Thoughts on Recent Railking Engines

The MTh Railking RS-1 is a fantastic engine! Get yourself the LI version before they're all gone.

Sunrise

I Have about 13 Engines,PS1 sounds and the talking at idle was really nice at the time,PS1 to PS2 was a huge leap, and the sounds(meaning the engines talking at idle) ,and FY sounds was exciting,PS2 to PS3 was at best, disappointing, the frequency of the idling talk is a lot less than PS2

Just, recieved my new Rail King  New Haven RS1. I have the earlier issue in the same paint scheme. I noticed lighted number boards as well as smoke on the latest version. I really like the newer Alco sound set. Really great engine for the price.

I also think the RailKing engines are the best 'bang for the buck' available in O gauge today. Although I have been going more toward the Premier scale size lately, some of the RK's are very hard to pass up and I still order some of them as well. When I re-entered the hobby about 4 years ago I carefully studied everything available in O gauge at the time. I started out with an MTH RailKing starter set which I still have and is still going today. Shortly after getting this set I ordered another one and upgraded to the full DCS system. The RK sets having the full DCS electronics and features was a big plus for me when I re-started in the hobby.

rtr12 mentioned "scale size"...I am sure than most know this, but I would like to comment on MTH's confusing (sometimes) "RailKing" designation.

Steam - RK almost means something less than O-scale 1:48 scale. Some of these pieces are really low-end-ish (the little 2-8-0 with the cheesy rods) and lived in "Rugged Rails" world for a while I think, and others - generally but not always designated RK "Imperial" - are respectable representations of the prototype, down-scaled (NYC Mohawk and the PRR 2-8-2 above, for example) or selectively compressed with scale features (Triplex).

Exceptions that I can think of: the USRA 0-6-0 switcher (also available in Premier, but it is not the same tooling as the RK) and the USRA 0-8-0 switcher, which, though a 1:48 piece, has never appeared in the Premier line to my recollection.  

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Diesel/Electric - the RK RS-1 (and many others, now) is a scale, Premier-sized (ex-Premier tooling) 1:48 loco; the "RK Scale" designation will appear in the description/catalog. Some of the big, modern "SD-" and "Dash-" RK diesels are undersized.

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Well, that's over. I must be having a slow day. Mowing the lawn this morning in classic,

mid-summer Gulf Coast sun and heat must have made me light-headed.  

I really like the RailKing Scale diesels.  I have an Alco RS3 and a Baldwin AS616 and they are great runners.  Fantastic value for someone who is not looking for the ultimate in features or details.

Rolland

Recently repaired.  Micah (my Grandson's) diesel.

Only have 2 premiers. May become 1 because the speaker decided to crap out about 1 lap and it died. No complaints about Railking stuff, gonna preorder 2 of the new GE Evo hybrid.

I'm not really into scale this or whatever. I do like many of the RK offerings. While I like just the horn/bell option, the RK line is a buffet. FWIW RailKing does have scale sized pieces. I think they are referred to the "Imperial Line".....(I think!)

I'm a Railking kinda guy.  Since getting back into the hobby recently I have in my stable 2 SD70ACe Norfolk Southern Diesels.  One with P-2 and the other with P-3.  I run them both on my DCS Layout.  Railking is definitely a Value Added Product in the O scale market. I have the Railking Norfolk Southern F3 A-B-A Pre-Ordered at Nassau Hobby and looking forward to their arrival.

Chief Bob (Retired) 

The scale items are marked as 'RailKing Scale' in recent catalogs. I have been told these are made from older, less detailed 'Premier' tooling which has been replaced for producing the current 'Premier' line.

The 'RailKing Imperial' line is slightly smaller than scale and is usually more detailed than the 'RailKing Scale' line. The 'Imperial' line is similar to the 'Premier' line in features and detail, only it's designed for smaller diameter curves and smaller layouts than the full scale 'Premier' items. The 'Imperial' also has a much lower MSRP.

If anyone wants the exact details on all the different RailKing lines, MTH explains it a few pages into their main catalogs (the v1 & v2 versions), before they start showing the actual trains they are offering.