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Life-Like - 75107 - Locomotive, Diesel, Alco RS-2 - Lehigh Valley - 212

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N Scale - Life-Like - 75107 - Locomotive, Diesel, Alco RS-2 - Lehigh Valley - 212
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Stock Number75107
Secondary Stock Number920-75107
Original Retail Price$99.98
BrandLife-Like
ManufacturerWalthers
Body StyleLife-Like Diesel Switcher RS-2
Prototype VehicleLocomotive, Diesel, Alco RS-2 (Details)
Road or Company NameLehigh Valley (Details)
Road or Reporting Number212
Paint Color(s)Cornell Red with Black pinstripes
Print Color(s)Yellow
Coupler TypeAccuMate Magnetic Knuckle
Coupler MountBody-Mount
Wheel TypeChemically Blackened Metal
Wheel ProfileSmall Flange (Low Profile)
DCC ReadinessFriendly
Announcement Date2007-04-09
Release Date2007-08-01
Item CategoryLocomotives
Model TypeDiesel
Model SubtypeAlco
Model VarietyRS-2
Prototype RegionNorth America
Prototype EraNA Era III: Transition (1939 - 1957)
Scale1/160



Model Information: First released in 2007. Subsequent releases in 2008, 2011 and in 2012 (with MTL couplers). A fifth release was announced in 2012, but eventually cancelled due to insufficient reservations.
Re-run under Atlas brand in 2019 after Atlas purchased the tooling from Walthers.

Features:
  • split-frame, all-metal, DCC-Friendly chassis,
  • 5-pole skew-wound "scale speed" motor, with dual flywheels,
  • low-friction drive,
  • bi-directional LED lighting,
  • all-wheel drive and pickup (no traction tires),
  • blackened, low-profile wheels,
  • body-mounted Accumate couplers.
Reviewed: 11/07 Railroad Model Craftsman ("This model is a Life-Like Proto N series release (a new designation in their line-up of N scale models) from Walthers and is made in China... It has all the features we have come to expect in a first-class model: eight wheel pick-up and drive, blackened metal wheels, twin flywheels, a smooth-running five pole, skewed-armature motor, constant-intensity directional lighting, and DCC-Ready. In all respects this is a finely- made, well-engineered model. The tooling is intricate and accurate, with the fan blades even showing under the grille in the long hood. The painting is clear and opaque and the lettering is very crisp and sharp... The model's dimensions, when compared to scale drawings, are very accurate... Accumate couplers compatible with Micro-Trains Line couplers are installed, but Rapido-style couplers are provided should you prefer them... On my test track the sample performed well with a little growling from the motor and gears. It handled 15 cars easily in switching service but was more comfortable with 12 when operated up a slight grade on curving track. Control was best in the 2.5 to 8-volt range. The model weighs 2.15 ounces."
DCC Information: Contrary to the above review, due to the amount of effort required to install a decoder, we elected to classify this as DCC-Friendly.

Accepts the following plug-in decoders (non-sound), but requires a full disassembly of the locomotives, and proper isolation of the motor from the chassis with insulating tape:
- Digitrax DN163K2: 1 Amp N Scale Mobile Decoder for Kato N scale SD80/90MAC Series, RSC2, RS2. See installation tips on Digitrax website.
- TCS K2D4: N-scale drop-in decoder designed for Kato RS2/RSC2, SD80/SD90MAC and Life-Like/Walthers RS2, GP18 locomotives. See installation tips on TCS website.

The Atlas version of 2019 comes either with a factory-installed DCC decoder or in DC version.
Prototype History:
The ALCO RS-2 is a 1,500–1,600 horsepower (1,100–1,200 kW) B-B road switcher diesel-electric locomotive built by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) from 1946 to 1950. ALCO introduced the model after World War II as an improvement on the ALCO RS-1. The locomotive was one of several road switchers in a crowded market, including the Baldwin DRS-4-4-1500, EMD GP7, and FM H-15-44. ALCO discontinued the RS-2 in 1950 in favor of the ALCO RS-3. Several examples have been preserved.

