I bought this off E-Stupid around 3 years ago for $5.00. Tonight I cleaned out the engine house and found it after 3 years. Is it a RS 11?
It is a AHM with a pancake motor I think, it has been 3 years after all. When I got it I cleaned and oiled it and ran fine. But due to the lack of its traction tires it would not move most of the time.
I am now DCC and I know this is not worth converting. I am planing to give it to a friend that is just starting in the hobby. I have a few junk (OK new they where junk) Life Like pancake engines. Do you think there traction tires would work? Is there some places that sells the needed traction tires? I tried my LHS when I got it and they could not get them. Besides doing a Kit bash or throwing it away, any ideas?
If you give that to a newbie, that’s one sure way to make them leave the hobby! [xx(] It’s a piece of junk and belongs in a landfill. [|(]
I had one of these as a kid, and I remember all too well how bad it ran. The final straw was when it was running and then suddenly stopped. I looked down between the rails, and the loco gears had disintegrated and left their blackened remains in the gauge.
[soapbox]
Run, don’t walk, to the nearest trash can, and slam dunk that awful RS-2 to the depths of the garbage where it belongs. The only other thing worth doing to it is converting it into a dummy or static display. Make it run? HA! [banghead]
Edit: FYI: This is an RS-2 because the battery boxes are below the frame, and not above the frame next to the cab (to the right of “2895” in the pic). An RS-11, BTW, has a tall carbody that almost matches the height of cab. The RS-1, RS-2, RS-3, RSD-4 and RSD-5 have low carbodies as shown above in the pic.
Paul, more than likely you are right. But he is getting some good engines as well. Besides, repairing junk is what made me the model rail roader I am today! [:D]
Ken,
It’s definitely an RS-2. Look at my picture links and you can see the difference between the various RS-types. RS-1’s are riveted and have hard corners and a roof overhang on the cab (straight-6 539 prime mover: 1000Hp). RS-2’s are welded and have smooth corners and no roof overhang and no battery boxes on top of the walkway (fuel tank is under the cab). Just look at the handrails and note they are all straight (V-12 244 prime mover: 1500Hp). The RS-3’s look like RS-2’s but they have the battery boxes above the walkway next to the cab (V-12 244 prime mover: 1600Hp). They have stepped handrails along the short hood (fuel tank is between the trucks). The RS-11’s have a full height carbody like a GP9, but have notched hood ends for the numberboards (V-12 251 prime mover: 1800Hp).
RS-2, as noted. When they first came out, they were road engines, early precursor to the GP 7. As with anything of that era, as newer (and more powerful) engines came out, the RS-2’s were bumped down to lesser service. CP’s RS-2 and -3 were mainline locomotives to start, bumping off steam, but ended their days as switchers. So pick your era!
Ken haveing had many of these ahm locos I can assure you it is not a pancake motor. It is either a vertical motor powering only the trucks under the cab or the later version with a can motor powering both trucks. My guess is that it is the first going by the traction tire thing. I have a whole bunch of traction tires you are welcome to have. drop me a pm with you mailing address and I will send them over to you. What I did with mine was convert them to dummies. I hacked off the truck mounted coupler and and filled the pilot and added kd couplers to them. I also added my hoses new light lenses, antennas, air tanks on top and a bell and then painted and weathered them. They turned out pretty nice when all said and done. In fact I also converted one to a chiago and northwestern type plow using an ahm gondola plow. Here are pics of both engines
If you want send it my way. I may have wheels without the need for the traction tires and I could add some of the other details for you.
RS stands for Road Switcher, meant for light duty mainline service as well as switching service - the predecessors of today´s GP´s (= General Purpose).
You’re going to give your friend some junkie engine that you don’t want? Some friend you are. If you really want him to get involved in this hobby then GIVE him one of your good engines and stop dishing the junk to him.
Maddog - while RS does stand for Road Switcher it was not the predecessor of today’s GP models as you states. The RS models were competitors of EMD’s GP models. RS was an alco designation; GP was/is an EMD designation and ‘B’ models was the GE designation for 4 axle road locomotives.
Thanks Mike, I will drop you a PM. It is a vertical motor and only the front truck is powered.
Silver Pilot, like I stated he is getting some good stuff besides this engine. When this engine gets traction tires I am sure it run pretty good. Motor was quite when I ran it. I have junk under the bench that he will not be getting. One of the reasons I am giving him this one besides I don’t need it is because he has a 4 year old. Less of a loss if something happens to it.
The RS2 was produce from 10/1947-5/1950. Whereas EMD’s competitive GP7 was produce from 10/1949 to 5/1954…Alco replied in kind with the RS3 from 5/1950 to 8/1956.
The RS11(3/1956 to 6/1961) was Alcos answer to the GP9(1/1954 to 12/1959).
The records will show the Alco RS11 was no match for EMD’s GP9…
I had two of them. One was an old AHM RS-2 in Southern Pacific with the old motor and single powered truck. The other was a Model Power RS-2 in CP Rail with a flat can type motor and drive shafts connected to both trucks. The Model Power RS-2 ran better than the old AHM unit.
