Dear Rapido Customer,

Welcome back! Soon the weather will begin to get colder outside, but don't let that distract you from the order deadlines which are heating up! We have no time to waste, so let's get right to it! This means... Newsletter 144 starts...right...NOW!

Well, the title says it all. We regret having to bring you the bad news that the HO Scale E8 A and B Locomotives' order deadline has been postponed. We discovered that there were some changes made to the design, specifically the trucks and gearboxes that we had never approved. How did we discover this? You told us! 

Our projects go through extensive team and expert review, but sometimes things get missed. In this case, the factory made a design change to the truck sideframes AFTER we had approved the design. This change impacted the visual stance of the loco. Having approved the design of these components, we were not notified of the change and didn’t go back and check them again.

So the weird truck design made it through tooling and through sample testing without us noticing the issue. Once we showed you the samples, you guys pointed them out. So we are fixing that right now. See Jason's essay below on the pros and cons of showing pre-production samples.

While the trucks (and some other minor issues) are being corrected, we are keeping the order desk open. Here's the caveat: We will not give the usual extended deadline once the changes are made. We will update our Facebook page and send a quick newsletter and then close the order desk within a few days.

To ensure you don't miss out, please order your HO Scale E8 A and B Locomotives today.

Here's an informative piece from Jason explaining the conundrum Rapido faces regularly in regard to pre-production samples.

As Bobby mentioned earlier, we had trouble with the E8 locomotive samples. The factory changed the truck design and we didn't catch it until we showed photos of the models.

Rapido doesn't have any large factories. We use four different small factories. These factories do not have the resources to make "production-like" pre-production samples. One huge factory that many companies use has an entire department tasked with nothing but making samples.

To make a fully decorated pre-production sample, you need to make copper painting masks which can't be reused if you make any sort of change to the tooling. You also need to print all the stripes and lettering using Tampo machines. Each time you print a new stripe or new number location, it can take up to an hour or more to set up the machine. With the complicated decoration of models today, that could mean two or three weeks at one tampo machine to make one sample.

We have so many projects on the go that, in order to make "finished looking" samples for all of them, our entire printing staff would be doing nothing but making samples.

We at Rapido often debate the ways to promote our models before the order deadline, and none of them is perfect. Not having access to a samples department, we have three options:

Compare the two images above. Which one gets you more excited? Obviously, the SP PA-2 that Bill painted. It jumps off the screen. It looks sharp! But... It is missing some grab irons that the factory didn't include. If you look closely you'll see there are no rivets on the model. And the cab door window is actually too low!

If an SP expert sees this and thinks it is a finished product, they will think we've totally dropped the ball and may cancel their order.

There is no easy choice for us regarding showing off samples. We're going to try promoting more models with the unpainted samples going forward. But if sales suffer as a result, we will go back to painting them, warts and all. And we'll just have to accept that we will lose some expert modellers who think we've lost the plot but gain more than enough casual modellers to make up for it.

As our F40PHs are now arriving in stores, we have been informed by many customers that the sideframes are incorrect. Following on from my comments about the E8 sample, our pre-production F40 samples had the correct sideframes so we did not double-check that detail when the models arrived. See the photo above.

The factory is producing a new batch of sideframes and we will send them to any F40PH customer who requests them, at no charge of course.

This project appears to be somewhat cursed. Gremlins come up from time to time, but we rarely have so many gremlins in one project. If you watch our F40 video below, you'll learn that we could not ship the Amtrak Phase III models because the stripes were 1 scale inch too thick. Rest assured, when these things happen we will do all we can to make sure you get the correct models that you want and deserve.

For the Amtrak Phase III F40PH locomotives that are still in our warehouse awaiting new shells, we will do the sideframe swap here so you will not need to order replacement sideframes.

Please click here or the photo below to watch the F40PH video.

To reserve a set of truck sideframes, please contact the warranty department by clicking here to fill out the email form.

We strive to maintain the highest industry standards, and we want these F40PH models to reflect that! The Rapido design team comprises a bunch of guys who work really hard to make the most accurate and amazing models possible. It's hard on us when stuff like this happens, but it seems the gap between 99% accuracy and 100% accuracy is a very large one and we don't always make it across.

