New Atlas RS-1 vs. Atlas RS-2

[Albert in N]

   Thanks for the info and photos of the new RS-2s.  I was surprised to see that Atlas had not upgraded the body shells.  The inside painted plastic shell showing through the side window reminds me of my Walthers/ LifeLike GP-60.  Sure, I later blackened the inside cab area so it looks better.  However the GP-60 only cost me $49.95 new in box on close out at TrainWorld in late 2014 (Suggested retail was $90).  For a brand new DC analog Alco RS-2 priced at nearly $100 after discount, that is a turn off for me. 
I will have to think hard about it and may opt for the Atlas RS-1, or get another new Kato locomotive and keep a little change.

[Albert in N]

  After looking at the CGW RS-2 photos with a cup of coffee, I am thinking about ordering one.  My choice would be the Frisco since I actually saw their first generation units in my youth.  Since the primary color is black, the cab window issue is solved.  With the Atlas scale speed motor, this seems logical!

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Need them to make it with Loksound!

Amen! I would've gone for one if that were the case.

[w neal]

  Thanks for the info and photos of the new RS-2s.  I was surprised to see that Atlas had not upgraded the body shells.  However the GP-60 only cost me $49.95 new in box on close out at TrainWorld in late 2014 (Suggested retail was $90).  For a brand new DC analog Alco RS-2 priced at nearly $100 after discount, that is a turn off for me. 

To my point. Everyone seemingly cheers that Atlas acquires other's molds. Sure, new paint. Little else. And all for more money. This is progress?

[Mark5]

To my point. Everyone seemingly cheers that Atlas acquires other's molds. Sure, new paint. Little else. And all for more money. This is progress?

The Walthers RS2 was at $124.98 list over a decade ago. The RS2 (Atlas) is $129.98 list, a bit of a price increase over this period of time. EDIT: I goofed - see a few posts down.

Walthers became famous for not releasing tooling. Hopefully Atlas will change that!!

Mark

[cjm413]

To my point. Everyone seemingly cheers that Atlas acquires other's molds. Sure, new paint. Little else. And all for more money. This is progress?

Walthers raised the price of the Life-Like GP60 in the photo by making it DCC "friendly" and using the correct trucks.   I don't recall if it was "friendly" in name only (like the first run of the LL GP38-2) or if the LL GP60 had pizza cutter flanges that also needed to go.   I dumped my LL GP60's once the FVM GP60 was available.

Off the top of my head, Atlas announced a few improvements to the Walthers GP60 (sound?)

[cjm413]

The Walthers RS2 was at $124.98 list over a decade ago. The RS2 (Atlas) is $129.98 list, not much of a price increase over this period of time.

https://www.walthers.com/alco-rs2-standard-dc-lehigh-valley-218-red-gold-white

Walthers became famous for not releasing tooling. Hopefully Atlas will change that!!


Mark

Walthers was also famous for truck pins that were glued in place on their freight cars so that they'd break off whenever the trucks were removed and leave a plastic plug behind that would have to be drilled out 🤬

[Point353]

The Walthers RS2 was at $124.98 list over a decade ago. The RS2 (Atlas) is $129.98 list, not much of a price increase over this period of time.
https://www.walthers.com/alco-rs2-standard-dc-lehigh-valley-218-red-gold-white

That Walthers price is for an HO model.
The MSRP for the N scale model was $100, with a street price in the range of $70-75.
https://www.brooklynlocomotiveworks.com/ll-rs2.htm

[Mark5]

That Walthers price is for an HO model.
The MSRP for the N scale model was $100, with a street price in the range of $70-75.
https://www.brooklynlocomotiveworks.com/ll-rs2.htm

Ooops, Walthers search engine fail (my fail  )

https://www.walthers.com/proto-n-diesel-alco-rs-2-powered-lehigh-valley-210-cornell-red-black-stripes

Thanks for correcting me! 

Mark

[w neal]

Glad to hear I'm wrong on this one then! Hope to be wrong on future re-releases as well.

P.S. Anybody got one of those Lehigh Valley ones they want to part with? Wink wink. Nudge nudge.

[Joetrain59]

I got a D&H RS2 on Sunday. Lot's of lube on cab roof, and one side. Running in one direction has electric shaver buzz right at start up, but goes away with slight power increase. In the other direction, it's all buzz all the time. Took the shell off to wash it. after a few seconds, one tab from PCB to motor contact fell off!. The soldering on that tab was sloppy. Way too much solder. So it was ground down, and maybe damaged the contact? But still a big blob of solder.
 I took a photo to send to Atlas.
 Joe D

[peteski]

The soldering on that tab was sloppy. Way too much solder. So it was ground down, and maybe damaged the contact? But still a big blob of solder.
 I took a photo to send to Atlas.
 Joe D

That's how it came from the factory?!  That is terrible!   

[spookshow]

Looking at Joe's picture, I guess I wasted my money by ordering one of these. Apart from the PC board, they appear to be exactly the same as the original LL/Walthers version -



Oh well, if nothing else I guess I can see what the QC is like.

-Mark

[Point353]

I got a D&H RS2 on Sunday.
Took the shell off to wash it. after a few seconds, one tab from PCB to motor contact fell off!.
The soldering on that tab was sloppy. Way too much solder. So it was ground down, and maybe damaged the contact? But still a big blob of solder.
I took a photo to send to Atlas.

Wonder if the tabs were that tarnished at the factory when they tried to solder them?

[peteski]

Wonder if the tabs were that tarnished at the factory when they tried to solder them?

If that was the case, then if they took *ANY* pride in their work, the should have done something about it, rather than being a mindless drone and just plop some solder on them.    Then if they even bother inspecting, or test running those models, that was another fail.

And Jason at Rapido Trains always tells us just how much pride those Chinese workers have in their jobs.  He must pay them better than the factory Atlas uses.