During World War II, as the Pacific front intensified, rail traffic congestion threatened to cripple western railroads like the Union Pacific. Railroads placed urgent requests for more motive power to the War Production Board. The UP knew of no better candidate for a fast freight hauler than the 4-6-6-4 simple articulated Challenger-type that they had developed with the American Locomotive Company in the 1930s.
These earliest Challengers, some 60 in total, proved their worth on the steep grades of the Wasatch Mountains, showing clearly that the big brute 4-6-6-4 engines had more power and speed than their predecessors.
In 1943, 25 additional ALCO Challengers arrived at the Union Pacific Railroad. These locomotives were initially designed as coal burners thanks to plentiful Wyoming coal-fields. In 1944, however, some Greyhound Challengers of UP were converted to burn oil for Los Angeles passenger service, where they often exceeded 80 miles per hour speeds. The UP Challengers hauled passenger and freight consists through the late 1950s.
Five VISION Challengers are available for 2010, all equipped with the highest level of realistic features and state-of -the-art LEGACY technology that's possible. You'll see and feel the difference with features like injector and turbine steam effects, realistic Dual Sound effects, removable smoke deflectors, accurate smokestacks and tender types, and the best in high-tech realism.
Authentic Detailing! * Swing-out scale front coupler with interchangeable, fixed * O-Gauge coupler for double-heading * Opening cab windows and roof vent * Cab curtains and window glass * Detailed and decorated cab interior * Hinged cab deck * Opening boiler front with authentic interior detail * Authentic see-through boiler walkway * Separately applied details including grab irons, piping, and valves * Authentic smokestack interior detailing * Prototypical dual smokestack * Removable smoke deflectors - run your engine with or without elephant ears * Opening hatches on tender * Oil tender on UP Greyhounds * Coal tender on black U.P. engines
Lighting Features! * Enhanced realistic lighting in cab interior * Directional lighting including operating locomotive headlight and tender back-up light * Illuminated classification lights on the front of locomotive * Illuminated rear marker lights on tender * Illuminated number boards * Flickering firebox in cab * Variable ashpan glow * Four illuminated work lights under boiler with On/Off switch
Steam and Smoke Features! This engine comes equipped with TruRail Steam - a CAB- controlled, variable intensity steam and smoke effect. Here are some of the features operators can simulate: * Accurate WHISTLE STEAM effects * New realistic DYNAMO STEAM effects * Fan-driven smoke unit with adjustable smoke output delivers varying intensity of smoke to main stack, whistle, and dynamo. * Most steam effects are synchronized to the RailSounds sound system and are user controllable.
Upgraded Sound Features! LEGACY RailSounds sounds system synchronizes realistic sounds to nearly all aspects of locomotive operation, features, and effects. This product also includes three speakers, two in the tender and one in the locomotive for the ultimate in sound reproduction. Just look at how many ways you can enhance the sound experience: *Control realistic sounds synchronized to TruRail Steam features including blowdown, whistle steam, turbine steam, and injector steam. * Independently adjustable volume control allows you to use the Remote Controller to lower the level of back-ground effects (such as chuffing) while keeping operator-controlled effects (such as the whistle) at full volume.
DUAL SOUND - With a sound system in your locomotive as well as the tender, Dual Sound enhances sound realism and localizes a wide variety of authentic sound effects.
* TruRail Dialog - Activate upgraded dialog features which boast the most realistic dialogue scenes and authentic railroad terminology possible. Also, dialog scenes can change with engine operation and user control.
* Six official railroad speeds with CrewTalk dialogue
* TruRail Signals - Activate the quilling whistle and user playable bell featuring continuous or single strike sounds with variable intensity. There's a dedicated CAB-2 control for both whistle and bell functions.
* TruRail Laboring - Control the variable laboring sounds with 32 levels of simulated dynamic load of the locomotive.
* TruRail Articulated Chuffs - Prototypical four-chuffs per drive wheel revolution for each engine, with the phase relation between the two engines slipping as operating conditions vary, or under user control.
