Best place to send locomotive for repairs

JdevleerjrOGR Forum Member

I have 2 locomotives that need repairs. I live in the Detroit area and was wondering the best spots to bring them or send them into for repairs.

1 locomotive is an Atlas O RS-1. The rear coupler snapped in half. I did contact Atlas and they said to send it into them but i have heard horror stories of months of turn around time. I would rather my locomotive not be gone forever for just a coupler to be replaced.

The 2nd locomotive is an MTH BL2 that has a bad speaker. I am sure I can replace this myself but would rather just send it in to be fixed.

Thanks for your help.

6/26/1211:00 AM

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MR-150OGR Forum Member

I would send a atlas locomotive for repair to Atlas in a heartbeat. I sent in a locomotive for a broken electrocoupler and had it back within 9 or 10 days when i sent it out.I think their repair time is alot better than MTH's.

6/26/124:21 PM

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Lee 145OGR Forum Member

Measure your speaker and let me know what you have. I have a pair of old ex Geep 7 speakers that you can try.

Otherwise it's J and W Electronics out of Red Lion PA near York. They might be able to do something with it.

Regarding the Atlas, it would probably be faster to replace the part if you can find a replacement. Atlas is not bad at all, I love their products, however I turned one of their boxcars into a Yard Storage shed after finding the Ladders were so flimsy... I simply stripped the car for parts and punched a door, window and chimney into it. (Oh by the way I never heard from Atlas again heh.)

There are any number of Techs availible for hire to do the work you require should you choose for yourself.

Good luck!

6/26/125:00 PM

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NortonOGR Forum Member

Many if us had had problem with the RS-1 couplers. Must have been a batch made of suspect alloy. Replace them both as the other one will surely break. I replaced mine myself with ones I had from Electric Railroad. They are pretty much a standard coupler but don't recall if they are 2" or 1 3/4". I have both on hand for doing upgrades.

The RS-1 can be difficult to take apart. The shell has to come off to thread the wires to the control board. I wouldn't hesitate to send it to Atlas. Their customer service one of the best.

Pete

6/26/125:11 PM

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brucefclarkOGR Forum Member

Jdevleerjr

Replace the Atlas coupler with MTH ones. Measure the resistance of the electrocoupler - 8 ohms are Proto 1 and about 4 ohms are proto 2. You can also get 2 different lengths so you might be able to get closer coupling using the short couplers. A big plus with the MTH electrocouplers is that they release under load where Lionel Atlas do not.