Rapido News 160 - Lights! Commuter! Action!

Rapido Newsletter Vol. 160

Having issues with seeing the entire newsletter in your email browser?

Dear Rapido Customer,

December is here, which means it's almost the holidays! Do you have those wish lists ready? We can help as we have THREE NEW HO Scale announcements. So, without further ado, let's get right to it! Rapido News 160...starts...right...NOW!

New Announcements!

NEW! HO Scale HEP E-units - BN, Amtrak and Metro North
NEW! HO Scale E-units - Conrail Office Car Special
NEW! HO Scale Budd Gallery Cars
NEW! HO Scale Superior Stainless Budd Coaches - HEP2 Details!

General Announcements

People Moving People: The History of VIA Rail Canada
N Scale Rohr Turboliner - A Success!
HO Scale UP and GN Boxcars
Order Deadline Extended to Feb 16th, 2023

December Order Deadlines - December 15th, 2022

HO Scale Budd Slumbercoach
N Scale Procor 5820 Covered Hopper Car
N Scale ATSF RR-56/60/61 Reefer

January Order Deadlines - January 16th, 2022

HO Scale BART Trains - Conditional Announcement
HO Scale Canadian Piggyback Flatcar
HO Scale Canadian 26' Can-Car and 45' Trailmobile Trailers

Second Section

New Videos
Upcoming Shows
New Arrivals / Shipping Dates
Factory and Tooling Updates
Jason's Globe and Mail Article - Passenger Rail Awareness

Blasting out from Chicago Union Station: a scene recreated countless times for nearly 30 years in the Chicagoland area. Photo by Glenn F. Monhart, courtesy of the Kevin Eudaly collection.

NEW! HO Scale HEP E-units - BN, Amtrak and Metro North

Rapido once again breaks new ground by announcing a first in plastic! Behold the HEP-equipped HO Scale E-unit, predominately used in commuter and inter-city services. Perhaps the most famous owner was the BN, with a fleet of 25 Morrison-Knudsen rebuilt E9As for “suburban” service. Notable upgrades included new 645EC prime movers pushing the horsepower output to 2400, Detroit Diesel HEP generators, and the addition of dynamic brakes. The fleet would remain in service until the early ‘90s.

BN 9902 blasts across the Des Plaines River in Riverside, Illinois. Photo by Bruce C. Nelson, courtesy of the Kevin Eudaly collection.

Old meets new! This proves you can own both, the E9s and the F40PHM-2s. Photo by Bruce C. Nelson, courtesy of the Kevin Eudaly collection.

Amtrak also owned five HEP-equipped E-units for inter-city services, which were overhauled by Penn Central at their Juniata Shops. These mainly operated in the Northeast/New England area, but could occasionally be seen in other places. It was not uncommon to see them hauling brand new Amfleet cars, either solo or teamed up with an F40PH. E9A 497 would later be sold to Metro North, while 498 and 499 would become part of the Conrail OCS fleet.

Amtrak 497 pulls into Joliet, Illinois. Photo by Glenn F. Monhart, courtesy of the Kevin Eudaly collection.

Amtrak 498 sits in downtown Chicago, Illinois. Photo by Paul Hunnell, courtesy of the Kevin Eudaly collection.

What separates Rapido's E-units from the rest? The details, of course! Let's check them out:

Correct HEP muffler and hatch
Multiple dynamic brake options and fans
Sealed, twin-beam headlight configuration
Modified pilots
Correct side grills
Blanked sides with appropriate grille work
Skirted or non-skirted fuel tanks
Hyatt roller bearing journal covers
Heavy die-cast chassis
Smooth running drive system with all wheels powered
Accurate E8 sounds provided by ESU LokSound
Complete lighting effects – headlights, class lights, backup lights, ground lights, cab lights, Stratolite or beacons and more. (Not all lighting features will work in DC mode.)
Numerous road-specific detail parts in both plastic and etched metal.

Here are the schemes for the HEP E-units. There is a nice variety to choose from!

Check out the HEP E-unit catalog! Click the photo below to open up the PDF.

