Atlas Trainman RS3 Sputters / stalls.

Gray,

I believe all Trainman engines come with two pickup rollers and that is probably the source of the problem. I have many Atlas engines both Master and Trainman and all of the ones with just two pickup rollers have given me problems with stalling and sputtering and I'm using Atlas track. The track and rollers have to be pristinely clean to make for smooth operation. Then the next day after the cleaning they would stall and sputter again. I don't know whether it is the material Atlas uses for the rollers or what but two rollers just doesn't work. Four rollers, however work very well. All my four roller Master engines run great.

I bought the recent issue Trainman U23b with two rollers and it ran poorly. Fortunately the bottom gear case covers had provisions for adding additional rollers. So I took the extra rollers, insulators and screws off a dummy Atlas SD-35 I had and installed them on the U23b. It runs great now with no stalling issues at all.

Check your RS-3 trucks to see if the bottom gear case cover has a cutout area at the end of the cover for another pickup. If it does contact Atlas and see if they have the rear rollers, insulators, and screws you can order. Of course you will have to take the engine apart to install the rollers and add wiring to them.

Ken

I had a similar experience with my Atlas RS3.  In my  case one of the two pickup rollers was not functioning as the wire had separated from the collector.

I had similar problems with an Atlas GP60. What I did was change the length of one of the rollers, using a longer Bachmann pick-up roller. Now it will go through back-to-back Fastrack switches with no stalling. I think I'll have to do the same with an Atlas GP-35. They are the only two engines that have this trouble.

If the GP60 has two rollers per truck (I don't have one) I could understand that.  The RS3 has only one roller per truck that springs straight down and with the truck gearing design, I don't see how to put another roller (with an arm) on.

Suggestions

The GP60 has only one roller per truck. The goal is to get a space between front and rear pickup rollers as close to 8" or less. With the front roller swapped for a longer one, that spacing is achieved.

Atlas SW's have two rollers per truck, four rollers total.  Later issue Atlas GP7/9 also have four pick-up rollers.  Clean rollers and maybe a drop of conductive oil on the roller shaft may increase conductivity of the pick-up system.