Rare Atlas N-Scale C&NW RS-11 needs help!

[talladega208]

The original, poor running chassis melted a truck (no loss) but I can't find a suitable replacement. The only RS-11s available have traction tires and poor lighting compared to newest versions. Is there another chassis/motor that will fit the CN&W shell with later LED lighting?

 

[bnsf971]

Grab an RS3 of the same vintage, and swap shells.
The RS3s are a dime a dozen, and use a virtually identical drive.
If it's a China version, you'll need to find a China version RS3. If it's a Kato (Japan) version, that's what you'll need.
In fact, I've got a pair of Kato RS3s here in like-new condition I'd let go relatively cheap.

 

[Snowman]

Sounds like sound advice there. The only thing I would add would be check the wheelbase first to make sure they are the same (or close enough).

As for the rest, and per your other thread--"welcome."
Why the Talledega? NASCAR fan maybe?
And are you going to toss up any Nn3 stuff? I'd love to see some of that.

 

[talladega208]

Grab an RS3 of the same vintage, and swap shells.
The RS3s are a dime a dozen, and use a virtually identical drive.
If it's a China version, you'll need to find a China version RS3. If it's a Kato (Japan) version, that's what you'll need.
In fact, I've got a pair of Kato RS3s here in like-new condition I'd let go relatively cheap.

I'm afraid "virtually identical" doesn't quite get it. I want to see the bare chassis without the shell to determine if it will do the job. Can't just throw away $ on just a hope. I already ended up with an old chassis without a PC board, mini-bulbs and out of sight wild gearing, totally wasted money.
I do appreciate the help.

 

[Smudge617]

I'm afraid "virtually identical" doesn't quite get it. I want to see the bare chassis without the shell to determine if it will do the job. Can't just throw away $ on just a hope. I already ended up with an old chassis without a PC board, mini-bulbs and out of sight wild gearing, totally wasted money.
I do appreciate the help.

I'm sure if you ask @bnsf971to send/post a photo or two he'll oblige.

 

[talladega208]

Sounds like sound advice there. The only thing I would add would be check the wheelbase first to make sure they are the same (or close enough).

As for the rest, and per your other thread--"welcome."
Why the Talledega? NASCAR fan maybe?
And are you going to toss up any Nn3 stuff? I'd love to see some of that.

The USS Talladega was home for many years. My Nn3 layout was featured in N-Scale Railroading mag Mar/Apr 2009.

 

[bnsf971]

I'm afraid "virtually identical" doesn't quite get it. I want to see the bare chassis without the shell to determine if it will do the job. Can't just throw away $ on just a hope. I already ended up with an old chassis without a PC board, mini-bulbs and out of sight wild gearing, totally wasted money.
I do appreciate the help.

Lack of info in your original post doesn't quite "get it", either. More info in your asking post could have prevented you from getting the wrong chassis. So, I guess I'll be the dentist, and let's see if we can pull some teeth to get some more info out of you. Do you prefer Novacaine?
First, how old is the RS11 you have?
Is it an Atlas/China, or is it an Atlas/Kato?
If it is an Atlas/Kato, does it have two black gears between the motor and worm, with a small "X" contraption between them, or does it have a very long worm gear that extends from the motor to the truck tower?
If it is an Atlas/Kato, does it have bare metal wheels, or are they blackened?
If it is not an Atlas/Kato, does it say "Atlas China" on the bottom of the fuel tank?
If it does, did it originally come with knuckle couplers, or Rapido couplers?
If it is an Atlas/China, did it originally come with an LED headlight in each end of the frame, or did it come with a circuit board that runs the length of the engine with an LED on each end?
If it has a circuit board that runs the length of the frame, is the motor frame grey or black?
If it has a motor with a black frame, does it have brass contacts that run the length of the frame, or does it have a pair of wires leading from the frame to the trucks?
ALL those are variations of the RS11, which began around 1984, and shared the exact same chassis as the RS3, RSD4/5, RSD12, and GP7. Later models dropped the frame from the GP7, when they shifted production to China.

