# $15 Brass Alco, who made it?



## tkruger (Jan 18, 2009)

I was at a train show and picked up a Brass, HO, Alco RS (2 or 3) for $15. All the seller new was that it was old, missing couplers and did not run. I took the thing home and re-soldered the wire to the rear truck, runs loud but like a champ. Now I have a few questions about it:

1. Is it an Alco RS 2 or 3, how do I tell?
2. Who manufactured the model? I cannot find a name on it. He said it may be Hobbytown. I have not removed the shell yet. Only the front truck is powered. There are brass gears in the truck. There is a pulley on the motor with a spring around it and a pulley on the shaft in the truck, this spins the shaft moving the gears that power the axles.
3. Currently there is glass (not plastic) in the lights. Can I add a bulb behind the lenses and make them directional or is this a bad idea?
4. One of the railings is loose. How do I fix it without harming the paint? Other than missing the lettering the paint is near perfect.

Also what is this thing worth? I am not selling it as it is my first and only brass locomotive, just curious.


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## lears2005 (Feb 26, 2010)

Looks very nice sorry I can not help you I dont know anything about brass.


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

Looks like early KMT from the truck frames, they would've been sold here by Alco Models.:thumbsup:


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## dablaze (Apr 17, 2012)

From my point of view, its an RS2, however many companies marketed them as RS3's. There may be some railroads that ran them differently but most RS3's had square filters in various configurations similar to RS10's, RS18's etc.

Look it over fairly well, not to be spoil sport, but my Hobby town RS2 is white metal, not brass (it has some brass bits.) They also did them in plastic. 

The chassis was strange, with the motor offset to the front (I think, I cant find mine so I am going form memory) and a long drive shaft going to the other end, they had some sort of a gear reduction set up at each truck.

Heres a pic of the chassis I found on the net.

http://thumbs4.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mxEkWB71W_jdKzdjr5zjk1A.jpg

Over all, I would agree with Shay, I think KMT is more likely.

Craig


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

My favorite Loco the Rs's.:thumbsup:

The main difference from the RS2 and the RS3 is on the RS2 the battery box hangs on the bottom, on the 3 it sits behind the cab. The fuel cap on the 2 is on the cab, the fuel cap on the 3 is no longer there.
The RS2 short hood is slightly narrower then the 3.

The RS1 had a overhang on the cab and the base of the stack was triangular.
The 2 & 3 had both a rectangular stack.Both are missing the overhang on the cab.
A crosswise stack on the 3 indicates the unit has the water cooled turbocharger which replaced the old air cooled turbo, which had a lengthwise mounted stack.

The handrails are different on the 1 compared to the 2 & 3. The 2 & 3 have a more rounded nose then the 1 which is more square looking at the top and sides.
The 1 has a rectangular fan housing on the long part of the nose the 2 & 3 have a round fan housing.

So the main difference from the RS2 & 3 is where the battery box is and if a fuel cap is present. And the RS2 short hood is slightly narrower then the 3. ( hard to see) 
On models it is hard to tell the difference.

I would guess it is an RS2, I could be wrong?

I like all the RS Locos.:thumbsup:

I don't know what you have there, a good deal I would say.:thumbsup:

I was just making one dirty a little while ago, not done yet.
The dust on top is original as it has been sitting, I was touching up the trucks a little. Need to dust it a little, you don't really see it till you look at the picture.

She just made a run, back from the Jersey shore.

N scale,
CNJRR of course.:thumbsup:


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## tkruger (Jan 18, 2009)

Thanks all for the information. I can see that this is all brass and the shell is not white metal, I had the same thought when I heard Hobbytown. There is a chip on the ca and long hood. Also I can see un-painted sections when looking inside from underneath.

I looked up Alco Models online and found that mine did not match the RS2 they displayed. They include sun visors and a different horn. Is it possible that there were variations from the same company? Everything else except the variations in the cab look good though.
http://www.ho-scaletrains.net/alcomodelsresource/id178.html


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Nice looking engine Kruger. I think I have one something like it but not brass. That's an excellent price for any brass engine running or not. Hope you enjoy it. Pete


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

tkruger said:


> Is it possible that there were variations from the same company? Everything else except the variations in the cab look good though.


It could be but the mechanisms wouldn't be so different. Yours is very early, I dare say even mid/late 50s early. The mechanism is just too basic for too much later as buyers wanted models to run as good as they looked for the money asked. You've got quite a stumper there...:thumbsup:


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## tkruger (Jan 18, 2009)

I have been trying with little luck to track this item down. I did get a possible clue from an EBay auction. There was an RS2 that had the identical shell as mine only unpainted. They stated the shell was a Key Import for the 50. The difference was that they also stated the one in the auction had upgraded trucks and motor. Therefore I could not compare the trucks / drive.

A second one I found, also claiming to be Key Imports looked close. The rear truck was the same but there was a cover over the gears of the front truck. In this auction there was a mention of a company call Shannadowa (sp?) being the actual maker.

Does any of this make sense? Were these companies in existence in the time frame mentioned? In the end I like the loco as it sits and have found it a home. Just wish I could figure out what it was.


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## brylerjunction (Aug 8, 2011)

here is their website

http://www.keymodels.net/id15.html


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## mtoney (Oct 6, 2012)

Consulting my brown book of brass locomotives, my guess it was imported by International in 1951 and labled as "crude". That seems to fit that model with the shallow relief side frames and very rudamentary drive system. I would take shell off, the old open frame motor is probably stuck in position from sitting unused for a long long time. Turn the armature with your fingers, relubricate everything and try giving it power again. If its beyond your ablities, let someone that works on brass like myself or someone you know localy get her running again. Its defiantly not an Alco Models/KMT engine. Neat old brass engine, my favorite kind and I love to see them running on layouts again and not sitting on a shelf. Mike


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## tkruger (Jan 18, 2009)

mtoney said:


> Consulting my brown book of brass locomotives, my guess it was imported by International in 1951 and labled as "crude". That seems to fit that model with the shallow relief side frames and very rudamentary drive system. I would take shell off, the old open frame motor is probably stuck in position from sitting unused for a long long time. Turn the armature with your fingers, relubricate everything and try giving it power again. If its beyond your ablities, let someone that works on brass like myself or someone you know localy get her running again. Its defiantly not an Alco Models/KMT engine. Neat old brass engine, my favorite kind and I love to see them running on layouts again and not sitting on a shelf. Mike


Thanks for the update. It is running well. The loudness is from the gears used. It is louder than a BB loco that has been tuned but not out of place considering the motor and drive. I have no plans to replace the driver-train, just normal maintenance. I have restored several old steamers and prefer to use there original parts until they are to worn to repair. At that point they get an upgrade.


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