Bachmann RS-3 gets a solid B+

[sirenwerks]

Jason, you're right, I confused the two. Then again, Tony's right too, the door window openings are better proportioned compared to the Atlas, which present as too narrow; but Bachmann ruined that fact with the funky molding.

[wcfn100]

Jason, you're right, I confused the two. Then again, Tony's right too, the door window openings are better proportioned compared to the Atlas, which present as too narrow; but Bachmann ruined that fact with the funky molding.

I will say the Altas looks narrow (it's a little hard to tell from just Lee's picture) but then again the Bachmann window doesn't extend high enough.

Is that a draw?

Jason

[Mark5]

This is a great effort for Bachmann!

I could live with the smooth walkways and having to add grabs.

The motor in these could never get an A from me (too much cogging at slow speeds for my taste) and I gotta wonder how much more it would cost to have a proven electrical pickup design ...

Mark

[Wardie]

Just buy an Atlas cab and graft it on the Bachmann shell. We cry about RTR not being 100%, but we cry about people that can't pick up an Xacto.

So if we're gonna complain might as well complain about all the louvres on the long hood you have to shave off!
(#180 posted previously is actually an RS-2, not an RS-3).





The S.

Those look like phase III RS-3's with the different louvre pattern and angled corner number boards. It is too bad bachmann choose the earlier model and did not attempt to differentiate themselves from atlas with the later phase.

[DKS]

Those look like phase III RS-3's with the different louvre pattern and angled corner number boards. It is too bad bachmann choose the earlier model and did not attempt to differentiate themselves from atlas with the later phase.

Whether or not it's the reason Bachmann chose the same phase is unknown, but one thing is for sure--those angled number boards would be a bear to tool.

[wm3798]

A bear to tool, yes, but easy to model.  A few swipes of a file at the corners, and a block of styrene.  Bip bop bip.

Lee

[Wardie]

Whether or not it's the reason Bachmann chose the same phase is unknown, but one thing is for sure--those angled number boards would be a bear to tool.

I would think they would need to be an add on part like a horn or something and not tooled as part of the shell itself. The big difference is the louver patterns on the doors.

[wm3798]

...The big difference is the louver patterns on the doors.

Agreed, but that's one of the beauties of a black paint scheme...

[DKS]

I would think they would need to be an add on part like a horn or something and not tooled as part of the shell itself. The big difference is the louver patterns on the doors.

True. But each part to tool and physically add on adds to the cost.

[inkaneer]

Nice to know that my two Atlas RS 1's are not the only ones that can't pull very well......

Not mine but then, mine are Pennsy so you know they will pull great.   Humor aside, in actuality I did a upgrade to them which was not only extremely easy to do but inexpensive too.   Will probably work on the Atlas RS 3's too.

[DaveB]

The motor in these could never get an A from me (too much cogging at slow speeds for my taste) and I gotta wonder how much more it would cost to have a proven electrical pickup design ...

Mark

Setting CV2 to 0 seems to help with the low end, as Skipgear suggested.  I think they are shipped with CV2 set at 10 or something like that.

[milw12]

After reading this thread, a question has bothering me:
Between a new Atlas RS3 and a Bachmann model, which one is better if I can get either one for roughly the same price?

I know it may depend on what I'm trying to model, but I thought I'd ask the question in general. From what I've read here the Atlas model seems to have the edge except for the goofy gap above the trucks (which has really bugged me for years) and the handrails (easily replaced?)

I may be over thinking this 

thanks,
shrubs

[DaveB]

After reading this thread, a question has bothering me:
Between a new Atlas RS3 and a Bachmann model, which one is better if I can get either one for roughly the same price?

I know it may depend on what I'm trying to model, but I thought I'd ask the question in general. From what I've read here the Atlas model seems to have the edge except for the goofy gap above the trucks (which has really bugged me for years) and the handrails (easily replaced?)

I may be over thinking this 

thanks,
shrubs

Roughly the same price, but the Bachmann has DCC on board and runs well on DC, while the Atlas is not even DCC friendly.  Then there is the question of which railroads float your boat.  If you only care about DC, then there is a real choice, but if you care about DCC the Bachmann seems hard to beat at the price.

[Mark5]

Setting CV2 to 0 seems to help with the low end, as Skipgear suggested.  I think they are shipped with CV2 set at 10 or something like that.

The motor cogs at all settings that I've seen. Most people don't seem to perceive it, so most people can ignore my comment on that.  ;)The pickup design stinks at any setting though. 

[wm3798]

In answer to your question, I'd say it's about a dead heat.  The Atlas model requires some work to add DCC, which also adds to your bottom line.  However, the Bachmann decoder being what it is, you'd probably want to upgrade that anyway, so that's a wash.

If you like having details that you don't have to work for (i.e. molded on grabs etc.) then Atlas wins.  If you like adding details, the Bachmann will require less surgery to do so.

If you want to open a box and run a train on your new DCC system, and none of the above concerns you, then Bachmann wins walking away.

Lee