New MTH RK L&NE RS-3's arrived

Lehigh & New England ALCO RS-3 #658 (MTH Railking 30-21185-1) arrived on April 26, 2024. I haven’t run it yet but it looks like the usual high-quality product from MTH.

MELGAR

Great paint scheme.........

Peter

Nice looking layout.

@Walter Matuch @MELGAR-

At least you got yours. My $%##& Fed Ex driver can's seem to find my office inside my building for the life of him. Hopefully it shows up Monday.

I'll be running mine with this.

Bob

Mine arrived Friday 4/26/24 too. I’ve REALLY been looking forward to receiving this engine! Performed my normal new engine servicing then placed it on the layout for a test. Everything worked just fine and the engine looks fantastic!

A huge thank you to Beth at PDT for working with MTH to produce what, as Walter notes, is a relatively rare road name in our hobby!

Curt

RSJB18...

Here is my MTH L&NE #612 switching L&NE customer at Martin's Creek, PA.  One of 4 MTH S-2's made by MTH.

Walter

@Walter Matuch posted:

RSJB18...

Here is my MTH L&NE #612 switching L&NE customer at Martin's Creek, PA.  One of 4 MTH S-2's made by MTH.

Walter

Looks good Walter. Mine is a Franken-engine that I build on a SOO frame. I needed a shell and the red dot in the logo saved me from having to paint the frame.
I do need to find more rolling stock and especially a caboose.

Bob

RSJB18... Both Weaver (years ago) and Lionel (recently) made L&NE Northeastern style (center cupola) cabooses.  MTH bobber may be a custom paint job.

Walter

I have a question for all the L&NE fans reading this thread.

According to the online L&NE Diesel Roster, #658 was an RS-2 delivered in 1949, not an RS-3. Can someone confirm?

I believe the only difference would be horsepower - 1500 (RS-2) vs. 1600 (RS-3).

MELGAR

MELGAR:

My only L&NE reference is Morning Sun’s “Lehigh and New England and its successors”. The diesel locomotive roster in this book shows engine nos. 651-663 as being RS-2’s built in 1949. The book also indicates our no. 658 was sold to the L&N 7/2/63 and renumbered 269. L&N eventually used the engine as a trade in to GE.

Curt

The RS-3 went through three major specification changes as I recall and countless minor ones.  Just going from memory, but the late RS-2 was basically the early RS-3 with some minor modifications.  Regardless, any Alco looks good in LN&E. 

@juniata guy posted:

MELGAR:

My only L&NE reference is Morning Sun’s “Lehigh and New England and its successors”. The diesel locomotive roster in this book shows engine nos. 651-663 as being RS-2’s built in 1949. The book also indicates our no. 658 was sold to the L&N 7/2/63 and renumbered 269. L&N eventually used the engine as a trade in to GE.

Curt

@juniata guy,

Curt,

I found another online reference that says L&NE #651 to #663 were ALCO RS-2s and that ALCO built RS-2s from October 1946 to May 1950. Thanks for checking.

MELGAR