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I'm not too familiar with Ready Made Trains other than having seen them running on display layouts at train meets.  My grandson and I are setting up a small "O" gauge layout in his basement and these trains look like the perfect size for him to get started with.

Do they have 3 position E-units ?   What type of motors do they have ?   How well do they perform ?   Etc.

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I have a couple of GG1s, a "Bang" and RDC "Buddy";  all run well and are reliable. The G's in particular are heavy, powerful, die cast units that are very fast--you may want to rewire the motors in series or utilize diodes to tame them, or not. You can refer to this previous thread for ideas:

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...ms-engine-run-slower

 I also have several of their freight cars and a set of the halloween "peeps," I like them all and they would be great for the purpose you describe. Be mindful of the pricing, which can be all over the map depending on when and where you find them. 

Last edited by Tuscan Jim

 RMT color 2014 small 2 authorized dealer

UPDATE: January 12, 2018:

Among the many fine train dealers at the 2-day Train Show at Oaks, PA this weekend, will be TRAINS-PA at tables F 3-4-5 with quite a bit of RMT products...new freight cars and tons of RMT parts from the warehouse.

Included are many, many parts such as bodyshells etc. from GG1s, beacon towers, floodlight towers, water towers, streamline passenger cars, flat cars, box cars, tank cars, ore cars, stock cars, coal hoppers and covered hoppers. 

Also a special stash of RMT history...nearly 100 original boxed Kline freight cars used by the factory as samples to design RMT items many years ago.

A virtual treasure trove of RMT past production going back to 2003! 

Be sure to visit this RMT dealer.

Thanks.

Susie

RMT...Ready Made Trains posted:

 RMT color 2014 small 2 authorized dealer

UPDATE: January 12, 2018:

Among the many fine train dealers at the 2-day Train Show at Oaks, PA this weekend, will be TRAINS-PA at tables F 3-4-5 with quite a bit of RMT products...new freight cars and tons of RMT parts from the warehouse.

Included are many, many parts such as bodyshells etc. from GG1s, beacon towers, floodlight towers, water towers, streamline passenger cars, flat cars, box cars, tank cars, ore cars, stock cars, coal hoppers and covered hoppers. 

Also a special stash of RMT history...nearly 100 original boxed Kline freight cars used by the factory as samples to design RMT items many years ago.

A virtual treasure trove of RMT past production going back to 2003! 

Be sure to visit this RMT dealer.

Thanks.

Susie

Thank you for the heads up, Susie.  I'll be heading to Oaks this weekend.

RMT color 2014 small 2 authorized dealer

OGAUGEGUY...not correct.

As a fuller explanation...Yes RMT had access to many toolings at China factory, not specifically Kline, but used some Kline items to improve upon details for similar RMT production, painting and to not replicate same roadnumbers etc. previously used. RMT took many extra steps to improve upon whatever toy train items were already 'out there'.

Original post was to inform attendees at Oaks Show of whatever RMT items will be there.

Susie

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I have a couple of Beeps and a Beef ABA plus a few dozen pieces of roiling stock. Build quality is excellent if simple. No problems with trucks, couplers, motors or electronics. One Beep has been upgraded with TMCC and the other has a Williams sound board in it done before the smaller ERR components were available. Fun stuff, not for 3RScailers.

Pete

Last edited by Norton

Don, you're a little late to the train... at least for locomotives.

The previous production RMT items were, outside of the ore car (which was the closest to scale of all the RMT rolling stock), were all traditionally-sized and thus looked great on a small layout. I personally liked the smaller sized cars, but as we all know, opinions and preferences are all over the place today in the hobby. The newer box cars are all larger, along the size of a WBB box car. The quad hoppers are the size of a postwar Lionel version.

But compared with prices on Lionel and MTH traditional rolling stock, the new RMT ones are still a deal. The Menards stuff might be less retail, but you have to consider shipping. And then there's the advantage of being at a show and actually seeing these RMT products. People don't consider that advantage until you have been shipped a defective product and have to pay return shipping out of your pocket.

Of the prior production RMT locomotives, the "BANG" S-4 and RDC "Buddy" are my favorites. Based upon the prior K-Line versions, the RMT models have many visual and operational improvements. Most notable are the higher voltage motors, so that these two locomotives can be run with a typical postwar transformer and NOT have the jack-rabbit starts. Yes, they have 3-position e-units, directional headlights, flashing strobe lights, plus the BANG S-4 has a horn. It's not Railsounds by any means, but certainly acceptable for a starter type locomotive. Pulling power of the BANG and BUDDY are far superior to that of the BEEP.

Your grandson might like the idea of the BUDDY RDC, as you could pull a passenger train or a freight train. Though there are no passenger silhouettes in the RDC BUDDY, you could certainly add them.