Once we have samples of the HO Scale HEP E-units, we'll announce an order deadline. Keep checking back in on future newsletters for us to unveil them. Until then, place those orders for your HEP E-units!

The face of the Conrail OCS trains. Photo by Charles Murphy, courtesy of the collection of Brock Kerchner and Wes Reminder.

NEW! HO Scale E-units - Conrail OCS

Conrail was well known for their iconic blue locomotives, “can opener” logo and hot intermodal services. Perhaps the most elusive and best-dressed operation they ran was their Office Car Specials, complete with a trio of Pullman green E-units. Numbered 4020 through 4022, these were the backbone of many OCS trips, until the final day in 1999.

Now for the first time, Rapido will correctly capture these iconic Executive E-units in HO Scale! Time to get excited!

Note the lack of HEP equipment on the 4022, as well as the Hancock Air Whistle. Photo by James Appleman, courtesy of the collection of Brock Kerchner and Wes Reminder.

The sleek lines of the Conrail OCS E-units. Photo by Charles Murphy, courtesy of the collection of Brock Kerchner and Wes Reminder.

The 4020 and 4021 were equipped with HEP, while the 4022 retained its steam boiler. Other spotting features included: porthole removal, lack of skirting, mini anti-climbers, dynamic brakes (sans the 4022) and cab mounted Leslie RS3L air horn. Despite lacking a HEP generator, the 4022 did carry HEP pass-through receptacles, making it capable of trailing or leading.

Commuter meets executive! You will soon be able to recreate this scene.

Photo by Glenn F. Monhart, courtesy of the Kevin Eudaly collection.

These aren't just regular HO Scale E-units with HEP mufflers and Pullman green paint, these are the REAL DEAL! In fact, let me list these road number specific details out one by one, below:

HEP muffler for 4020-4021
Steam generator details for 4022
No dynamic brake details on 4022
Rebuilt blanked sides (portholes removed) in two variations
Non-skirted fuel tanks
Three chime RS3L and Hancock air whistle air horns included

Here is the artwork for the Conrail OCS E-units.

Check out the PDF catalog for the Conrail OCS E-units below by clicking the photo.

So, Conrail fans, are you excited? This round of HO Scale E-units will be featuring Conrail equipment, as promised! (Yes, all of those requests, we listened!) This is your big chance to prove the OCS equipment can be popular! Once we have samples of these E-units, we'll announce a formal order deadline. Until then, order away!

A westbound dinky shoots west, through La Grange, Illinois.

Photo courtesy of Ron Hawkins.

NEW! HO Scale Budd Gallery Cars - BN and Metra

Back at the dealer open house, we teased the HO Scale Budd Gallery Cars. The time has now come to properly announce these venerable commuter cars and what better way than to give it the Rapido treatment!

A BN-lettered coach. Note the lack of lettering on the nameplate.

Photo courtesy of Ron Hawkins.

The first examples of the Gallery Cars built by Budd would be delivered to the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad in 1950 with an order of 30 coaches. The first cab cars would be developed for the Milwaukee Road with an order of 8 (along with 32 regular coaches) in 1961. Over 350 cars in total would be built by Budd, with the final examples rolling off the line in 1978.

Our first run will focus on the BN and Metra eras, which feature HEP details and underbodies. For the BN versions, there was little variation, just a Burlington Northern logo and wordmark plate as well as a blank nameplate above the center door. These cars also featured the RTA logo on the left hand side of the center doors, as well as the iconic orange and white warning stripes on the front of the cab car. The cab cars also feature a Federal rotating beacon, Leslie S2M horn and marker lights.

The BURLINGTON lettered Gallery coach.

Photo courtesy of Jeff Lassahn.

And here is a BNSF RAILWAY lettered Gallery coach.

Photo courtesy of Jeff Lassahn.

The Metra Gallery Car versions will represent the later time frame for the cab cars (early 2000s) and the early 2000s to current period for the coaches. The cab cars feature the red and white warning stripes, Leslie S2M horn, single lens Gyralite, marker lights and ditch lights. Both the coaches and the cab cars feature the BNSF swoosh and the RTA logos on the sides of the center door, Metra Owned name plate on the bottom left-hand side of the door and either Burlington or BNSF Railway nameplates above the center doors.

