Tale of 2 Lionel challengers

I have the Lionel VL Challenger and like running mine.  I had a problem with the whistle smoke unit and sent it back to Lionel and they fixed it no problem.  My board on the smoke unit was bad and they replaced it.  I think turn around time was about 2 weeks.  As for the toss up for which one to keep?  Definitely the VL one.  It has more going for it and if needed get a RA from Lionel and let them take a look at it.

laz1957 posted:

I have the Lionel VL Challenger and like running mine.  I had a problem with the whistle smoke unit and sent it back to Lionel and they fixed it no problem.  My board on the smoke unit was bad and they replaced it.  I think turn around time was about 2 weeks.  As for the toss up for which one to keep?  Definitely the VL one.  It has more going for it and if needed get a RA from Lionel and let them take a look at it.

thanks I like them both they are well done and look awesome I have all the parts to rebuild the smoke units but I think it could be the control unit that makes them work and lionel does not have the part so can I run it without the smoke units working, yes but can I sell it recoup most of my money and move on that's the dilemma

Just my two cents, but I would get the VL sorted and keep it. As you well know there are guys here that can help.

Good Luck with your decision...

Here, here. Dump the JLC version and fix the VL Challenger. The sound alone its a keeper.

On a separate note, did you ever sell your pilot engine 6-11336?

I fix the units .. I love my vl challenger. I might have it put in my casket with me. Jking 

Michael Duke posted:

On a separate note, did you ever sell your pilot engine 6-11336?

I did some time ago and got a painted one   thanks

jojofry posted:

I fix the units .. I love my vl challenger. I might have it put in my casket with me. Jking 

well there may be a problem with the unit, The smoke unit control board could be gone as well and lionel has no more of them, I am not saying that it could be but all inductions point to this as the problem if so it may never smoke again, As for the JLC unit its a much easier fix as its just a board change and its back so I have decided on fixing the JLC unit, I still have hopes for the vision line if I rebuild the smoke units and it works then I have 2 great locos if I go through all that work and they are still dead then I am back to square one.  I know its just the smoke units but I feel its a important part of the vision line, But the time involved to fix them it would take me years to get to it with everything else I have going on, I still believe that if I let the vision line one go then I could get more for that one even in the condition its in then the JLC   

fl9turbo2 posted:

jojofry posted:

I fix the units .. I love my vl challenger. I might have it put in my casket with me. Jking 

well there may be a problem with the unit, The smoke unit control board could be gone as well and lionel has no more of them, I am not saying that it could be but all inductions point to this as the problem if so it may never smoke again, As for the JLC unit its a much easier fix as its just a board change and its back so I have decided on fixing the JLC unit, I still have hopes for the vision line if I rebuild the smoke units and it works then I have 2 great locos if I go through all that work and they are still dead then I am back to square one.  I know its just the smoke units but I feel its a important part of the vision line, But the time involved to fix them it would take me years to get to it with everything else I have going on, I still believe that if I let the vision line one go then I could get more for that one even in the condition its in then the JLC   

I have one I could sell you or  You could send me the engine to if wanted. I fix  these all the time