UP Steam

Union Pacific Bigboy (Trix) and Challenger (Athearn):
Both engines have been upgraded with SoundTraxx DSD and Zimo MX63 (Challenger) MX64 (Bigboy) decoders.  I also added golden white LED and Kobitone speakers.  The challenger had speakers that started to vibrate so I replaced them with 2 ovals while taking out the MRC decoder which does not sound that great.  The LED on the Bigboy is SM with a filter while the Challenger takes regular GW LED from Richmond control.  The number boards have been rewired on both engines to be controlled by F5 then I dimmed the one on the Challenger using CV60 in the Zimo decoder plus the CV114 for masking.  Both have slow start on the lights using Zimo effects.

 
Video: UP BigBoys double heading at SBHRS
 
Video: UP Challenger and BigBoy at SBHRS
 
Video: UP Challenger at GEHAMS
 

Video: More Challenger at GEHAMS
 

Video: UP BigBoy and Challenger at SBHRS
 

Video: UP BIGBOY & Challenger at SBHRS
 

Video: BigBoys at SBHRS

Video: D&RGW Challenger (Athearn)  and SP Cab forward (BLI) at SBHRS
 

UP Lionel Challenger at SBHRS pulling 47 cars and a caboose (1.5% grade)

 

Pat 's Trix BIGBOY with mine is second position pulling 55 cars. Below is a preview of what will happen 40 years later with this double header of a BLI SP Cab forward and an Athearn D&RGW Challenger. A top view of the two BIGBOYs at SBHRS, Special thanks to Pat (below) for letting me run his BIGBOY.

Both engines belong to Pat at SBHRS
Dale is the engineer
BIGBOY and Challenger double header.
(This reproduces UP Ops from Cheyenne, the head engine being the helper)

 

 

 Video of TRIX UP 4013 with Zimo MX61 in the boiler and Soundtraxx DSX in the tender with an oval speaker.

Video of BigBoy double headed with LifeLike 2-8-8-2.   The 2-8-8-2 uses Soundtraxx DSD with oval speaker.
More double header
And more of the BigBoy and the 2-8-8-2...