I'm thinking about getting one of these Challengers, made by Rivarossi for Con-Cor. Do they run okay, and is there any known problems with them?
I have one of the first runs. It now has quite a few hours on it's mechinism. For being a RR it is an incredably smooth runner and really does pull surprisingly well. The only "problem" that mine has had was having the forward load baering axle on the tender waerout and I had to rebuild the baering pockets
Having repaired many of them at ConCor.... If you get a good one they are wonderful locos. Just like in the prototype, however, some engines are Hoodoos. No matter what you do to them they won't run properly. I have worked on some that even if you change out every part with new ones including the frames and wheels, the curse transfers to the new mechanism..... If you can test run it and it runs without any hitches in the giddyup, buy it. They are one of the best locos Rivarossi ever did. Charlie
I got outbid, so no Challenger for me, unless I somehow come across a thousand dollars to buy the brass model sitting at my local hobby shop.
I have a good one and I love it. It is a UP with centipede tender and I run it on special occasions with a mixed passenger livery as I have not yet been able to find a relatively low priced set of passenger cars. I had a Clinchfield as well but had to sell it to a friend. He ran it everyday and it ran like a switch watch. One of rivarossi's best. I am trying to pick one up at a swap meet or train show. Ken "Steamguy" Willaman
Being a Rivarossi buff, I have a Riv Challenger in HO that dates to 1972 and it has the original riv round motor in it that were nic named "Coffee Grinders" and my old 1972 version will run with the new updated HO version! With flywheel and new 5 pole skew wound balanced armeture! I told a friend of mine (which is also a memebr to TB here) That when Rivarossi did that motor and drive, they threw the mould an all into it! It still has the original headlight bulb in it too! 30 years later! So if the N scale version is as good as my HO scale version. They are great loco's. Altho, I know the front trucks on the tenders were known to wear out the axle journals.... Thats from the movement and the spinning axle. Alot of running it will heat the plastic and soften it and wear the journal...I've found a way to make this fool proof to repair but takes some time and has to be done very, very slowly. [ 30. September 2002, 07:40: Message edited by: 7600EM_1 ]
