Alco RSC-3

[Purrs]

Evening fellow modellers. This might seem like a silly question, is there any difference between a RSC-3 and a RS-3? Do I go with Atlas or Kato?

[reinhardtjh]

The RSC-3 has 3-axle trucks. It used an A-1-A truck if I remember correctly.  The RS-3 was a 2-axle with a B truck.  Otherwise I think they were pretty much the same.  Either Atlas or Kato should be decent locos.  But they are of different prototypes.

[spookshow]

No such thing as an N scale RSC-3.

-Mark

[mecgp7]

Kato makes the RS2 and the RSC2. Atlas makes the RS3 and RSD4. Way back Kato made the RSD4 and RS3 for Atlas, but let's stay with the recent releases.
The main spotting difference is the trucks between the regular RS and the RSC or RSD with the latter having six wheel trucks.
Back to which you should buy. Both of the manufacturers make excellent locos. You won't go wrong with either. Personally, I think the Kato RS2 is a great loco.

[spookshow]

If you want DCC, the Atlas Alcos are not DCC-Ready. TCS does make decoders for them, but it's not a simple drop-in install.

FWIW, Life-Like makes a nice RS-2 and Bachmann makes a nice RS-3 (the former is DCC-Ready and the latter has a factory-installed decoder). The Kato Alcos (RS-2 / RSC-2) are both DCC-Ready.

-Mark

[Puddington]

In atleast one case RSC 3's "morphed" into RS 3's..... The Pacific Great Eastern Railway's early 1950's purchase of the three axle units ended up with shop forces converting the units to the B- B truck arrangement if the RS 3. Presumably due to track improvements and their new lines that made the need for spreading the weight of these units out obsolete.

[H Lee]

------------This might seem like a silly question, is there any difference between a RSC-3 and a RS-3?----------

RS-2 bodies
RS-2 / TWO axle trucks with TWO traction motors / B-B trucks
   http://www.thedieselshop.us/Alco_RS2.HTML
RSC-2 / THREE axle trucks with TWO traction motors / C-C trucks, center axle un-powered
   http://www.thedieselshop.us/Alco_RSC2.HTML

RS-3 bodies
RS-3 / TWO axle trucks with TWO traction motors / B-B trucks
   http://www.thedieselshop.us/Alco_RS3.HTML
RSC-3 / THREE axle trucks with TWO traction motors / C-C trucks, center axle un-powered
   http://www.thedieselshop.us/Alco_RSC3.HTML
RSC-4 & 5 / THREE axle trucks with THREE traction motors / D-D trucks
   http://www.thedieselshop.us/Alco_RSD4.HTML

Later

[PGE_Modeller]

RS-2 bodies
RS-2 / TWO axle trucks with TWO traction motors / B-B trucks
   http://www.thedieselshop.us/Alco_RS2.HTML
RSC-2 / THREE axle trucks with TWO traction motors / C-C trucks, center axle un-powered
   http://www.thedieselshop.us/Alco_RSC2.HTML

RS-3 bodies
RS-3 / TWO axle trucks with TWO traction motors / B-B trucks
   http://www.thedieselshop.us/Alco_RS3.HTML
RSC-3 / THREE axle trucks with TWO traction motors / C-C trucks, center axle un-powered
   http://www.thedieselshop.us/Alco_RSC3.HTML
RSC-4 & 5 / THREE axle trucks with THREE traction motors / D-D trucks
   http://www.thedieselshop.us/Alco_RSD4.HTML

Later

RSC-2 and RSC-3:  Truck designation is "A-1-A" indicating two driven axles with a centre idler.  Visually, these have equal axle spacing.

RSD-4 and RSD-5:  Truck designation is "C-C" indicating three powered axles.     Visually, these have the centre axle offset so that two traction motors are able to fit between the more widely spaced axles.

Cheers,

[Kisatchie]

No such thing as an N scale RSC-3.

-Mark

Hmm... I sense a great
disturbance in the force...

[jmlaboda]

One of the biggest drawbacks to doing a RSC3 is that the Kato RSC2 trucks are not the same as used on the RSC3.  If you could find the correct sideframe for the trucks then you have a better chance at modeling one.

[H Lee]

RSC-2 and RSC-3:  Truck designation is "A-1-A" indicating two driven axles with a centre idler.  Visually, these have equal axle spacing.

RSD-4 and RSD-5:  Truck designation is "C-C" indicating three powered axles.     Visually, these have the centre axle offset so that two traction motors are able to fit between the more widely spaced axles.

Cheers,

You maybe right (probably are correct in modern usage) but, I am 90% sure that the way I used the terms was the way ALCO originally described the trucks.

Anyway, my usage certainly makes it easier to remember which units had 4 powered axles and which had 6 powered axles.

[cgw]

Alco Changed the traction motor of the RSC-2 to an uprated traction motor designated as model GT581 and change the trucks to conventional drop equalizer type of trucks.  The engine rating stayed the same 1600 hp for traction purposes.  the wheel diameter was the same 40" and three gear ratios were offered.  65:15, 74:18, and 65:18.  The first model RSC-3 to be built was SOO Line #372. a total of 71  locomotives were built in Schenectady.  Montreal Locomotive  works built a total of 28 locomotives  in which Pacific Great Easter ordered 8 and 20 were exported to new south wales.

The Kato model  RSC-2 trucks would not work for the  RSC-3, The RSC-2 trucks were A1A rucks with equalizer beams located between the truck side frame members.  The  Atlas RSD 4/5 rucks would work nicely. since they are drop equalized design.  I would go with an atlas RSD-4/5. 

[peteski]

You maybe right (probably are correct in modern usage) but, I am 90% sure that the way I used the terms was the way ALCO originally described the trucks.

Anyway, my usage certainly makes it easier to remember which units had 4 powered axles and which had 6 powered axles.

I don't know how modern the A-1-A designation is but it has been used in Europe for a very long time. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UIC_classification

To me A-1-A truck designation, actually (A-1-A)(A-1-A) to be more accurate, seems pretty descriptive:  each truck has a powered axle, idle axle and a powered axle.

Using  the B-B and C-C truck designation, your D-D designation would seem to indicate two 4-axle trucks rather than 3-axle trucks with center idling axle (s).  Is D-D (as you are using it) something that Alco used to describe those 3-axle, 2-motor trucks?

EDIT:
According to the AAR wheel arrangement designations http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AAR_wheel_arrangement , D-D does indicate two 4-axle trucks.

[Freight Train]

I believe he meant RSD4/5 with all axles power "D" ..... 
But the real snatcher is the Atlas Alco RSD4/5 loco. It only powers 2 of the 3 axles....so in a sense it's a A-1-A configuration??.....Why don't they just gear that extra axle??

[brokemoto]

And ya' wanna' know sumthin' even funnier?  Kato powers all six axles on its RSC-2.  Thus, it is really a C-C.

The result is that the Atlas RSD-4 ain't the greatest puller, while the Kato RSC-2 ain't a bad puller.