I bought an older Atlas RS-3 locomotive (Yellow Box) on Ebay. Would anyone happen to have the instructions for this loco; or, do you know where I can download instructions? It does not operate, I haven’t dug to far into it yet. I would just like to find instructions at this point.
Thanking in advance.
Yes sir, thank you very much!
The locomotive that changed the industry. That is the archetype. An excellent purchase. What road name did you get?
Northern Pacific. Why did this loco change the industry?
I have several of these locos now with basic decoders. Great units. Has anyone modified these models to include sound?
Frank
I put a Soundtraxx decoder in my Canadian National RS-3 with a bit of work. Here is a photo of the modified weight with the speaker mounted over the truck. Sound is a little weak but OK.
Bob
NP,
I have several yellow box Atlas. I believe they have Kato drives. I have never had the shell off any of them. The Atlas link previously given should get you at least close to your answers. The ones I have are very fine runners. I know I have a GP7 and an S2; I may have one or two others. Hope you get 'em running, they’re fine locomotives.
Didn’t the C425, RS3, RS11, and GP7/9 come out at the same time?
Not an Atlas RS3, but two C425. These were cheapo units. I got 3 for $10 each, I sold one for 40 something. I later found some newer atlas shells for about $12 each on ebay. It’s a pretty easy swap actually. Then I later found a QSI sound/DCC board from a BLI RSD15 for $50 and stuck it in one of them. I just ommited the rear weight in one unit for the speaker.
However now the QSI board is crapping out, and the horn and F10 cause the loco to die for some reason. Whenever the Bowser C636 comes out, I’ll get a sound equipped one and just consit them…
Good Old #862. I actually paid $35 (almost full retail) for one in 1984. The most expensive loco I had ever purchased up to that time.
The Atlas RS-3 was the first mass produced HO locomotive that 8 wheel drive electrical pick up, nickel silver wheels, featured precision gearing, fly wheels, scale width hoods, and a can motor. Other units had had one or a couple of those features, but not all. It broke the Athearn Blue box and Atlas/Roco patterns for what a production on-the-shelf locomotive should be. It was soon followed by the Stewart F3. Other vendors realized they had to compete and adjusted their product lines accordingly.
No. The RS11 and C425 were 1986. The GP7/9 didn’t come out until 1987. I got one of those for a graduation present (CB&Q Black Bird). I think the GP7/9 was the last Kato drive. The Alco S-2 in 1986 was the first China drive.
The Atlas/Rocco was just as good and should be counted as a major step in locomotive drives.
The motor in the center with drive shafts with 8 wheel drive was created by Athearn.The Hobbytown RS3 had a scale width hood as well as being 8 wheel drive.Both of these drives was major steps in improved drives.
And as those were hitting the shelves (I managed a hobby shop train department at the time) the forces that would create Proto2000 and Spectrum were already at work.
Sheldon
Yes,Those P2K engines turn the modeling world upside down and caught the other manufacturers flatfooted.
The Bachmann Spectrum GP30 had a great shell but,less then a stellar smooth drive…Savvy modelers used Athearn GP35 drives under those shells.
Still the Atlas/Rocco/Atlas/Kato was the smoother performers-then LL improved the P2K drive and it was a smooth runner…Walthers FM10-44 and SW1 must not be overlooked either.
I still like the yellow and red box Atlas engines.
I bought one of those Atlas Alco engines in PRR paint back when it was new. In addition to being a very nice looking engine it ran like a fine watch. Quiet, smooth, with good slow speed control: really steps ahead of what else was available at the time, particularly in HO. That is how it changed the industry. It raised expectations.
Having said that, I once visited a guy whose O scale traction layout included scratchbuilt trolley cars (some of which were built to 17/64s scale as was common in the early days) from the earliest days of the hobby, and he even had some slat steel track. Harry Bondurant, an old buddy of Al Kalmbach, had built the cars and the track possibly even in the late 1920s. Some of those trolley cars were whisper quiet. i think the motors might have been from windshield wiper motors and the drive was chain link. Due to the sheer heft of the cars they ran smoothly and with good coasting action.
Dave Nelson
Thanks to those who provided good information. This locomotive has an older decoder on it. No mfgers. name can be seen on it. It won’t operate on DC or my Digitrax Zephyr system and I can not read nor program an address into it.
I know that there was a Dynatrol system available back in the late 80s early 90s. Where there other Command Control systems available back then. This uses the two lugs coming from the motor for motor power as per Atlas’ original set-up, at that time. Anyone have any ideas on who might have manufactured it?
The above questions are just for my own interest, as this loco will get a Digitrax decoder, eventually.
The Ebay seller tells me that it is a CVP Rail Command receiver.
I really like these early yellow box Kato drive RSs. There is one notable problem w/ them, aside from the lack of detail and molded on grabs, The pilots are rather weak and will flex under heavy coupler loads. A couple of mine even had a sagging walkway/ pilot causing low coupler height. There is very little room under the walkway/ pilot for reinforcement, Styrene block shims (glued inside shell) to “jam” against frame helped but doesn’t completely stop the movement. This only seem to be inherent to these RS1and 3s, other yellow box units seem fine. Otherwise an excellent running piece.
Farrellaa, went thru your work photos and man, that’s nice work, even in HO. I’m having trouble doing stuff like this in O scale. Guess it’s an age thing. Bill p/s Don’t worry about the sound quality. As long as it work’s, 'nuf said.
My RS-1 has an F on the end of the long hood, which end was the front on the RS-3?