Challenger Photo Album

[bob turner]

Here they are - yours for six months:

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Scratch Challenger.JPG (622.7 KiB) Viewed 6254 times

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[bob turner]

Just a sample of UP Challengers. First is prewar "Fetters" Challenger, from which Lobaugh was able to make D&H and NP variants. The rest are "Jabelmann" Challengers, produced in the early 1950s by Lobaugh. Some of these have more original Lobaugh parts than others, The one labeled "Scratch" has a home made boiler and tender sides. The last one in line was finished this year, in honor of my friend Peter Cozens, who sadly was not able to finish it. Yes the DRGW had these for a short period of time - they went to Clinchfield.

[bob turner]

By the way, only two of my Challengers have original gears. Most have NWSL, and a couple remain without power. Parts in boiler . . . The D&H came with USH, and those got replaced with genuine Lobaugh, just because the thing is so rare. The NP has a "Twin Spool" arrangement, with two motors. Photos of those later. You have seen them all before, anyway.

[De Bruin]

Nice! looking forward to the rest of them too; I do like that DRG&W variant as well originated by Mr. Cozens, question - did these have an array of front deck pumps w/shield?
I seem to remember a friend of mine in Texas owning one of these, maybe a Sunset or Precision AIR with white chevron stripes on the shield.
though maybe it was a different wheel arrangement (long time ago) Really like DRG&W's standard gauge steam, likewise the WP's Challengers and their Mallets in general.

[Carey Williams]

Thank you Bob for sharing your line up of Challengers ...

Nice to be able to compare models next to each other .

Earliest ad I've found for the Lobaugh Challenger is January 1939 in Model Railroading .... ... by December dealers are offering the Challenger RTR for a mere $225.00 ...entry level Ford $700

Rollin had a booth at the SF fair 1939 ( Treasure Island ) with workman building trains on site ... no doubt a few Challengers were being built whilst new buyers were lining up ..to test run.

In an article during the war, Rollin was quoted as selling 200 Challengers (kits) before the war .... he mentioned having one on his mantle .

So the post war models have the larger sand domes and smoke stacks etc ?

Cheers Carey

1939 MR Jan Challenger first ad.jpg (937.41 KiB) Viewed 6243 times

1939 Dec MR ad.jpg (1.57 MiB) Viewed 6243 times

[Erik C Lindgren]

Beautiful Bob thanks for sharing.

[bob turner]

Here are the D&H and NP versions:

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Lob Chall NP 2.jpg (942.73 KiB) Viewed 6175 times

Lob Chall NP 3.jpg (1.51 MiB) Viewed 6175 times

[bob turner]

Yes, that NP is powered. Two 8224 motors are stacked in that giant firebox, both linked to a lower driveshaft. The front engine is driven by a shaft that actually goes through the rear gearbox wormshaft.

The NP is not actually a true Lobaugh - the boiler and frame/drivers are genuine, but the firebox, cab, lots of other details and the entire tender are not. The tender is actually a wood block - works great for all welded prototypes.

Lobaugh did not get the dimensions right on either of these tenders. The Lobaugh NP tender is so far off it isn't even worth searching for. The D&H is too short - this one has original sides with an extension soldered on to the bottom.

Back then, close enough was good enough.

[bob turner]

I should close this out - remember, it will be gone in 6 months. The below is a Lobaugh Challenger with just a few extra pieces.

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[bob turner]

Here you go, Challenger fans. Nice detail, but reasonably high initial price?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lobaugh-O-Scal ... Sw57ZcplQ9

[rogruth]

Proves that if you have seen one Challenger you have NOT seen them all.
Beautiful and fascinating, at least to me who can't do anything like this.