Lionel Up Challenger HO scale - double head?

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I have two Lionel UP Challengers in HO scale #3983 & 3976 in Gray/Yellow.

I’d like to run them double headed and the instruction books speaks of this, but how do I connect them? The engine does not have a coupler in the front.

Has anyone done this with this particular model?

2

I don’t have access to my Lionel Challenger at this moment, but I believe it does have a swing coupler on it.

Check and see if the pilot has the swing type coupler that the prototype has. It should rotate and the coupler can be used.

CZ

3

Mine has no front coupler, either, but there are two dummy couplers inside the small plastic bag of spare parts and tools that comes with the model.

There is a very small, swiveling, coupler pocket behind the pilot into which one of the dummy couplers can be fitted.

You’ll have to cut away some of the front pilot to open up a gap for the dummy coupler, and then snap it into the coupler pocket.

Once you have the dummy coupler attached, it should marry up with the coupler on the rear of the tender.

4

Try a Kadee #19 coupler, it has the NEM 362 tang that will fit into the dummy coupler pocket on the locomotive. It has been a long time since I put one in one of mine, I may have had to do a little filing on the COUPLER to get it to seat deep enough, you should not have to modify the locomotive.

Doug

5

Thanks everyone. I had no idea there was a pocket hiding in there.

6

Thanks to a couple of you for pointing me in the right direction asking how to do this. I bought my first Challenger when it came out, wanted to buy a second one but procrastinated (I also wanted a Big Boy). Years went by, Lionel stopped making the train and prices went sky high. A couple of weeks ago I happened to look for one on ebay and found it for sale from an estate auction and the opening bid was what I paid new back in 2003/04? Anyhow I bid one time, was the only bidder and 24 hours later I won.

In any event here is a video (on carpet no less) of something I have wanted to do for years. Also thrown in the mix later in the video is a BLI Pragon 611 J Class, another one of my favorite engines.

Video: http://youtu.be/pjHVv5_Gwfg

Thanks everyone who replied! I looked and there is a cover (punch out) you remove to access the coupler mount in the front of the engine. The cover can be snapped back on and looks seamless when in place.

Next on my list is double headed Big Boys and a lot of coal or military cars. I know the UP Doubled probably never pulled passenger cars but it was all I had, and it goes well when running one like I did years back. Have to decide on what make/brand to get but when I do it will be two at once.

Time to start a layout.