Other high-end features * LEGACY Control System equipped - You can run the in LEGACY Control mode, in TrainMaster Control mode, or in Conventional mode with a standard transformer
* High-torque motor with momentum flywheel * Wireless Tether connection between locomotive and tender * ElectroCoupler on rear of tender * Die cast metal locomotive body, pilot, and trucks * Die cast metal tender body and trucks * Traction tires * All 12 driving wheels powered * Accurate separately-applied builders plates * Engineer and fireman figures * Minimum Curve: O-72 * Length: 32
These earliest Challengers, some 60 in total, proved their worth on the steep grades of the Wasatch Mountains, showing clearly that the big brute 4-6-6-4 engines had more power and speed than their predecessors.
In 1943, 25 additional ALCO Challengers arrived at the Union Pacific Railroad. These locomotives were initially designed as coal burners thanks to plentiful Wyoming coal-fields. In 1944, however, some Greyhound Challengers of UP were converted to burn oil for Los Angeles passenger service, where they often exceeded 80 miles per hour speeds. The UP Challengers hauled passenger and freight consists through the late 1950s.
Five VISION Challengers are available for 2010, all equipped with the highest level of realistic features and state-of -the-art LEGACY technology that's possible. You'll see and feel the difference with features like injector and turbine steam effects, realistic Dual Sound effects, removable smoke deflectors, accurate smokestacks and tender types, and the best in high-tech realism.
Authentic Detailing! * Swing-out scale front coupler with interchangeable, fixed * O-Gauge coupler for double-heading * Opening cab windows and roof vent * Cab curtains and window glass * Detailed and decorated cab interior * Hinged cab deck * Opening boiler front with authentic interior detail * Authentic see-through boiler walkway * Separately applied details including grab irons, piping, and valves * Authentic smokestack interior detailing * Prototypical dual smokestack * Removable smoke deflectors - run your engine with or without elephant ears * Opening hatches on tender * Oil tender on UP Greyhounds * Coal tender on black U.P. engines
Lighting Features! * Enhanced realistic lighting in cab interior * Directional lighting including operating locomotive headlight and tender back-up light * Illuminated classification lights on the front of locomotive * Illuminated rear marker lights on tender * Illuminated number boards * Flickering firebox in cab * Variable ashpan glow * Four illuminated work lights under boiler with On/Off switch
Steam and Smoke Features! This engine comes equipped with TruRail Steam - a CAB- controlled, variable intensity steam and smoke effect. Here are some of the features operators can simulate: * Accurate WHISTLE STEAM effects * New realistic DYNAMO STEAM effects * Fan-driven smoke unit with adjustable smoke output delivers varying intensity of smoke to main stack, whistle, and dynamo. * Most steam effects are synchronized to the RailSounds sound system and are user controllable.
Upgraded Sound Features! LEGACY RailSounds sounds system synchronizes realistic sounds to nearly all aspects of locomotive operation, features, and effects. This product also includes three speakers, two in the tender and one in the locomotive for the ultimate in sound reproduction. Just look at how many ways you can enhance the sound experience: *Control realistic sounds synchronized to TruRail Steam features including blowdown, whistle steam, turbine steam, and injector steam. * Independently adjustable volume control allows you to use the Remote Controller to lower the level of back-ground effects (such as chuffing) while keeping operator-controlled effects (such as the whistle) at full volume.
DUAL SOUND - With a sound system in your locomotive as well as the tender, Dual Sound enhances sound realism and localizes a wide variety of authentic sound effects.
* TruRail Dialog - Activate upgraded dialog features which boast the most realistic dialogue scenes and authentic railroad terminology possible. Also, dialog scenes can change with engine operation and user control.
* Six official railroad speeds with CrewTalk dialogue
* TruRail Signals - Activate the quilling whistle and user playable bell featuring continuous or single strike sounds with variable intensity. There's a dedicated CAB-2 control for both whistle and bell functions.
* TruRail Laboring - Control the variable laboring sounds with 32 levels of simulated dynamic load of the locomotive.
* TruRail Articulated Chuffs - Prototypical four-chuffs per drive wheel revolution for each engine, with the phase relation between the two engines slipping as operating conditions vary, or under user control.
Other high-end features * LEGACY Control System equipped - You can run the in LEGACY Control mode, in TrainMaster Control mode, or in Conventional mode with a standard transformer
* High-torque motor with momentum flywheel * Wireless Tether connection between locomotive and tender * ElectroCoupler on rear of tender * Die cast metal locomotive body, pilot, and trucks * Die cast metal tender body and trucks * Traction tires * All 12 driving wheels powered * Accurate separately-applied builders plates * Engineer and fireman figures * Minimum Curve: O-72 * Length: 32