# RS-3 details?



## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Does anyone know where I could find some good photos of various details on an Alco RS-3? I can find lots of pics of the entire loco via Google but not having much luck finding close ups. I need stuff like the truck side frames, pilot detail, etc.


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## Dr G (Jan 16, 2008)

Ray, 

I don't have any, but what I have done for projects in the past is go to Railpictures.net 

http://www.railpictures.net/ 

Find an appropriate RS-3 and email tha photographer and ask if he/she could send you a hi-resolution image for your personal modeling project. With a hi-resolution image you can zoom in on the details and get a crisp view on your computer. Has worked for me in the past. 

Hope that helps. 

Matt


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## SNER (Sep 20, 2010)

Ray, 

I recently super detailed my Erie RS-3 as well as currently rebuilding another. To do so, I used photos from http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locoList.aspx?mid=171 . The site has photos of most of the Alco's built. 

Also, here are some close ups of an RS-3 pilot. http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/mo...mp;Page=15


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Thanks, some great stuff there!


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

On the top of each hood, just above the headlight, there's a square "doohickey". What is this, on the prototype? I've seen one photo of the top of it, and there's a hinge so it must be a lid for something. My guess is, it's a hatch for filling the sand box, but I'd like to know for sure.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Another question: Why do some RS-3's have a stack on the short hood, and some don't?


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Ray Dunakin on 30 Sep 2010 07:46 PM 
On the top of each hood, just above the headlight, there's a square "doohickey". What is this, on the prototype? I've seen one photo of the top of it, and there's a hinge so it must be a lid for something. My guess is, it's a hatch for filling the sand box, but I'd like to know for sure. 
Yep, sand box filler hatch. Posted By Ray Dunakin on 01 Oct 2010 12:55 AM 
Another question: Why do some RS-3's have a stack on the short hood, and some don't? 


stack for a steam generator.. sometimes (rarely) RS3's were used in passenger service..(or as back-up for more "trditional" passenger engines) the short hood contained a steam generator for passenger service: 
http://www.divisionpoint.com/photos/Alco_RS2/ATSF_2099.jpg 

Then there is the well-known LV 211. a one-unit special order by the PRR..the high short hood wasnecessary for dynamic brakes *and* a steam generator for backup passenger service: 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rgvrrm/3321685076/in/set-72157614573135039/ 

http://www.rgvrrm.org/about/railroad/lv211/index.htm Scot


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## jgallaway81 (Jan 5, 2009)

Thanks for the details Scotty. Its an interesting unit.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Thanks!


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## Idraw4u (Aug 19, 2008)

I found some line drawings here http://www.trainweb.org/willstraina...ne/RS3.htm
Maybe they will help?

Todd


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## DKRickman (Mar 25, 2008)

One detail I have been having a hard time finding any info on is the steam generator. What EXACTLY did it look like? Was it the same on an RS-2 and RS-3? Was there an access hatch on the short hood, similar to the hatch on an EMD F unit, or were the various components simply stuck through the smooth curved surface? 

Top down shots of the short hood in an RS-2 or 3 are very hard to come by.


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## SNER (Sep 20, 2010)

It is going to be hard to find info on the steam generators for the RS units. However, the New Haven Railroad Technical Society (or something like that) produces a quarterly magazine called the Shoreliner. In Vol 30 / Issue 4, the whole magazine is talking about the Alco RS-1's built for New Haven. In that issue, they also have builders photos all internal equipment covered by the hoods, including the steam generator (which would be the same generator as in an RS-2/3. The filler hatches remanded the same for all lower nose RS units.

Dave


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## Chris France (Jan 3, 2008)

Not to nitpick Scot, but I'd hardly say the RS-3 was rarely used in passenger service. The New Haven's RS-3s regularly held down passenger assignments for their first years in service. They were very popular on many commuter railroads in that service as they would out accelerate most of their contemporaries.


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## bdp3wsy (Mar 14, 2008)

A couple of easy detail changes to make is one the drill out the marker lights and put in 6 volt grain of wheats. I power these from my QSI board at the chuff plug which has 5V constant. Not real bright but looks great at night. The other is to take the cab light and move it from the roof to behind the control panel. Drill out the meters on the dash. The light lights the engineer from the panel rather then over head. This also solves what is know as the RS-3 third head light. A friend is adding two 6 wheel power trucks and shortening the tank. This will make it an RC-3C and he is doing it in CNJ coast guard red and white colors like they had. Jake


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

BTW, does anyone sell detail parts for large scale diesels?


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## GN_Rocky (Jan 6, 2008)

Hi Ray, 
There are some detail part manufacturers out there. I've used parts from some of them. The one that comes to mind at the moment is Ozark miniaitures. I know there's others, but I've also used parts from Aristo and USA trains like steam classification lights when they are in stock. Some of my details though are hand made using detail parts and small parts from plastic automobile kits (1/25th scale). I'm sure others will chime in on other detail part manufacturers, but Ozark is the big one that pops into my mind. Rocky [/b]


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## GN_Rocky (Jan 6, 2008)

* I thought I posted a picture here, but it must have been on another forum







*
*Not all RS-3 used the class lamps like the ones Alco had on there like the ones Aristo did. Great northern used the older style like steamers have.*




















* On Great Northern's RS-3s, many of the details on the prototype came off of older steam locos. *
*For the classification lamps I used Aristo's steam loco ( Pacific or Mikado). On the number boards, I think I made the housings and put the actual number boards in them from the RS-3 model. *
*I'm not sure right off hand which ladders I used, but I know the horn is a modified one using USA Trains GP-9 horns with the single horn glued on top of the dual one. The bell came off of USA GP hood unit placed in a custom made housing. Hope this gives you some ideas







*

*Rocky *


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Does anyone know what this thing is... it looks like a small step hanging down from under the side of the deck, directly above the center of the truck:













There's one over each of the trucks, on both sides. I don't think it's a step though, because in some photos the face of it is flat.


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## Andre Anderson (Jan 3, 2008)

Yup, jacking pads, this is where you would put the jacks to lift the loco. These were an extension of the bolsters, if you jacked the loco up anywhere else the frame could not take the strain, since the bolster was already taking the strain problem. If you look most diesels and a lot of cars also have something similar to these at the same spot for the same reason.


Andre


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Thanks


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