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5 replies

4-6-6-4 Challenger Problem with Legacy

T TOKELLYOGR Forum Member

I finally got the 990 Legacy Command Set and got the opportunity to run a Challenger I bought a year and a half ago. Although a Y3 and an SD70ACe work perfectly well on Legacy, the Challenger does not run more than a foot or so before stopping. Turning the red velocity control in either direction, even slightly, gets it moving for a few more feet, and then it stops again. The erratic running displays the following symptoms:

  • stopping after a few feet; LED firebox LEDs go out (with Odyssey on or off, in Legacy or Command, with either Steam or Flyer Pulmore modes)
  • when running, both the headlight and cab lights flicker
  • The speaker in the tender has a persistent hum until Railsounds start. The hum stops for a second when the engine turns off (the sound quits with an abrupt "pop"), and then the hum starts again if the track is powered.

I have eliminated the usual suspects--the antenna is electrically isolated from the frame and the wheels and track are clean.  Resetting and reprogramming the engine makes no difference. I understand that this type of problem was not uncommon among initial purchasers of the Challenger; but until the 990 Legacy Command set was available again, I could not try it out.

 

Does anyone remember this problem and how to correct it?

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SgaugianSgaugianOGR Forum Member

Sorry to hear you're having problems with your Challenger.  My first two gray units were lemons -- one mechanically, the other electronically.  Third was a charm (with a little work).  In terms of the rough running, one thing you may want to try is remove the engine shell and look to see if all boards and plugs are snugly and completely inserted into their respective sockets.  Sometimes one can be jarred a bit out of position during shipping and handling.  Also look for any loose connections - rotate both power trucks and observe connections -- unlike with the Mallet in which both motors stay stationary, both in the Challenger move.  The humming in the tender?  Not sure, other than remove that shell and take a look for similar issue(s).  When you say reset I'm assuming you mean more than the R key on the Cab2, but the factory setting procedure in the manual.  Good luck.  Let us know how it goes.  

T TOKELLYOGR Forum Member

It ran a bit erratically on straight AC in conventional, but also stopped at its own will. I reprogrammed it with the orange memory module and manually, but neither improved the response. The reset was a full "AUX1" reset according to the manual. The sounds from the tender do not have the hum when the tender sits alone on the track. The hum is introduced by the locomotive, so there is something wrong in the locomotive that I cannot find. No loose connections; every circuit port and plug connector is properly seated; everything looks as it should. My guess now is a faulty circuit board that was only apparent once Lionel had the Legacy 990 in stock and I could supply power to the Challenger.

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