 

[talladega208]

WOW! Did I stick my foot in it or what? Okay, the full story. This loco would not run after sitting for more than a week. It would gradually build up speed after 5 minutes running but leave it for another week and the story was the same. I tried Atlas, they wouldn't even respond. I left it running one day, went in the house, and when I came back, it was sitting derailed on a switch. One truck had melted and in a fit of anger, I tossed the chassis in the trash. I showed it, by golly! So, all I have is the shell. It had a modern PC board with very bright LEDs both ends, very bright headlights and number boards. The chassis was silver, brass flywheels, etc. This is what I got for a measly $84. Understand my concern?

 

[talladega208]

Lack of info in your original post doesn't quite "get it", either. More info in your asking post could have prevented you from getting the wrong chassis. So, I guess I'll be the dentist, and let's see if we can pull some teeth to get some more info out of you. Do you prefer Novacaine?
First, how old is the RS11 you have?
Is it an Atlas/China, or is it an Atlas/Kato?
If it is an Atlas/Kato, does it have two black gears between the motor and worm, with a small "X" contraption between them, or does it have a very long worm gear that extends from the motor to the truck tower?
If it is an Atlas/Kato, does it have bare metal wheels, or are they blackened?
If it is not an Atlas/Kato, does it say "Atlas China" on the bottom of the fuel tank?
If it does, did it originally come with knuckle couplers, or Rapido couplers?
If it is an Atlas/China, did it originally come with an LED headlight in each end of the frame, or did it come with a circuit board that runs the length of the engine with an LED on each end?
If it has a circuit board that runs the length of the frame, is the motor frame grey or black?
If it has a motor with a black frame, does it have brass contacts that run the length of the frame, or does it have a pair of wires leading from the frame to the trucks?
ALL those are variations of the RS11, which began around 1984, and shared the exact same chassis as the RS3, RSD4/5, RSD12, and GP7. Later models dropped the frame from the GP7, when they shifted production to China.

I should also note that it has the not-very-good Atlas couplers shell mounted. since no on-line vendors list anything at all for Atlas or Kato RS-11s, you know more than me. I bought it years ago off eBay.

 

[talladega208]

I'm sure if you ask @bnsf971to send/post a photo or two he'll oblige.

That wouild help, thanks.

 

[Mixed Freight]

The original, poor running chassis melted a truck (no loss) but I can't find a suitable replacement. The only RS-11s available have traction tires and poor lighting compared to newest versions. Is there another chassis/motor that will fit the CN&W shell with later LED lighting?View attachment 172727

Your Atlas N-scale C&NW RS-11 looks to have been released 2011-04-01, according to some information I have found. Probably released as an Atlas "Classic". Available with or without a decoder. Since apparently only one road number (4251) was available, I'm guessing the CNW only roster'd one of these to start with. If they had more units, I'm sure Atlas would have offered at least 2 different road numbers with any release.

You're in luck - Atlas released about 10 different roadnames with this 2011 release. I'm fairly confident you should be able to find a good deal on a used one somewhere, purchase it, and then use the mechanism as a direct replacement for your CNW shell.

And if you think that's good news, guess again - they offered another release again in 2016 consisting of about 16 different road names, plus undecorateds. I'd bet the farm that these are exact duplicates of the 2011 release. This 2016 release MAY have been re-labeled as "Trainman" instead of "Classics" at this point, but they're still the exact same thing. Any of these would also work for putting your CNW shell on.

Here's a link to a couple of pages on a site that should provide all the information you will need (and where I found my info to start with ):

https://www.trovestar.com/generic/index.php?Collection=4&Body_Style=ATL-DERS-RS11

Good luck. Hope this helps.

 

[Snowman]

The USS Talladega was home for many years. My Nn3 layout was featured in N-Scale Railroading mag Mar/Apr 2009.

Ok, I'm gonna guess your initials are PS then?

In any case, and although I'm pretty sure I have that issue, I just went ahead and bought a copy* (or another copy).

[*Well, I tried to anyway, from the publisher, but link not found. Meh.
I'll keep after it.]

As it happens, Mike Danneman lives maybe twenty miles or less from where I type this tonight, and I bought that issue--if I did--because of his foray into modeling the Flatirons. I might be closer to them than he is, and I've crawled over that terrain since I got my first drivers license and first car--I was sixteen then and am sixty three now.

I first met him back at the NMRA national convention in Denver--"Rocky Rails 1977," although he certainly wouldn't remember. I REALLY want to get a first-person look at his layout too, but it's a bit difficult to wrangle an invitation without knowing someone (I have a lead).

But Nn3 intrigued me too, and I'm certain I have a copy of the plastic spiral bound Nn3 manual somewhere around here. I never bought the N-Trak guide, but I sure did buy that Nn3 publication. Somewhere around here I have some Kadee Nn3 wheelsets from those days too--I'll toss up some photos maybe tomorrow.

I thought Nn3 was a real model railroading jewel. Still do too.

I also built a modified (for Nn3 narrow gauge) version of Jack Work's truly excellent A-frame trestle (first published in Model Railroader in April of 1960). He was a top-notch builder, and is still one of my own real model railroading "hero's."

FWIW.

 

[talladega208]

Your Atlas N-scale C&NW RS-11 looks to have been released 2011-04-01, according to some information I have found. Probably released as an Atlas "Classic". Available with or without a decoder. Since apparently only one road number (4251) was available, I'm guessing the CNW only roster'd one of these to start with. If they had more units, I'm sure Atlas would have offered at least 2 different road numbers with any release.

You're in luck - Atlas released about 10 different roadnames with this 2011 release. I'm fairly confident you should be able to find a good deal on a used one somewhere, purchase it, and then use the mechanism as a direct replacement for your CNW shell.

And if you think that's good news, guess again - they offered another release again in 2016 consisting of about 16 different road names, plus undecorateds. I'd bet the farm that these are exact duplicates of the 2011 release. This 2016 release MAY have been re-labeled as "Trainman" instead of "Classics" at this point, but they're still the exact same thing. Any of these would also work for putting your CNW shell on.

Here's a link to a couple of pages on a site that should provide all the information you will need (and where I found my info to start with ):

https://www.trovestar.com/generic/index.php?Collection=4&Body_Style=ATL-DERS-RS11

Good luck. Hope this helps.

That should help. I printed it and will use it when checking out any sales. Thanks a lot!

 

[bnsf971]

WOW! Did I stick my foot in it or what? Okay, the full story. This loco would not run after sitting for more than a week. It would gradually build up speed after 5 minutes running but leave it for another week and the story was the same. I tried Atlas, they wouldn't even respond. I left it running one day, went in the house, and when I came back, it was sitting derailed on a switch. One truck had melted and in a fit of anger, I tossed the chassis in the trash. I showed it, by golly! So, all I have is the shell. It had a modern PC board with very bright LEDs both ends, very bright headlights and number boards. The chassis was silver, brass flywheels, etc. This is what I got for a measly $84. Understand my concern?

Okay, the shell and chassis is the original-ish Atlas/Kato one from the mid 1980s. I think that one was one of the originals, and if it had a box/case, it should have had a red label. It is also a similar chassis to the ones I have. One of the two has traction tires on one wheel per truck and silver wheels, the other has no traction tires, blackened wheels, and slightly different internals. All would swap between each other.
Now that you have it, you might as well use it, unless you have a DCC layout. If/when it starts running rough, losing electrical contact, there are remedies for it, don't toss it. For their time, they were really good, and with just a little care, could be made to run very well. The state of the art, however, has passed them by.
Since others have given you guidance before I got back here, I'll leave you to it, as far as your search, but I'll let you know if you want to swap those sketchy couplers out for something better, Micro Trains 1015s are a direct swap, and look and work more better.