@Mike Wyatt I couldn't agree with you more! I was pestering Lionel for this type of information when they switched from dual to single powered axle trucks, and then to back-drivable gears ("LionDrive") on their premium scale diesels. It makes a difference in the operation, but Hobby shops don't want to open the box and check!
For our mutual reference, what's the product number of your RS-3 with metal gears and the new, lower gear ratio? At least we'll have one reference point. Good topic!