Atlas Model Railroad Co. Product Review

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This review was taken from the August, 2001 issue of Model Railroad News and is reproduced with permission of Lamplight Publishing, Merlin, OR.

ATLAS CLASSIC ALCO RS-11

Review by Michael J. Pratt

Revamping old tooling is nothing new. Nearly every major manufacturer at one time or another has re-released products touting the fact that the model is better than the original. Sometimes one is hard pressed to find just exactly what is “new and improved.” This is not the case with Atlas’ Classic line of locomotive models.

The newest addition to the HO scale Classic line is the Alco RS-11. Originally released in the mid 1980s, the RS-11 is back with some very impressive improvements.

Alco’s RS-11

The American Locomotive Company produced the first RS-11 in February of 1956. Its major competition was EMD’s GP9. Though it was a solid performer, the RS-11 proved to be no threat to the versatile General Purpose loco of EMD. The twelve-cylinder, B-B road switcher was rated at 1,800 horse power (EMD’s GP9 was rated at 1,750 hp).

The first production RS-11 locomotives went to the Nickel Plate. Delivered in February and March of 1956, NKP #558-562 were equipped with oil sump tanks fabricated from power reverse reservoirs salvaged from scrapped Nickel Plate Berkshires. This is one of the first, and few times that steam locomotive components were reused on diesels.

Among the characteristics of the RS-11 Alco diesel are the notches in the upper corners of both hoods. The RS-11 also includes five car body filters above the access doors on both sides of the long hood. These filters are evenly spaced on early production RS-11s (Phase I). Later versions grouped three of these filters together close to the cab (Phase II).

After RS-11 production, beginning in February 1962 through August 1963, Alco produced the RS-36. The RS-36 featured the same engine, horsepower rating, and specification number (DL-701) as the RS-11. The center three access doors were taller, resulting in the grouping of the car body filters into two groups of three. The large intercooler radiator on the sides of the long hood, were no longer present. Forty of these locomotives were produced.

Some RS-11s were ordered with low, short hoods. Others were modified by the railroads. Domestic production of the RS-11 ceased in May 1961 (MLW produced RS-11s for NdeM until 4/64). A total of 426 units (327 for the U.S., 99 for Mexico) were built.

Atlas’ Classic RS-11

The Atlas Classic RS-11 is being offered in a number of roadnames, including: Alco Demonstrator (gray, green, and yellow - #701A, #701B), Central Vermont (green and yellow - #3603, #3611), Leigh Valley (Tuscan with yellow strip - #7642, #7644), New York Central (Lightning Stripe - #8011, #8014), Southern Pacific (Black Widow - #5723, #5726), and undecorated.

I will start with the outside of the new model and do an imaginary walk around, comparing it to the original release where appropriate. Beginning with the short hood end, additions to the Classic model include: individual grab irons on the hood, coupler cut lever, MU hoses, and finer profile brake wheel.

Traveling around to the side of the RS-11 Classic, it appears that the same AAR trucks are used as on the first release. Noticeable on the Classic is the absence of the brass electrical pickups showing through the sideframes; these are very obvious on the original model. On the Classic RS-11, Atlas has produced pickups that clear the holes between the springs of the sideframes. It’s attention to details like these that Atlas deserves much praise. Individual grab irons are also present on the side and top of the short hood.

Except for fasteners on the short hood’s top panel, overall tooling of the Classic appears identical to the original RS-11 model – even the same horns were used. The side details such as doors, latches, hinges radiator shutters, and car body filter screens needed little improvement on the original release, and appear unchanged on the Classic RS-11. The car body filters are evenly spaced, representing a Phase I RS-11.

Circling around to the end of the long hood, the same attention to detail can be found as on the short hood end. Separately applied grab irons, cut levers, and MU hoses grace this end of the model as well. Atlas has also improved the appearance of the radiator screen on top of the long hood – the Classic’s screen is much finer than the one found on the original model.

One issue that many RS-11 fans may recall about the original Atlas release is the fact that the truck wheelbase was too short. Comparing the new loco with published drawings reveals that the Classic RS-11 has been corrected, and now possesses the correct wheelbase dimensions.

The same size handrails have been used on the new release. Although the detail painting is a welcome addition, the paint adds to the overall diameter of the handrails, making them considerably over sized.

Other improvements include painting and lettering. Our sample RS-11 Classic is painted in Southern Pacific’s famous Black Widow scheme. Espee attained its first sampling of Alco’s RS-11 locomotives in late April of 1956. Three demonstrators (#701,701A, 701B), operated along the coast out of Los Angeles. Espee ordered 37 units, which were delivered in the winter of 1956. These became regulars on the Coast Line. Among them was #5721, which was equipped with a boiler and dual controls and was occasionally used in commuter service.

Compared to the rather thinly applied graphics on the original Burlington Northern painted model, the lettering and numbers on the Classic Southern Pacific model are crisp and opaque. Attention to detail is also present in the lettering. Of note is the small SP roadnumbers on the hood ends, a well as Fuel painted on the side sills. Two individually painted crewmen are seated in the cab – a feature not included with the original RS-11. These are quit modern looking gentleman – not misplaced steam crewmen. One is even wearing sunglasses! The side cab numbers, as well as the Southern Pacific on the long hood, are oversized.

Mechanically, the list of improvements keeps growing. Besides correcting the wheelbase, other aspects of the frame have been slightly redesigned. The new Atlas Classic comes factory equipped with Accumate couplers, which are mounted to the frame. This requires their removal before the shell can be slid off the chassis; the couplers on the original RS-11 are body mounted. It is very important to remove the handrails from the cab and subbase before removing the shell from the chassis. Atlas also includes X2f, horn hook style couplers.

The new chassis incorporates two cast metal weights secured by screws to the frame. The original RS-11’s weights are not secured, and rest inside the shell. A can motor with twin brass flywheels (steel on the original) power the Classic through all eight wheels. The same drive trucks are used on both models, but not read Atlas on the Classic. The drive wheels on the Classic have been blackened, compared to bright silver on the original.

The Classic RS-11 features a circuit board with a DCC socket for easy DCC conversion. The circuit board may also be replaced with Atlas’ new Dual-Mode CDD decoder. The Atlas HO Dual-Mode Decoder (#340) retails for $29.95

When compared to the original release, the Classic’s running qualities are improved, but not a much as one might expect. Starting voltage of the Classic straight from the box is 1.5 volts @0.08 amps, compared to 1.7 volts @0.07 amps of the original RS-11. The Classic is considerably quieter than the original, but not the best when compared to other recent HO locomotives releases. (The drive of the original RS-11 was manufactured by Kato, and a fine performer. Other than the addition of Kadee couplers, I am unaware of the sample model’s history. The model is in like-new condition, and was provided to us by our good friend Mr. Charles LeCain, owner of Whistle Stop Trains of Portland, Oregon).

The new RS-11 Classic weighs 13.25 ounces. This contributes to its ability to pull more than 45 ounces up a two percent grade. The headlights are now directional, and begin to glow at around 4-1/2 volts. The headlights and numberboards are clearly illuminated at around 5-3/4 volts.

The new Classic RS-11 is a significant improvement over the older release, especially on the outside. The original Kato mechanism is hard to beat, but Atlas has managed to improve on the older drive train where possible, The new RS-11 from Atlas is a welcome resurrection of an Alco classic.

Alco RS-11 Diesel Locomotive, retail price $94.95