These are perfect to pair with the HO Scale F40PHM-2 Locomotives!

Metra 188 makes a station stop, with a venerable F40PHM-2 and Gallery cars.

Photo courtesy of Alex Reinsmith.

Each Rapido Gallery Car features:

Designed from original blueprints, design drawings and field measurements.
Track-powered flicker-free interior lighting compatible with DC and DCC layouts.
Free-rolling, highly-detailed trucks with metal wheelsets.
Minimum 22” radius curves recommended.
Full underbody including HEP conduit and equipment.
Complete interior including actual “gallery” seating.
Accurate painting and lettering, both inside and out.
Correctly-colored tinted windows.
Metal side grab irons and sprung diaphragms.
Constant flicker-free interior lighting in both DC and DCC.
Controllable cab car lighting in both DC and DCC.

Every scheme being offered on the initial run of Gallery cars sits below. We are even offering unlettered cars. Scroll down to check out the different paint variations.

Here is the Gallery car catalog in PDF format. Click the photo below to open it.

We're still a bit away from built-up samples of the HO Scale Budd Gallery Car. Once we have one, we'll announce the order deadline for these awesome cars. So keep checking back in on future newsletters.

I'm sure the discussion went like this: "How about those Canadiens, going for the first overall pick, eh?"

NEW! HO Scale Superior Stainless Budd Coaches - HEP2 Details!

Our new VIA HEP2 Cars are getting MORE HEP!

At Rapido we always strive for accuracy, but sometimes economics get in the way. For instance, it is not always economical to tool all the variations between roadnames, or every type of underbody arrangement.

However, we are delighted to be able to announce some news about our forthcoming VIA Rail Canada HEP2 coaches in HO scale. The advance orders for these cars have been so strong, that we are now going to tool up the correct HEP2 underbody arrangements for these cars. Josh and Jason took a tour underneath a real HEP2 car to get all the photos and measurements. Click here or on the image above or below to watch the video. Warning: there are shenanigans.

They don't look impressed. Probably because VIA is missing details our cars have!

In the late 1980s, VIA Rail Canada had to replace their aging ex-CN coaches and "VIA 1" first class cars but did not have the budget to buy new equipment. Instead, VIA purchased secondhand Budd coaches and rebuilt them from the rails up. These entered service in 1996 and were called "HEP2" cars because they were the second batch of VIA cars to receive a "Head End Power" upgrade.

Two HEP2 "VIA 1" cars provide "Totem Class" service aboard the Skeena.

Photo by Stephen J. Brown/VIA Rail Canada

The HEP2 cars have been in service continuously since then, and are still used today. They work mainly in the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor but have also been used on the Prince Rupert-Prince George "Skeena" and on the northern Quebec trains.

So what does it mean by HEP1 and HEP2? Here are the VIA Rail HEP1 and HEP2 Budd Coach features:

Realistic stainless steel finish
HEP2 cars feature an all-new windows, body skirt details and all-new HEP2 underframe details.
HEP1 and HEP2 cars feature all-new end tooling with HEP receptacles and cables
HEP1 and HEP2 cars feature working end marker lights
Track-powered interior lighting compatible with DC and DCC layouts
Full underbody detail including separate air, steam and electrical lines
Separate metal grab irons, stirrups and end gates
Accurate D22 brake equipment and piping
Super-detailed 41-NDO-11 trucks with end frames
Full, multi-color interior detail
3D CP beaver shields on CPR models
Sprung diaphragms

Let's take a look at the paint schemes. Cosmetically, nothing has changed since these were announced a little while ago, but it never hurts to look at them again!

Ready to read the Budd Coach sales catalogue? Check it out below by clicking on the photo to open up the PDF.

The HEP2 cars will have accurate HEP2 underframes and bodies, but currently they will have the long-distance coach interiors. If the orders are strong enough, we will also tool the correct interiors. So please get your orders in for these beautiful models. We'll announce a new order deadline once we have samples. We expect it will be in the spring. Click here for more info or to order direct.

