Scale Alco RS3 Railking locomotives

RS3's  were manufactured/imported by Weaver, and others, several times.  Early models had horizontal drives.  Recent models are the twin tower/twin motor,  China drive.  There was no cab interior, Weaver Model.   Going, way back, some of the original hand rail detail was exceptional.  IMO, Mike CT.

Model molds, and tool-ing, are rarely discarded, most likely shelved, (or sold), to be used again, 20+ years, from now. IMO, Mike CT.

There is no premier version. My own opinion. The MTH RS 1 is a much better looking engine. Railking price with the looks of Premier. The RS 3’s seem to have been run by a lot of major roads. With various paint schemes and then lived many years after on numerous short lines.

Atlas has tooling for both the RS 1 and 3. The RS 3 is in the Trainman line. Not a lot has been produced over the years. They were offered in both 2 and 3 rail. In order to produce anything you need a large percentage of the run to be done in 3 rail. I just don’t think Atlas could compete with MTH as far as getting product to market. People just got tired of waiting and MTH seemed to have them in every other catalog in multiple road names. They also don’t seem to have much in a local dealership as far as getting custom runs. The last run was maybe 8 years ago. I bought a NH. Has ERR electronics and is a nice runner.
I think Atlas may start doing more with their version. Seeing they also can offer a 2 rail version. Maybe even offer a little more detail and move it up to a Masterline version. Their only competitor is Lionel for the same model. Which is in the Lionchief line.

@MR-150 posted:

From what I read this will be the last runs of the Alco RS3 Railking locomotives. Is MTH gonna drop this series of locomotives or do they have a Premier or better version of this locomotive down the pipeline.

Exactly "where" did you hear this was the last run?  Sounds like an unfounded rumor to me.

It seems real unlikely that MTH would arbitrarily drop a model for no reason unless it wasn't selling.  Even then, it's really unlikely that they'd permanently drop it.

FWIW, I picked up a Lionchief Plus 2.0 RS3, it's a nice unit, scale sized, full Railsounds, cruise control, all LED lighting, and even smoke, every Alco needs smoke.

I believe he’s referencing this thread:

https://ogrforum.com/...mth-rs-3-s-announced

@Keith Crook 020419 posted:

I believe he’s referencing this thread:

https://ogrforum.com/...mth-rs-3-s-announced

I'm sure they're not tossing the tooling, someone will make them.

The RS3 tooling will no longer be with MTH after this next run.  It's not a rumor.

Get your pre-order in!

So if the RS3 tooling will no longer be with MTH so whose going to get it Lionel or Atlas

Atlas already has tooling for an RS 3. it’s in their Trainman line. The last run was quite a while ago. I think I waited maybe 3 years after ordering. There are a few operators that don’t run DCS out there. So I think Atlas has a market. The one I have is a good runner. The one thing I would want on a newer version would be 4 pickup rollers. Even though mine never had a stalling problem.

I own several RS3’s from both MTH and Atlas.  I can’t see Atlas purchasing MTH’s tooling, unless they REALLY want the DCS version to go along with all the other MTH diesel tooling they purchased.  Crazier things have happened I suppose.

I’ve been moving more and more toward 3-rail scale (and even some 2-rail) over the years.  Unfortunately for me, the MTH and Atlas RS3’s—-as well as the former K-Line (now WBB) version—though nice models, aren’t true to the prototype in terms of their body shape and dimensions.  That’s a bit of a bummer to me because IMO the “real” RS3’s, and their RSD4/5 cousins, are really cool-looking locomotives!

I will say that despite not being true to scale vs. the prototype and lacking added-on details, the MTH RS3’s pack a lot of value for the price.  They’re solid, heavy locomotives with great sound and smoke.  That’s probably why I own 6 of them!

The former Weaver RS3/RSD4/5 tooling was by far the closest to true scale size and shape, but lacked a lot of the added-on details that we expect on higher-end diesels.  For example, grab irons and brake and M.U. hoses were molded-in.

I’ve been hoping since Weaver closed its doors that someone would rework their tooling to add all the separately-applied, scale details and then offer it as a higher-end locomotive with either Legacy or DCS.  If that ever happens, I would sell off all my MTH and Atlas versions and buy a bunch of them in several road names!!

