Does anyone know the release date for the HO Athern/Genesis Challenger? It looks like an awesome locomotive…
According to www.athearn.com (NEW) spring of 04
the price seems a little breathtaking too.
Doug in Utah
I saw the price, man I fell off my chair.
I hope they put some weight in this one. I have the 2-8-2 which is a great
running loco but is too light. Traction is an issue. Probably just the size of
the Challenger will give it enough weight ! Dave
What’s the price?
DC $529.98
DCC $599.98
whoa!
500-600 dollars, thats getting into the price range of brass locomotives. I remember the days (about 7-8 years ago) when $200-250 for a Rivarossi steamer seemed like a lot. It would have to be one impressive locomotive for me to spend over $500 on it.
Josh Ziegler
Spokane, WA
Well, if it looks as good as the Lionel Challenger, it will be one impressive loco. I saw the Lionel today, and it looks as good as any brass I’ve seen.
Thats what I said.
I wonder if this Union Pacific Logo thing is going to effect the price on them when they come out.
there is hardly any UP LOGO on a challenger, just plain text and a very tiny shield on the smokebox door, could we get a discount Uncle Pete?
That would be $769.23 Canadian,
before shipping and handling,
before Custom Tarriffs,
before taxes and
BEFORE DIVORCE COSTS!!!
Stop the madness!!!
Trainworld http://www.trainworld1.com/newproductannouncements.htm
has them listed for $389/439 (DC/DCC). The Lionel one is a bit more.
Having seen the Lionel Challenger in action, I was less than impressed. It can’t hold a candle tot he Trix Big Boy. For the kind of dollars they want, I am hard pressed to buy a Lionel loco. as far as Athearn is concerned, they will have to do a lot better than their previous steam locomotives which had no pulling power and a very fragile mechanism.
Let’s hope if the Athern Challenger is succesful that Lionel will lower thier price.
My Mikado will not pull five box cars up a 2% grade. Just spins it’s wheels. Dave
That was the first frustrating part. The second was that the nylon drive mechanism cracked. The engine whines but the wheels do not move and thus the locomotive doesn’t go anywhere. My guess is that the total running time of the locomotive was about 45 minutes. Athearn will replace the broken mechanism, but I’ve got to do the labor myself.
Like I said earlier, their Challenger will have to be a better product or it will be their last steam locomotive.
Their announced price for a plastic model is more than I paid for the cast metal Lionel HO Challenger.