General Announcements

Important news for December! Let's jump right into it.

People Moving People: The History of VIA Rail Canada

by Kevin J. Holland

This large-format book chronicles VIA Rail Canada’s history, operations and equipment over more than four decades since the company’s creation in the mid-1970s. And no better time to order one than for the holidays! Kevin J. Holland has done an outstanding job on this beautiful publication.

Click here or the photo above to watch a short video about the book by Jeremy!

The perfect holiday gift!

Click here to order direct or you can reserve it from your favourite hobby shop or specialist bookseller. It's even on Amazon! Get your copy today!

Soon this render will be a real model!

N Scale Rohr Turboliner - A Success!

Great news N Scale fans! The N Scale Rohr Turboliner has met the sales goal and is a smashing success! This means we are advancing to the tooling stage and will eventually have some samples to show everyone.

Thank you to everyone that made this possible so far. You won't be disappointed!

HO Scale UP and GN 40' Boxcars

The HO Scale Union Pacific 40' "ACR" Boxcar and the HO Scale Great Northern 40' Boxcar are undergoing a few changes, which means we've decided to extend the order deadline to February 2023. We'll have an updated sample to show shortly, so keep an eye on future newsletters. In the meantime, check out the catalog by clicking the photo below.

December 2022 Order Deadlines

December is here! This means we are just a few days away from these three order deadlines: the HO Scale Budd Slumbercoach, the N Scale Procor 5820 Covered Hopper Car and the N Scale ATSF R R -56/60/61 Reefers.

HO Scale Budd Slumbercoach

The HO Scale Budd Slumbercoach has been a journey from the onset. That said, the Slumbercoach will be the most detailed and attention-grabbing car in your consist! Remember to get all of your orders in before December 15th, 2022 to ensure you get the cars you want! If you haven't seen the video yet, you can watch it by clicking here or the photo above.

Check out the schemes being offered below.

Time for the Budd Slumbercoach catalog! Click on the photo below to download it.

It's time. The HO Scale Slumbercoach order deadline looms large as December 15th, 2022 is just a few days away. We have the samples, we have the video, now we just need you to send over the orders!

He looks possessed.

N Scale Procor 5820 Covered Hopper Car

The Procor 5820 Covered Hopper Car in N Scale order deadline is also on December 15th, 2022. Click here or the photo above to watch the N scale deadline video.

Also, in case you weren't aware, Spring Creek Model Trains is running an exclusive for this neat all-blue Procor variant. Check out how to order one by clicking here or the drawing below.

Time to check out the next image. This shows the nine 5820 Covered Hopper Car schemes.

Click the photo below to scroll through the road and item numbers being offered on this run.

Now before you bolt out of your chair to order your N Scale Procor 5820 Covered Hopper Car fleet, we should let you know, again, that the order deadline is THURSDAY. That's just a few days away, so make sure you have your orders ready!

Now he's upside down.

N Scale ATSF RR-56 Reefer!

The R R -56 class of refrigerator cars also share the December 15th, 2022 order deadline, which is closing in fast. Let's check out Jeremy's awesome deadline video one more time, by clicking here or the photo above.

Now it is time for those N Scale R R -56 Reefer paint schemes! Scroll down to see each with the appropriate slogan it wears.

Need those item and road numbers? Maybe you just want to scan over the pretty catalog. You can do all that and more by clicking the photo below to download the RR-56 Reefer catalog.

On December 15th, 2022, the order deadline comes and goes. Once that happens, we'll send the N Scale RR-56 Reefer off to production. In the meantime, please click here for more info or to order direct!

January 2023 Order Deadlines

Next on the order deadline docket is the January 16th, 2023 edition. We have three to begin the year: the HO Scale BART Legacy Fleet, HO Scale Canadian Piggyback Flatcars and HO Scale Canadian Trailers. Let's go!

The complete history of the BART Legacy Fleet.

