Pre-Ordered a big boy

N

nolatron

Member
Nov 17, 2004
716
0
16
45
Katy, TX
railroad.sodh.net
Call it a really really super impulsive buy, but I pre-ordered an Athearn Big-Boy 4-8-8-4 N-scale locomotive last night. :mrgreen:

1684-sideview.jpg

​

While my layout is set in modern times, I've always wanted a fancy steam engine to run for those special excursion trips.
​

I had originally bought an Athearn Challenger earlier in the year, but it unfortunately suffered a mechanical linkage failure. I was planning on eventually getting another one.

Then I saw the ad for the Big-Boy the lastest MR (and then that it sells for $5 less than the challenger), I knew I had to give it a chance. My only concern.... that the Big Boy has enough pulling power to get up the helix on it's own. We'll find out soon!

Looks like I'll have to pick up some UP passenger cars eventually to go with the engine now.

106-5013-500.jpg

​
 
nolatron said:
I pre-ordered an Athearn Big-Boy 4-8-8-4 N-scale locomotive...
Click to expand...
Me too! Now I just have to figure out how to pay for it once it gets here. I guess I'm a glutton for punishment as I'm working on my third Challenger already. The first two fried their decoders. Now I'm afraid to run the one I have and only bring it out for special occasions. I'm hoping the Big Boy will be a tad more reliable.
 
The big boy is one of my favorite engines and I would like to have one myself. The problem is I dont think the big boy would make my tight 11" turns :cry:. Who knows maybe I will eventually get one anyway just to have it on display as an out of service engine. :thumb:
 
I got mine and broke it within the first 10 minutes. DON'T, I repeat, DON'T run it on anything less than 11" radius. The drive linkage is very weak and all it took was one radius that was too tight and something broke. After that radius, it did not matter if it was traveling in a straight line or not, it made a (how do I describe this) mechanical slipping/popping sound between the driveshaft and above the second set of drivers. I took it back to my LHS where they promptly swapped it out for me. I have not even taken the second one out of the box yet. I had electrical problems with my Challenger and went through three of them. If I buy any more Athearns after this, they'll be diesels only.
 
My minimum radius is 16.25" in the helix. Everything else is about 20". So hopefully I won't have much trouble in the helix.

The engine will probably be a more of a show piece since my layout is modern based. It'll come out for the special excursion trips.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom