Athearn to release re-tooled MDC RS-3 this year

modifications

"leaked" to

What's wrong with the Atlas model? I was just thinking about reserving one in BN colours.

Cheers,

Colin

When I stopped buying MDC because I thought it was inferior merchandise, my opinion of them was pretty low. Their diesels were klunky and didn't run well, their shay kit was a NIGHTMARE! In short I thought MDC stuff was crap. They are going to have to REALLY go the distance to change that opinion. Unless it is of the Genisis category when finished, it won't be given a second notice by me. I am not shooting the messanger here, just expressing my feelings on the subject.

John "Pac Man" wrote in message news:jyvXd.7452$ snipped-for-privacy@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net...

In my opinion, there isn't a whole lot wrong with their latest RS3! It uses Golden White LEDs, has a DCC socket - about the only thing I can think of is that the handrails look a little too thick... now, if they'd only do an RS2, with the "fishtank" lenses, I'd be in heaven!

If Life-Like could bring the quality of their Proto 1000s up to Atlas Classic standards, the upcoming RSC2, RS3 and RSD4/5 would really be great!

I personally don't see why Horizon feels it's necessary to get into an already crowded market, especially when all they plan is a retooling!?

Dear folks:

Now, that's not quite fair. Their rod engines are really good AND reasonably priced; at least the kits are. You just have to take a little care in assembling them. I just wish more hobby shops around here would stock fun stuff like them instead of the usual selection of 6 Bachmann cheapies, a Bachmann consolidation, a Bachmann tank switcher, and two Athearn GE diesels.

Cordially yours, Gerard Pawlowski

Actually, it's only the RSC2 that's a Proto 1000 - the other 2 are Atlas models. Sorry for the confusion!

While the Atlas still has a great drive, it's off on the shell. The exhaust stack is tapered, the cab is a foot off of where it should be on the body, the curved grabs on the corners aren't curved, and the body door louvers are all too small. Also, IMHO, the radiator fan housing is too tall. Not to mention that the Atlas model is only good for those RS-3's that had twin sealed beam headlights and a water-cooled turbo, and the choices for accuracy are not nearly as good as will be the Athearn RS-3.

Paul A. Cutler III

There are several flaws in the Atlas RS-3 model as mentioned in my other post. It is also quite limited to only late-model RS-3's or rebuilds that had the twin sealed beam head light and water cooled turbo stack.

Life-Like is doing all that? Must have missed that announcement.

A re-tooling of an already accurate shell will only make a better model than anyone else's. And I don't know if you noticed, but accuracy counts these days. Athearn is doing pretty well with their Genesis F-units, and there are so many of those on the market. The Atlas shell is looking decidedly long in the tooth these days...

Paul A. Cutler III

Sorry for not reading this post before I posted my reply! :-) BTW, the RS-3, with 1370 units, was the 7th most produced diesel, according to

Well, mine ran alright compared to an Athearn, but not compared to an Atlas. Also, IIRC, didn't MDC only make three diesels? The Boxcab, the RS-3 and the Critter? And the Critter is a really nice model and runs very well for a diesel with only 4 wheels.

True, but irrelevant to the RS-3.

If the RS-3 had come out in the 1960's, it would have been hailed. But because it arrived in the 1980's, it suffered in comparison to the Atlas drive, which is what sold everyone on Atlas.

Well, I have an update for the RS-3 info. The drive will be the same as used in their other RTR models, there will be seperate grabs formed out of wire, and the shell will be modified so that the cab will be see-through. It will also be "DCC Ready". There will be no interior and no Genesis drive.

Paul A. Cutler III

A nightmare??? Hardly. The Shay kit was the first alternative to a hand crafted brass locomotive of the same type ever. I think my first one was something like $39.95 for the two trucker.

I assembled three of them. One stayed home and two were for friends. All three ran much better than most other locomotives available at that time. Yes, there were some pretty small pieces, but they all fit and they all worked well when I was finished.