HO Scale BART Legacy Fleet - Conditional Announcement

Possibly the biggest surprise of 2022 was the HO Scale BART Legacy Fleet announcement. This was in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of Bay Area Rapid Transit in 2022 where we teamed up with BART to produce the Legacy fleet of A, B and C cars.

This is a CONDITIONAL ANNOUNCEMENT. We need to receive enough orders by January 16th to cover our costs in order to make this project happen. To sweeten the deal, any order placed by January 16th will receive a 5% early bird discount. This applied to orders placed directly through us, through your hobby shop, or through BART's own railgoods.com online shop.

Ready to see a NEW video about the BART cars? Click here, the photo above or below to watch. Then hurry back and check out the renders!

Take a look inside BART's shops, get insider info and more!

Hard to believe these cars are 50 years old!

3D renders are subject to revision.

Yes! The marker lights are lit.

3D renders are subject to revision.

Time has aged these cars very well!

3D renders are subject to revision.

You have to "C" it to believe it! The "C" Car, looking good.

3D renders are subject to revision.

The Rapido BART Car features:

Operates on HO Scale Track
Designed from original blueprints, design drawings and field measurements.
Track-powered flicker-free interior lighting compatible with DC and DCC layouts.
Directional lighting, including headlights and red tail lights.
NEM-style close-coupling system, so your cars always remain as close as possible through any trackwork.
Minimum 18” radius (22” radius preferred).
Full, multi-color interior detailing.
Low-profile drive system in A and C cars allowing for a complete interior with no visible motor.
Full underbody detail including separate electrical lines, conduit and equipment boxes.
Highly-detailed, non-operating front couplers on A and C cars.
DCC-equipped models feature accurate sound recordings.

The BART trains are available as:

A-B-B-A Sets (A Cars powered, B Cars unpowered)
Individual C Cars (Powered)
Individual B Cars (Unpowered)
A Cars with Display Case (Unpowered)

Here are illustrations of the A, B and C cars:

Click on the photo to check out the BART Legacy Fleet catalog.

The BART Legacy Fleet's preliminary order deadline is January 16th, 2023. Order by then and you will receive a 5% "Early Bird Special" discount.

You can order these directly from BART by clicking here. We strongly urge you to support BART's first foray into model railroading and buy directly from the Railgoods store!

Please remember - this project's viability depends on your pre-orders!

Those trailers look good on the Canadian piggyback flats.

HO Scale Canadian Piggyback Flatcar

The Canadian Piggyback Flatcars have some extraordinary samples, as seen above and below, but that also means it's time to announce an order deadline. Mark your calendars for January 16th, 2023, which will be the closing date for these superior piggyback flats. In the meantime, let's take a quick look at the newest samples we have. Enjoy!

The CN flat is on the left and the CP version on the right. Early sample shown, subject to revision.

Check out the etching on the CN flat. Early sample shown, subject to revision.

Lots of underbody details! Early sample shown, subject to revision.

Did we mention no detail was spared? Early sample shown, subject to revision.

Here are the HO Scale Canadian Piggyback Flatcar features:

Drawn from original blueprints
Artworks sourced from original design drawings
Heavy die-cast center sill
Photo-etched deck surface
Two styles of hitches; upright and collapsed
Wire grab irons
Barber S2 trucks with metal wheels
Rapido semi-scale metal knuckle couplers

Check out all two schemes being offered. In case you might have forgotten, there is only CN and CP.

Check out the catalogue for the HO scale flatcars by clicking the photo below.

These HO Scale Canadian Piggyback Flatcars will look superb on any layout, Canadian, American or Antarctican. Click here to visit the website. Make sure you order yours today, or at least before January 16th, 2023.

HO Scale Canadian 26' Can-Car and 45' Trailmobile Trailers

Is there a better way to complement your HO Scale Canadian Piggyback Flatcars than with these all-new Canadian trailers? The two trailers are the 26’ Can-Car Industries Dry-Vans with and without side doors and the 45’ Trailmobile design trailers, also with and without side doors.

And now that we have the samples, we can announce the January 16th, 2023 order deadline. So, this is your (somewhat) early warning for orders!

This is the 45' Trailmobile Dry-Van. Early sample shown, subject to revision.

