Just brought mine home after a trip to Paris.
The trip home itself was not un-eventful!
My dealer suggested **not** to take it off the little wooden base for a test run.
In his opinion, it was safer to bring it home "as is", in its original and very intricate package.
The events that ensued will prove he was right.
During a line change in the metro, a young pickpocket went for the smartphone in my pocket, but the Challenger box got in the way, and he missed!
But my right foot did not miss his crutch.
Funny how well I remembered the reflexes learned 54 years ago while training for close combat in the army.
He ran away, but obviously was most uncomfortable doing so!
Some onlookers said "Vous avez bien fait Monsieur" . (You were right to do so sir )
But after all the commotion , I was now **really** concerned with all the shaking endured by my precious Challenger!
I resisted the urge to open the box and waited till the next day, in the evening when I got home after a 400 miles freeway ride to the south.
Lo and behold , the magnificent object was undamaged and ran perfectly at the first trial!
It pulls my standard 30 cars US freight test consist without a hitch.
Double slips, s-curves and switches, R1, etc. nothing is a problem.
Nice stuff! Bravo Märklin.
Have created a brand new space in the display case: when not on the layout, this one is **not** going back in the box.
Want to keep an eye on it.
Only problem: the sounds are **waaayyy** too loud!
But that's an easy problem to solve.
Cheers
Jacques
