Comparison of MTH/RK (30-2208) and K-Line (6-22280) RS3s

@Mark V. Spadaro posted:

RK’s FYS are just plain goofy, and, as this is a 2000 Vol 3 release, I believe DCS was still in it’s infancy.

I like both engines, though prefer the color of the darker maroon version. However, I don't understand what you mean by "FYS". Could you explain? Thanks.

@BenLMaggi posted:

I don't understand what you mean by "FYS". Could you explain? Thanks.

Freight Yard Sounds (FYS)- as an example from the first MTH manual I grabbed. https://mthtrains.com/sites/de...ction/20dl16632i.pdf

Freight Yard Sounds (FYS):
Your engine is equipped with a sound package of freight yard sounds that you
can play when you pull into a yard. Each sequence described below will
play as long as it is left on, randomly generating sounds, but be sure to
allow approximately 30 seconds between the button pushes described
below to allow the FYS sufficient time to run through each sequence.
1. To cue the sound system to play the FYS, quickly but firmly tap the Bell
button once followed by 2 quick taps of the Whistle button while the engine is
moving. Tap the buttons quickly but allow approximately ½ second between
each press.
2. Press the Direction button or drop and advance the throttle once to stop the
engine. This will trigger the first sequence of FYS. The reverse unit is
temporarily disabled so that the train will not move as you use the Direction
button to trigger the sounds, and Proto-Sound 2.0 has disabled operator control
over the Whistle and Bell buttons until the full FYS sequence is complete.
3. After waiting about 30 seconds for that sequence to run, press the Direction
button again to trigger the second sequence of FYS.
4. After about 30 seconds, press the Direction button again to trigger the third
FYS sequence.
5. Again, after allowing about 30 seconds for that sequence to run, press the
Direction button one more time to trigger the fourth and final FYS sequence.
The FYS will continue, and within a few seconds, the engine will start and
move out on its own at the current throttle setting, in the same direction it was
traveling when you began the sequence with the bell ringing. Once the bell
turns off, the operator regains control of the transformer’s bell and whistle
buttons and can ring the bell or blow the whistle as usual.

Tips on Using FYS
• You can terminate FYS at anytime by turning off power to the
track for 15 seconds.
• You do not have to be in Forward to use FYS. At the conclusion
of the full sequence, the train will pull away from the station in
whatever direction you were going when you activated the feature.
• You can use FYS even if you are double-heading with another
engine. If the second engine is not equipped with FYS at all, you
must remember not to leave the throttle at a high voltage level once
you have stopped the engine to run the FYS. Otherwise, the engine
without FYS will begin vibrating on the track as its motors strain to
move the train, since they cannot be automatically disabled during
the FYS cycle. If the second engine is an original Proto-Sound
engine equipped with FYS, you may choose to disable it when
used in double-heading operations, so you will not experience
competing FYS sounds. To disable FYS in an original
Proto-Sound engine, see the operating instructions for that engine.
• FYS can be triggered from Neutral. It will operate the same as if
triggered while in motion except that, at the conclusion of the FYS,
the engine will depart in the next direction of travel, as opposed to
the direction it was traveling before entering Neutral.

I'm cringing already.........

I think the Proto-3 sounds for the MTH RS-3 are a major improvement over Proto-2.

I had several of the K-Line EL RS3's, they were blowing them out at York for $125 when I got them.  I added cruise to them, and later sold them as that's not a road name I normally run.  I kinda' wish I'd have kept one, they were a good looking locomotive.

Like John, I got my K-Line for small money. Add a Cruise M and hop up the smoke unit.  Whats not to like?

Pete - what does “hop up the smoke” entail? Thx.

Here’s my K-Line RS3 with TMCC/RS……..bought from a dealer in the Orange Hall who was located between the old OGR booth and a Nicholas Smith……runs like the day I got it….great sounds and great smoker….

Peter

@Mark V. Spadaro posted:

Pete - what does “hop up the smoke” entail? Thx.

I replace the 27 ohm resistor with a 22 ohm 2 watt resistor plus the batting with either Lionel “rope” batting or tiki torch wick. This for smoke units driven directly from the R2LC.

Pete

Thanks for the info. Have no idea if smoke unit’s driven by R2LC.

@Mark V. Spadaro posted:

Thanks for the info. Have no idea if smoke unit’s driven by R2LC.

The K-Line TMCC engines with smoke units are all driven by the R2LC, even the puffers.

Pete

Now I know, thanks

Here’s some old shots from 2 years ago last June…

the Mth loco is 449 that was bought as dummy but when I got it home realized it was a stripped down powered unit.

I bought some motors from a forum member out of a Baldwin AS16 and a electronic e unit from a vendor at York and made a running unit.

many years later I bought a Kline unit with TMCC then added just a ERR board to the original Mth locomotive…wired it to start in reverse gave them both the same address and found they work perfectly together…The kline unit has way better detail.

these pictures are not very good…sorry.

Mark thank you for the excellent comparison.  I would love to see more threads like this on the Forum.  Since both of these items have been out of production for a while, these photos will be a great help to anyone who might be considering one from an online auction.  (Even when the auction photos are good, they are almost never side-by-side with a product from a competing brand!)

One thing I noticed that you didn't mention: the MTH hood appears WIDER than the K-Line.  In real life, the RS3 had a fairly narrow hood.  So for me the K-Line clearly does a better job of capturing the spirit of the prototype.  Of course the MTH version isn't the first 3-rail O-gauge engine with a carbody that was too wide, and I'm sure it would run better than a stock K-Line without cruise control.  Very enlightening, thanks again for sharing!

“One thing I noticed that you didn't mention: the MTH hood appears WIDER than the K-Line.” Good pickup Ted. Didn’t mention it because it escaped my attention. Thanks.