By today's standards, they are probably pretty crude, but for their day, they were a great buy for the money.

dlm

I agree with some work the rod locos are good models. I built an SP 4-6-0 from one of their kits and I had people ask me if it was a brass loco. The boxcabs I saw run sounded like meat grinders and the RS' did nothing for me.

Interesting because the MDC RS-3 was considered the best RS-3 on the market (above Stewart, Atlas, etc.). Then with the improved driveline, they had a really nice diesel.

Charles

Thanks Paul!

For a useful and informative post.

Athearn and MDC Roundhouse has been the backbone of my model railroad addiction and great joy since the 60's.

So it is much the more bitter that I cannot buy these products anymore from my very excellant local hobby stores, nor from Walthers. Well at least there's eBay (:

I'm sure that Horizon is very proud of this fine model and many others that they posess. Wish I could go and look at them and select a few for my pike. But at least Horizon will be able to admire them themselves. And probably many more to come.

Please let us know about more of Horizon's new Athearn and MDC Roundhouse products. Your descriptions are well done, the models sound very appealing. We can at least enjoy them vicariously, and remember when we were able to to buy them for our collections.

Best Regards,

Robert Arlington VA

Roger that; they chucked the original drive and used one incorporating the P2K trucks and motor. MUCH better.

None of the RS3's Atlas, MDC or Stewart are as close to being correct as the Hobbytown RS3. Yep, that's right the 50 year old tooling of Hobbytown is more accurate than any of the newer stuff. Compared to Alco drawings it's the most accurate in terms of size hood and cab shapes and contours, placement and size of doors and louvers and most other important dimensions. The most accurate RS model is the latest RS2 from LL., but for RS3's Hobbytown has the most correct. The Kato RS2 has errors the worst is that the short hood width should be different but isn't.

Now, all that being said most folks can't tell the difference until you put all four shells side by side. Interestingly enough the Atlas is the worst in terms of it's overall dimensions. The cab is wrong, both hoods aren't tall enough or long enough. Also, the tapered stack IS correct for a couple of roads that had them(can't remember which ones, but somewhere I have a couple pics.)

All that being said the Atlas-kato drive kicks them all. the new LL RS2 is a close second.

steve

Charles Woolever ( snipped-for-privacy@existingstations.com) wrote: : Interesting because the MDC RS-3 was considered the best RS-3 on the : market (above Stewart, Atlas, etc.). Then with the improved driveline, : they had a really nice diesel.

: Charles

: : > When I stopped buying MDC because I thought it was inferior : > merchandise, my opinion of them was pretty low. Their diesels were klunky : > and didn't run well, their shay kit was a NIGHTMARE! In short I thought MDC : > stuff was crap. They are going to have to REALLY go the distance to change : > that opinion. Unless it is of the Genisis category when finished, it won't : > be given a second notice by me. I am not shooting the messanger here, just : > expressing my feelings on the subject. : > : > John

One thing I always hated about the Atlas/Kato was the way the ends deflected under load and sometimes to the extent that the couplers would part! This was something you always had to fix. There were dimensional problems as noted by other posters. The Stewart suffered from some problems as well, some due to measuring a particular prototype which had been modified (plated over vents for one thing). The Hobbytowns took a lot of filing to get the flash off (except for the plastic bodied ones). The centrifugal clutch option was installed on one I sold to a friend and in an RSD 4/5 that went with it, He used to give the set to newbies switching on his layout and watch the fun .

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Isn't this exactly why a company like Atlas doesn't spend lots of money in r&d to improve the accuracy? Joe Consumer would never know the difference! I hate to say it, but to get the kind of accuracy some folks here want would probably require major modifications and retooling, and for what? What does Atlas get in the long run - a few more sales to the afficionados? Companies like Atlas probably figure that these buyers can just go ahead and make their own modifications.

probably require major modifications and retooling< Of course they could have do it right the first time. You know the old a stitch in time saves nine!