4-6-6-4 Alco D&H Challenger
4-6-6-4 Alco D&H Challenger
A Challenger approaches… Again…
True to my northeastern roots, I give you another steamer, the Alco D&H Challenger.
Background
The J-35 was made in 1940, a year before the heavy challengers for the UP. These used a different tender from that of the 3900’s a triple axle variant. These also most notably have a different boiler door and front pilot. Oddly, and while I personally don’t agree, these were nicknamed the “most beautiful” of all the Challengers.
D&H ordered 50 of these bad boys from Alco and filled their roster from 1940 to approximately 1953, unfortunately, retired early by the beginning of the diesel era.
Details
Not user recolorable (sorry)
Custom sounds by MrCheesecake including a new whistle
Emissive lights with actual textures
Headlights “on” only in the first position
Dirt and rust
Group menu listed under the Alco 4-6-6-4 Challenger mod
Proper animations
MC Couplers, now swing when turning
Stats
70 mph top speed
30 year lifespan
551,156 lbs
4800 hp
94,000 lb/f tractive effort
Default emissive
Available 1940, no end date
Known Issues
Unfortunately, there is a known issue that I can UG solve at the current time. This has to do with the front pipes on the front articulated set connecting to the main pipes of the boiler.
In short, I had to manufacture a way to make them appear connected, currently the way the coding works means making the pipes look always connected is impossible. I verified this issue on the vanilla big boy and with Yoshi (Mathias). When this issue can be rectified by the UG programming team, you will see this updated shortly thereafter.
Version 1.9 Update
Heavily Corrected Textures
New Skins: #1500,#1503 (Gray Smoke Box)
#1500 is generic and recolorable
Asset versions
No more plow crosswalk by smokebox
#1531 and #1524 are both playable now
Planned Updates
I have found the elevation plans Courtesy of the Alco Historic Photos. From there I plan on revampling this, consolidating my materials, and adding more LODs. Version 2 I expect will be of the detail that the Berkshires are.
Hope you enjoy it!
Required items:
4-6-6-4 Alco Challenger