RS-2 and RS-3 ?

[LoudMusic]

What advice can you guys give me on purchasing HO scale RS-2 and RS-3 units? I'm not particularly concerned with road name. I would like DCC and DC. I am interested in run quality and visual quality. I'm not interested in sound, but wouldn't consider having sound a negative.

I'd like to get a couple nice units and play with them a while to see what I think. The few I've had a chance to run at the club look great and I really like them. I just don't want to wear out another guy's locos

 

[Irongrave]

Kato is the only one who did RS2s, good runners but are getting or past 10 years old now so might be a little hard to find new ones.

Atlas makes a very good RS3 lots of road name options, sharp details and smooth runners. And that I know of easy to convert to DCC.

Think athearn has recently released the old roundhouse RS3 but don't know any other details on them,

IMO you can't go wrong with the Atlas model

 

[bnsf971]

The Athearn/Roundhouse RS3 is DCC ready. Most of the nweer Atlas RS3's are also DCC ready, but some of the older ones are not, and none of the Atlas/Kato ones are. Atlas/Kato will usually have a yellow box that it comes in saying "Made in Japan" on it.
I seem to remember Life Like/Proto/ Walthers doing an RS2 as well in HO.

 

[zoegraf]

This is an excellent runner from Ajin. They made quite a few in different road names. Probably can get one for under $1000.00

 

[diburning]

Kato did an RS-2.

Atlas has two versions of the RS-3. The old Yellow-Box Atlas/Kato RS-3, and the newer RS-3 which comes in a box labeled Atlas Classic. The Atlas Classic version may or may not be retooled slightly to improve the detail, and may or may not have a DCC-plug. (I have zero Alcos at this time so I'm not sure. I did have the Yellow Box S-2 and the Atlas Classic S-2 and saw that they retooled it a bit to improve the detail)

Athearn's re-release of the old MDC/Roundhouse RS-3 is DCC ready and has been retooled slightly to improve the details.

 

[swampsavage]

I have a Proto 1000 RSC2 (6 wheel truck)) that is the best runner on my roster. It's painted in the Milwaukee Road colors used in the transition era (orange sides w/red stripe dividing the gray top). Detail is pretty good also. It would be prototypical pulling freight or passenger on branchlines.

 

[ALCOS4EVER]

I would recommend the new Bachmann RS-3's. They come with DCC installed, no sound. They look great and run great as well. I bought a NYC and a PRR a few weeks ago and I love them. They cost me $60.00 each. I also have Atlas's, Roundhouse's (Athearn's predecesor) RS-3's and Proto 1000 RS-2'S. They are all great too. Bachmann's website can give you a list of available roadnames.

 

[LoudMusic]

Thanks for the great information guys! I'll probably start with an Alco and a Bachmann and see what I think.

I just find the Alco RS-3 an appealing shape. I'd like to make it my own ;D

 

[zoegraf]

Thanks for the great information guys! I'll probably start with an Alco and a Bachmann and see what I think.

I just find the Alco RS-3 an appealing shape. I'd like to make it my own ;D

I was looking at the Bachmann ones and they look very nice.

Cheers.