LetBricks Alco RS-3 Review

When Let Bricks presented me with another model to review, I happily chose a model by Jepaz. He and teammate Yellow have done an excellent job working together on several models that reflect American railroading from the 1960s to the present day. For the serious builder, you know their work on Rebrickable or Facebook, but how does their LetBricks version fare? Let's find out...
You can purchase the model here:
www.letbricks....
LetBricks is a Chinese brick company that has partnered with creators to bring their sets to life using bricks from 7 different manufacturers. They've created a financially viable alternative to the budget modeler with quality products that have left me pleasantly surprised. Their current promotional code for the start of the year is: New2023, for 15% off of your total purchase. You can check them out at www.letbricks.com
Thank you for watching and stay tuned for more railfanning and Lego content!
©ToledoRails 2023

[@yellowsdotlxf]

Good review man, and thanks for mentioning Jepaz and I. Overall I really enjoyed the video and your takes on it all.

[@LeftIsBest001]

Hello! Are you the actual designer? 😃 Great job!!

[@yellowsdotlxf]

@@LeftIsBest001 uhh... Like maybe a little? I did help Jepaz on some bits of it, but he did alot on his own.

[@SpoorButNotWeg]

Wow! Let Bricks has really been doing good with who they partner with!

[@drmsig.r1000]

Yea tell me about it

[@GodmanchesterGoblin]

I love the irony of the threats about copying the design and then the remark not being able to use a piece because Lego had not designed it until 2020...

[@drmsig.r1000]

Let bricks do a great job by replying and understanding the mistake and giving you the right part again

[@chesapeakedproductions3009]

Damn, this set looks like a BMR set. A very nice highly detailed model, and an excellent video, Nick

[@ducky_the_helper]

Building letbricks kits is like building with ADHD place a few parts to an assembly, get distracted, place unrelated parts then return and Finnished the assembly

[@drmsig.r1000]

Yes agree

[@BattleshipOrion]

1,000 prices sounds tame...looks like fun to build though. (I often build sets in the 2-3,000 part range)

[@spiccyboisupreme8536]

Have you tried using the mould king or brickcontroller2 apps instead of the included remote? The battery box in question seems to be strikingly similar (if not identical to) the Mould King 4.0 battery box, which has bluetooth connectivity. The mould king app or especially the brickcontroller2 app would allow you to have throttle control over the loco, and the Brickcontroller2 app would allow you to pair it to a bluetooth controller and add in custom control profiles (for example, I use a PS4 controller to control my Lego Crocodile and it works great). This might help remedy the problem with the electronics, as the controller seems to be the issue.

[@jimathan2387]

I appreciate the use of a genesis song in this video

[@HouseGhost1]

which one

[@sernajrlouis]

Cool video and channel just subscribed. Awesome Lego models

[@mattwalden4020]

How do you feel the quality compares to other alternative Lego type companies especially regarding train weeks and connectors such as the pins that connect the bogies to the locomotive? For example LetBricks vs BlueBrixx.

[@ToledoRails]

Haven’t tried BlueBrixx yet but the quality is fine. Any mixed results I’ve had are more indicative of the design itself. The RS3’s train motor bogies fit in just fine and gave me no issues in that regard, they’re just hooked up to a crap battery box. Negatively I haven’t cared for the quality of magnets from my Chinese sets, and I’d rather source ones from Studly trains if I had to… which I don’t. I much prefer Brick Model Railroader Kadees.

[@CosmicMomentumX]

Great video. Only thing id suggest is turning the music down. Kinda loud in the first half of the video.

[@ilikebikes510]

I have a genuine question, How long did the shipping take and how was the quality of the bricks

[@ToledoRails]

Shipping took about 2 or 3 weeks during the holiday season, which honestly is pretty decent. The quality is hard to describe. It feels like Lego, looks like it, slightly more sturdy “clutch power” so it holds better, but consider this: My hands hurt more when I’m done building with Chinese bricks than I do with Lego. I can’t quite explain it, but that’s the chief difference

[@rogerhust]

I ordered a Letbricks kit on Black Friday. I was planning to review it on my own channel. I waited for two months and it didn't even ship, so yesterday, I finally demanded a refund. They processed my refund quickly, but that's about the only thing they did in a timely manner. Will never order from them again.

[@cmd062]

Looks more like DL&W, just add some black stipes on the ends. Nice kit though especially for the price.

[@thegamingrhino5864]

the cover of that Nickle Plate book is the bridge in Grand Rapids Ohio isnt it?

[@ToledoRails]

Yes it is! That particular issue provides some huge clues about future projects I’m working on.

[@thegamingrhino5864]

@@ToledoRails nice! Love seeing local railroading brought to youtube. im trying to model the wabash in northwest ohio myself so im all about finding pictures and videos of local railroads

[@ToledoRails]

@@thegamingrhino5864 Sweet! The Toledo railroads book by Arcadia publishing, and the morning sun book will help. I recommend www.historicalaerials.com for a true to form look at the area

[@brandonharris7516]

I have something similar to that

[@ToledoRails]

Cool! What do you have?

[@brandonharris7516]

@@ToledoRails a steam train

[@deepsleep7822]

@@brandonharris7516 : ??? The only similarities is that they both run on rails. The RS lok is a diesel.

[@brandonharris7516]

@@deepsleep7822 wait what

[@traintimeboy]

Can you review the letbricks flying Scotsman?

[@princessofthecape2078]

The whole point of the hobby is to produce a model in Lego. If it's not Lego, it doesn't count. In fact, a significant number of clubs wouldn't even let this thing touch their layouts. Yes, Lego is expensive and often doesn't produce the parts we need (or if they do, they aren't in the correct colors). But that's the game. If you cheat at the game... well, then you're not playing the game anymore.

[@ToledoRails]

Bricks is bricks

[@YeOldeGeezer]

Weapons? You mean a flamethrower? 😂😂😂

[@MRTHUNDER.]

It this real Lego parts

[@ToledoRails]

If you watch the video, I explain how this build is not made with Lego branded parts, but can be made with them as the instructions are available to build it yourself with 100% Lego parts

[@oldman-zr2ru]

Thanks for the review but I'll stick with Lego. There's not a chance in hell I'd put a Chinese USB into my computer and upload it.

[@ToledoRails]

Well it’s a good thing you can get the instructions on Rebrickable and build it with Lego parts! It’s a solid build.

[@aischacelik8161]

Nice Train, but not cheap. Nothing for me.

[@ToledoRails]

For the amount of parts and electronics in pretty dirt cheap. Price would be safely double that for official Lego brand.

[@oldman-zr2ru]

@@ToledoRails That depends on how Lego would release it. In this set you are getting 1284 pieces plus electronics for 149.99. At ten cents a piece for the pricing norm that's $128.40 so we'll round up to 129.99. Lego would include actual printed instructions and box so the price would go up for those and with Powered up it would most likely climb to 199.99 without track. So something similar to the my Own Train subtheme, I'd take the Lego at that price.

[@Elliottblancher]

Chinese Company!!!???

[@ToledoRails]

Yes. They partner with creators to make their digital designs a reality

[@Elliottblancher]

@@ToledoRails Whats weird is I can't seem to be able to access the site