to Sacramento for the Railroad Faire, I thought it had a really WEIRD whistle, something I had to get used to. After a couple of days of hearing it, I got used to it and really kind of liked it (remember, SP articulateds that I grew up with, had a horn, not a whistle). When I got my Athearn Challenger and pressed the whistle button, it sounded just like I remembered it at RailFaire, so no complaints from this end. As to the N&W A–what a neat, haunting sound! Another BLI that I love, is the whistle on the Santa Fe Northern–talk about a screecher! But from this end, there are no complaints at all about the Challenger whistle, sounds just as broken and fuzzy as I remember the real thing.
Tom [:P][:P][;)]