Shown below is the art for the two types of HO Scale Canadian Trailers. Plus unlettered, silver trailers! Scroll down to see all of the colourful schemes being offered.

Here is the 26' Can-Car Dry-Van. Early sample shown, subject to revision.

Check out the door locks and mud flaps. Early sample shown, subject to revision.

Below are all of the paint schemes and variations. Lots!

The 26' Can-Car Dry-Van trailers - Both with and without side doors.

The 45' Trailmobile Dry-Van trailers - without side doors.

The 45' Trailmobile Dry-Van trailers - with side doors.

The 26' Can-Car Dry-Van and 45' Trailmobile trailers - In unlettered, silver paint.

Here's a fancy catalogue for a fancy model. Click the photo below to check out the corresponding item and trailer numbers.

Do you need HO Scale Canadian Trailers? Of course you do! These trailers sure have an array of colourful schemes. So, make sure you mark down January 16th, 2023!

Second Section

A new video with some important info on the HO Scale RR-56 Reefer and upcoming shows to discuss!

Hand not included.

NEW VIDEO! HO Scale ATSF RR-56 Reefer Unboxing

Here we have our new HO Scale ATSF RR-56 Reefer unboxing video to show off. Check out all of the neat features this car has to offer, as hosted by Jordan. Click here or the photo above to watch.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

We also want to mention that due to a supply chain issue, the soundboards will be arriving later than expected. This means the cars are on their way to you, but the soundboards will follow sometime in the new year. If you ordered your reefers and sound boards directly from us, we will send you the sound boards (with no additional shipping charges) when they arrive.

Ready for some sunshine? Come out to the Prototype Rails RPM meet in Cocoa Beach, Florida, on January 5th to the 7th. Meet Bill and check out some of our samples that we'll have on display.

West Coast fans, we will be in Westminster, California, at Arnie's Trains meet and greet on January 7th, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time. Meet part of the Rapido team, see some of our latest samples and check out the store!

In late January, the main event returns to West Springfield - the Amherst Railway Society's "Railroad Hobby Show." Join us on January 28th and the 29th in the Mallary Complex to chat with us as well as look at ALL of our current samples. See you then!

Shipping and Arrival Updates

LOTS of new items are arriving, both at your dealer or at our warehouse soon! What could they be? Let's find out:

HO Scale ATSF RR-56/60/61 Reefer - In Stores NOW!
HO Scale Budd Manor Sleeper Cars - Shipping NOW
HO Scale Budd Baggage-Dorm Cars - Shipping NOW
N Scale AutoFlood III Coal Hoppers - Shipping NOW
HO Scale Heartland AutoFloods - January 2023 Arrival
HO Scale X-3 Tank Car - January 2023 Arrival
HO Scale E-units (Amtrak, CB&Q, CPR, CP, E-L, NYC, VIA) - January 2023 Arrival

Factory and Tooling Updates

Have a look at some of the latest photos from our factories!

Next up are the Heartland Hobby Wholesale exclusive E-units.

The HO Scale Angus Vans are progressing. Soon they will be headed to you!

Anyone excited about Fruehauf Trailers? They're almost here!

HO Scale RTL Turboliner box is a work of art!

HO Scale RTL Turboliner photos! The excitement grows!

Check out the X2000 HO Scale RTL Turboliner!

It has been a journey for the New Haven County Cars, but they are almost here!

Jason's Globe and Mail Article - Passenger Rail Awareness

Everyone loves a train ride! But when was the last time you stopped and thought about how old some of the equipment was? We take for granted how long some of this equipment has been in service and we often ignore the need for new equipment... In the case of Canada's HEP fleet, we need new equipment RIGHT NOW.

Jason recently had an op-ed on this very subject in The Globe and Mail, Canada's national newspaper. Subscribers can read it on The Globe's website by clicking here.

Not a subscriber? We've photographed the article for you. But we encourage our Canadian readers to subscribe. Hey - if they are willing to publish Jason's rantings and ravings, they must be a decent paper.

If you need to enlarge the image, click here. It's worth the read.