I apologize personally for any headaches this sideframe issue may cause.

Back to you, Bobby...

Thanks, Jason! Ready to go True North? Here comes the limited edition run of HO Scale VIA Rail Canada Tempo Snack Coaches! These unique cars were converted to Snack Coaches to provide service for trains that did not feature a cafe-bar-lounge car.

Now, here is the catch. This is a limited offering, meaning the quantity for this run is LOW. We are completely sold out here at Rapido - they are only available from a select number of Canadian dealers.

Each HO Scale VIA Rail Canada Tempo Snack Coach features:

Paint schemes, you ask? There's only one; let's see it below.

To check out the item and road numbers for this car, here is the sales catalogue. Click the photo below to check it out!

The HO Scale VIA Tempo Snack Coaches are available now from a friendly Canuck dealer near you! Click here to see a listing of dealers that may have one of these fine cars.

October is here! This is the one-week warning for these order deadlines: The HO Scale AutoFlood III Rapid Discharge Hopper, the HO Scale 52'6" Mill Gondola and the N Scale PC&F B-100-40 Boxcar. Three awesome projects, many with new videos or updates, so let's check them out!

As I mentioned last month, the AutoFlood III Rapid Discharge Hopper might be our most popular freight car to date. A single commodity car, too. Let that sink in. OK, don't think too long! Matt recorded a video about his two new hopper cars. We think you'll enjoy it! Click here or the photo above or below to watch!

And I am going to link to that again later in the newsletter in case I have not yet convinced you to click on it...

Remember, coal trains can run just about EVERYWHERE! The HO Scale Rapid Discharge Hopper is one finely detailed and brilliant looking car, which'll fit right at home on any layout or module. Now, you asked for detailed photos? Of course! Scroll down.

Alright, time to check out our famous catalog. Grab a snack or drink, click the photo below, and scroll through all of the item and road number info.

Friday, October 15th, is rapidly approaching. (See what I did there?) If you haven't marked your calendar yet, do so now - we're just a week away from the Rapid Discharge Hopper order deadline. Coal carrying never had it so good!

While it may seem like a quick lead-up to the HO Scale 53' 6" Mill Gondola preorder deadline, this is because the factory is ready to go on this order. Good news, eh? It sure is, but before we get too far ahead of ourselves, we want to direct your attention to a video on the gondola.

Videos are a specialty around here. Jeremy does them now, but remember way back when? Jason used to do all our videos. And they were usually ridiculous. Click here or on the photo below to see Jason's gondola video. It is very cringe-worthy, but fun.

Let's take a look at some of the model shots of the HO Scale 52' 6" Mill Gondola and the details. Scroll down to check out the photos.

Need to double-check the numbers? Maybe you want to see all the schemes being offered on this run? All that and more can be found in the catalogue. Click on the photo below!

The order deadline for the HO Scale 52'6" Mill Gondolas is fast approaching. However, you have to remind yourself - marking a calendar, setting an alarm or removing the tires off your car the night before - just remember October 15th is the last day to ensure you get the road numbers you want. Click that link above to order direct or see your favourite dealer.

(Hey Jason - see how I spelled favourite?)

Need to ship a load of paper rolls? Maybe that express shipment needs to be in Chicago by tomorrow morning. You can make that happen with the N Scale B-100-40 Boxcar. But not if you miss the October 15th order deadline! Let's take one more look at these cars - which, in our opinion, might be the most detailed boxcar in N Scale yet!

We ran out of time and consequently do not have a video for you. But we will upload one when we have the chance. Please click here to subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Now for the photos! Keep on scrolling to see the latest N Scale B-100 Boxcar sample. Note all of the detail on the underframe. Yes, this is N Scale!

Perhaps you need to take a leisurely scroll through the N Scale B-100 Boxcar catalog. Well, you can make that happen by clicking the photo below!

The N Scale B-100-40 Boxcar rounds out our three October 15th order deadlines, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't forget about it! This all-purpose car would look right at home on any layout or if you're just a fan of SP boxcars! Grab a few for yourself today!

Two order deadlines for November: The HO Scale CP D10 Steam Locomotive and the Procor 5820 Covered Hopper Car. We haven't talked about these projects in a while, so let's go check them out!