383 locomotives were produced — 374 by the American Locomotive Company, and 9 by Montreal Locomotive Works in Canada. Eight of the ALCO RS-2s were exported to Canada. The RS-2 has a single, 12 cylinder, model 244B engine, developing 1,500 horsepower (1,100 kW). Thirty-one locomotives built by Alco between February and May 1950 with the 12 cylinder 244C 1,600 horsepower (1,200 kW) engine.

From Wikipedia
Read more on American-Rails.com
Road Name History:
The Lehigh Valley Railroad (reporting mark LV) was one of a number of railroads built in the northeastern United States primarily to haul anthracite coal. It was authorized April 21, 1846 in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and incorporated/established on September 20, 1847 as the Delaware, Lehigh, Schuylkill and Susquehanna Railroad Company. On January 7, 1853, the name was changed to Lehigh Valley Railroad. It was sometimes known as the Route of the Black Diamond, named after the anthracite it transported. At the time, anthracite was transported by boat down the Lehigh River; the railroad was meant to be faster transportation. The railroad ended operations in 1976 and merged into Conrail that same year.

During its existence, the Lehigh Valley Railroad used a rail line that later became known as the Lehigh Line in order for it to operate. The Lehigh Line was the railroad's first rail line constructed which was built in 1855 between Easton, Pennsylvania and Allentown, Pennsylvania and it served as the main line for the Lehigh Valley Railroad. Serving as the main line for the Lehigh Valley Railroad, the rail line expanded past Allentown to Buffalo, New York and past Easton to New York City, bringing the Lehigh Valley Railroad to these metro areas. During the early years, the line served as the body of the Lehigh Valley Railroad until the railroad either built more rail lines or railroads, acquired more rail lines or railroads, and merged other railroads into their system. The line was known as the Lehigh Valley Mainline during the majority of its time under the ownership of the Lehigh Valley Railroad, starting in the 1930s. The "Lehigh Valley" was absorbed along with several northeastern rail lines into Conrail; the main line became known as the Lehigh Line during the Conrail ownership. Conrail shortened the track miles by abandoning most of its route to Buffalo and some of the line entering New York City area. The Lehigh Line is now owned by the Norfolk Southern Railway.

As of 31 Dec 1925, 1363.7 miles of road, 3533.3 miles of track; as of 31 Dec 1970, 927 miles of road and 1963 miles of track.

From Wikipedia
Brand/Importer Information:
Life-Like Products LLC (now Life-Like Toy and Hobby division of Wm. K. Walthers) was a manufacturer of model railroad products and was based in Baltimore, Maryland.

It was founded in the 1950s by a company that pioneered extruded foam ice chests under the Lifoam trademark. Because ice chests are a summer seasonal item, the company needed a way to keep the factory operating year round. As model railroading was becoming popular in the post-war years, they saw this as an opportunity and so manufactured extruded foam tunnels for model trains. Over the years, Life-Like expanded into other scenery items, finally manufacturing rolling stock beginning in the late 1960s. At some point in the early 1970s, Life-Like purchased Varney Inc. and began to produce the former Varney line as its own.

The Canadian distributor for Life-Like products, Canadian Hobbycraft, saw a missing segment in market for Canadian model prototypes, and started producing a few Canadian models that were later, with a few modifications, offered in the US market with US roadnames.

In 2005, the company, now known as Lifoam Industries, LLC, decided to concentrate on their core products of extruded foam and sold their model railroad operations to Wm. K. Walthers.

In June 2018, Atlas and Walthers announced to have reached an agreement under which all Walthers N scale rolling stock tooling, including the former Life-Like tooling, will be purchased by Atlas.

Read more on Wikipedia and The Train Collectors Association.
Item created by: Alain LM on 2018-08-09 13:22:06

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