The couplers on the BANG and BUDDY are die cast instead of plastic as with the prior K-Line versions. BUT the coupler swing on the RMT versions is stiff, especially on 027 curves. I discovered you can push the coupler all the way to either left or right, and it will snap into place, staying all the way over to one side, which helps to break in the spring, thus improving operation on 027 curves.

The prices though on the BANG and the Buddy are not anywhere as appealing as they were during the time they were being produced. I paid below $100 for any of mine... not so easy now. You're likely to find better prices on the BEEP as they made so many of them, and the BEEF which obviously didn't do as well sales-wise. The BEEF was kind of a odd loco with the 027 length but more scale height and width, plus all the scale detailing. I would have been all over that loco had they stuck to the 027 concept as with the BEEP.

The other small thought to consider when buying any out of production engine is the ability to find replacement parts in the future. Makes sense to buy an extra engine these days for that purpose. At least with the BANG and the BUDDY, though there are differences, some of the previous K-Line parts can be used (or adapted to be used) on these two models. That would go for the GG1 also as that was also made by K-Line. Though the K-Line S-2 and RDC were made in far greater numbers than the GG1. Also the K-Line Alco FA and MP-15 also share some common parts. Just something to consider in this day and age where parts, even for current production items, are harder to find, never mind for products that are no longer being made.

Have fun at the show. If you see a BANG or a BUDDY for under $100, I'd grab it if I was you.

RMT...Ready Made Trains posted:

RMT color 2014 small 2 authorized dealer

OGAUGEGUY...not correct.

As a fuller explanation...Yes RMT had access to many toolings at China factory, not specifically Kline, but used some Kline items to improve upon details for similar RMT production, painting and to not replicate same roadnumbers etc. previously used. RMT took many extra steps to improve upon whatever toy train items were already 'out there'.

Original post was to inform attendees at Oaks Show of whatever RMT items will be there.

Susie

Are tinplate engines and cars a future consideration ?

Let's not forget the Marx connection - the Bang's body is Marx-decended, by way of K-Line (I have the original and the Bang side-by-side).

Nothing wrong with that - tooling never dies (dies never die?), sometimes, and that's a good thing. The Beep came from Kusan to Williams to RMT - getting much better in the process. Heck, I think it makes these products more desirable to know that they have a model RR "heritage", and it can keep track of the tooling for the next company that wants to buy and use it.

Gene H posted:

I have some of the RMT Penn Central hopper cars, too bad they don't do assorted numbers. I'm not into the Beef, Bang etc sine i'm more into scale size but to get kids interested in trains they're perfect. My first set was a Lionel 520 for Christmas 1957 when I was 4 years old.

Thats what I think is cool about menards rolling stock.  All have different numbers! I dont have any RMT rolling stock.   But I would gladly buy some if they are made available! 

Jim

RMT-Susie,

   I will have to check out the RMT web sight, very disappointed that they will no longer be made.

Owned the original K-Line SS Switches great reliable product, wish I had never sold them.

Thanks much for the information.

Susie - Thanks much for answering my question.

PCRR/Dave

Tin Plate Trains - The real stuff!

DSCN2393

 

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Last edited by Pine Creek Railroad

 RMT color 2014 small 2 authorized dealer

UPDATE: January 12, 2018:

Among the many fine train dealers at the 2-day Train Show at Oaks, PA this weekend, will be TRAINS-PA at tables F 3-4-5 with quite a bit of RMT products...new freight cars and tons of RMT parts from the warehouse.

Included are many, many parts such as bodyshells etc. from GG1s, beacon towers, floodlight towers, water towers, streamline passenger cars, flat cars, box cars, tank cars, ore cars, stock cars, coal hoppers and covered hoppers. 

Also a special stash of RMT history...nearly 100 original boxed Kline freight cars used by the factory as samples to design RMT items many years ago.

A virtual treasure trove of RMT past production going back to 2003! 

Be sure to visit this RMT dealer.

Thanks.

Susie

Susie, what can I do to get a few couplers for the mini pass cars. I new a few in silver. Any available?

Joe Gozzo

Susie, what can I do to get a few couplers for the mini pass cars. I new a few in silver. Any available?

Joe Gozzo

Hi, Susie.  I contacted Walter on a thread months ago & he said to send him an email to get the two replacement couplers I need for the flat cars with (round) tanks.  I tried 3 different emails multiple times and from two different email addresses and all emails were rejected.  RMT is the only site I have this issue with.
So like joe, how do we get replacement couplers for the ones that just break apart at the knuckle?

Thank you.
Dennis

 

Last edited by Hartman

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