Anyone doing a Pennsylvania run yet?

Hey......Im just trying to get some special runs done cause the opportunity is here.   If u dont like them, dont order them.  The MTH Railking scale isnt the most detailed  engine ever made, but its an opportunity to get a full P3.0 engine with smoke, that is not far from scale, for 350 to 380 bucks.

Personally, I  like the Atlas RS-3 better (and im a 2 railer), but its actually 1/43rd scale (a bit large), and who knows if Atlas will ever produce them again, and Atlas is not as easy to work with on special runs.

So thats where we are.   No need for all the squabbling.   Everyone has made  RS-3's cause it was a popular engine used by a lot of Railroads.   Just like GP 7/9's

Im having special runs done for D&M, L&NE and Utah Rwy (RSD-4) for sure.  None of them have been done in the last 30 years.   P&W and EL are possible, depending on orders and other things. 

There will be other ppl doing other special runs.  I'll let them do their own announcing.

be nice, be well

beth

@CNJ #1601 posted:

MY EDIT:

Unfortunately for me, the MTH and Atlas RS3’s—-as well as the former K-Line (now WBB) version—though nice models, aren’t true to the prototype in terms of their body shape and dimensions.

Hi, Joe, hope all’s well with you. Above reference to WBB has me puzzled. I have a K-Line by Lionel (K-Lionel🤔) EL RS3. Are you saying that the K-Line RS3 tooling, after being used by Lionel, was sold to Bachmann?

Would the New Haven be a possibility?  There is always a demand for New Have and the stuff sells.

Sorry, but not right now from me.  Maybe someone else would want to do an NH special run, but I wouldnt expect it.   NH as been done a lot, and last time Atlas did RS-3's, the New Haven ones took a while to sell....

@Mark V. Spadaro posted:

Hi, Joe, hope all’s well with you. Above reference to WBB has me puzzled. I have a K-Line by Lionel (K-Lionel🤔) EL RS3. Are you saying that the K-Line RS3 tooling, after being used by Lionel, was sold to Bachmann?

Hi Mark!  Yes, last I knew WBB has the former K-Line RS3 tooling.  I’m aware of one or two runs released by WBB soon after they acquired it, but I don’t believe they’ve done much with it lately. Now, whether WBB actually OWNS it, or simply has the rights to use it, that I’m not sure!

And yes, Lionel had it (for a relatively short period of time) before WBB.

@CNJ #1601 posted:

Hi Mark!  Yes, last I knew WBB has the former K-Line RS3 tooling.  I’m aware of one or two runs released by WBB soon after they acquired it, but I don’t believe they’ve done much with it lately. Now, whether WBB actually OWNS it, or simply has the rights to use it, that I’m not sure!

And yes, Lionel had it (for a relatively short period of time) before WBB.

Joe thx for your reply. Quite surprising. Maybe part of the WBB master plan to bury the Williams line. RS3 model not even currently listed on the Bachmann online store.  MSRP was $479.95, for conventional, no smoke, no electrocouplers and no speed control.

AFAIK, and i could be wrong.... When MDK defaulted, ownership of the MDK tooling went to Sanda Kan, who at the time was manufacturing for MDK (and probably owed a lot of money from MDK).  Tooling leased from Sanda Kan to Lionel for 3 years (or so), the Lionel elected not to purchase.

Sanda Kan, WBB, and Bachman all subsequently purchased by Kader Holdings Ltd (of Hong Kong) , which is huge and owns a lot of other stuff.  Kader, with Sanda Kan and WBB under their umbrella, has used some of the MDK tooling to make WBB products.   Sales, AFAIK, has been underwhelming for several reasons.

Its a very small part of what Kader does, so they apparently are not all that concerned with pushing the WBB product. 

I was a WBB dealer a while back.  I like the scale sized product.  Simple, looks good, and and it always runs.   They have had pricing issues in the past, which is why i havent jumped back in..and apparently a lot of other dealers havent either.    I have WBB for sale on the website, and it sells, but not like MTH, Atlas., and Lionel.

https://www.publicdeliverytrac...&section=product

beth