The Canadian Pacific D10 Steam Locomotive is almost ready for production, and we're delighted to announce a November 15th order deadline. I'm pleased to report that our latest sample survived an entire week going around our test track at Rapido HQ with no meltdowns at all. We had to torture test it before we could confidently announce an order deadline.

We are working on a new video and sample photos to share, and we are confident we will have them in time for the November newsletter. Until then, here's the sales catalogue for the D10. Click the photo below.

The CP D10 Steam Locomotive will meet its date with the order desk in just over a month, on November 15th. Keep an eye out for that video on our YouTube channel and we'll upload the photos to our social media once we have them.

The Procor 5820 Covered Hopper Car is another highly-sought after and talked-about model in our lineup. These hoppers are a staple of the pellet and granule industry. Chances are you own something that was once an ingredient carried by these cars. Now, with that said, this means the 5820 is one popular car. But your time to preorder these is coming to a close, as the deadline is set for November 15th.

Need to see a video on these cars? You're in luck. For everyone that already watched it from above, keep scrolling to the pre-production samples. Everyone else, click here or the photo below to go watch Matt's awesome hopper video! (Then continue on to the samples, as well.)

Getting excited, yet? I know I am, as I need to order a bunch of 5820 Covered Hopper Cars for the plastics transload facility I'll be modeling. (Ed: Yeah, but you get your models at cost!) Shhhh! In the meantime, let's look at the collage of schemes being offered on this run. There are nine total to pick from, plus unlettered gray!

Now for the most important part of the order deadline announcement: the catalog. Click the photo below to scroll through the road and item numbers being offered on this run.

November 15th: that's the key date to remember. Once we are past that date, we cannot guarantee your preorder for the HO Scale Procor 5820 Covered Hopper. Order direct, order from your favorite dealer, whichever you'd like, just remember to have them all in by the 15th!

Lots of updates and photos to view this month, so without wasting more time, let's get right to it!

Exciting times at Rapido! We're hiring for a Customer Service/Warehouse Assistant. If you love trains, that's great. If you know someone who couldn't give a flying fadoo about trains but is a capable administrator, please pass on this job description to them!

You need experience with Microsoft Office (Excel/Word) and QuickBooks or other database software. This is an opportunity to work at an exciting and growing model train company and be a part of the fun. If you do like model trains, you get a very nice employee discount on Rapido products!

A big caveat for everyone who wants to apply from Tennessee or Milwaukee: you need to work from our Canadian office. By law, we are only allowed to hire someone who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

Here's what the job entails:

Do you have what it takes to work for us? Click here for more info!

Our famous "Ask Us Anything" livestream will return tonight, October 7th, at 7PM EDT (4PM PDT). Tune in to see Jordan, Jason and a few other Rapido members join the panel to discuss the Snack Coaches, as well as October's order deadlines. They'll also field some questions and give a general update on the current state of the company.

You can check all that out on our Facebook page at 7PM EDT tonight! If you can't make tonight or are reading this a few days later, or a Californian who is still at work, no need to worry! You can re-watch on Facebook or once we upload the version to our YouTube channel!

In the last newsletter we discussed how shipments to our warehouse have been thrown off schedule. These products just arrived:

These are en-route:

The container with the Comets has been pulled for a customs inspection, which could mean a delay of weeks, months, or - at this rate - decades. Our fiscal year end is October 31st and we were really hoping to ship those Comets by then. Oh well. We'll let you know in the next newsletter!

As Jason has mentioned before, this ongoing logistical nightmare will continue for now. On the flip side, if everything arrived all at once, that would be a modeler's bank account nightmare! Please bear with us, we'll get you the models you're looking for soon enough!

Saving the best for last! Let's take a virtual walk through what's arrived. This stuff is lookin' good...

The Steam Heater Cars are almost here!

The N Scale Comet Cab and Coaches sure are looking good!

N Scale Horizon Cars looking spiffy in Phase VI.

N Scale F40PH-2Ds are here!

For all of our Canadian friends: Happy Thanksgiving! You Canucks get a nice three-day weekend coming up, so enjoy the time off, be safe and gobble gobble! If you send an email to Rapido this weekend, it may be a couple of days before you receive a reply.

From our family at Rapido to yours, we wish you a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend!