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Rapido Newsletter Vol. 169
©2023 Rapido Trains Inc.
Click here to view as webpage.
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Dear Rapido Customer,
Welcome to the second June newsletter. This is our giant announcement version! So, without further ado, Rapido News 169...starts...right...NOW!
New Announcements!
- HO Scale North American Bilevel Commuter Cars - New Versions!
- HO Scale NSC 5304 cu.ft. CN Combination Door Boxcar - New Model!
- HO Scale NSC 3294 cu.ft. CP Mechanical Reefer - New Model!
- HO Scale GMD-1 Locomotive - New Release!
Second Section
- Upcoming Shows
- New Arrivals / Shipping Dates
- Factory and Tooling Updates
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NEW! HO Scale North American Bilevel Commuter Cars
New Versions!
By popular demand, we're excited to announce the much-anticipated second release of our HO Scale North American Bilevel Commuter Cars! These popular cars make their return with NINE new schemes and some new body styles!
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I said it on the initial launch, but Sounder is my favorite scheme.
Photo courtesy of Jordan Smith.
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The eye-pleasing color scheme of Altamont Commuter Express.
Photo courtesy of Dale Martin.
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A baby bullet! Photo courtesy of Dale Martin. | |
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What makes the Rapido Bilevel Commuter Cars stand out from all others? It's the details, silly!
These cars roll freely on LEVEL GROUND! They also have: full underbody and (decorated) interior details, correct smooth or riveted sides, different size windows according to car series, proper single or dual cab front windows, and — most importantly — they come equipped with FULL LIGHTING FEATURES!
This isn't some run of the mill, one-size-fits-all bilevel passenger car with every scheme slapped on the sides. This is the ultimate bilevel commuter car.
But don't take our word for it; just check out the photos highlighting the details below.
| The underbody details are on point. | Check out that step with see-through grating. | Interior lights ready to shine and don't forget that periwinkle seat color! | End details? Of course! You won't get this level of detail anywhere else. | Lettering and paint that's super crisp. | The first run Metrolink cars. | |
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The Bilevel Commuter Cars feature:
- Accurate body shell designs with or without rivet details
- Five windows or four windows on the lower level, as appropriate
- Different size windows according to car series
- Free-rolling, highly-detailed inside-bearing trucks with roller-bearing axles and metal wheelsets
- Minimum 22” radius curves
- Full underbody and unrivalled interior detail
- Accurate painting and lettering, both inside and out
- Tinted windows
- Metal side grab irons
- Constant interior lighting in DC and DCC
- Controllable cab car lighting in both DC and DCC
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Now it's time to get out the pen and paper and start jotting down item numbers from the catalog below! Just click the photo and it will open as a PDF. | |
The order deadline for the HO Scale Bilevel Commuter Cars is October 16th, 2023. Lots of time to get those orders in. Don't wait forever, mind you. Fire up your Commodore 64 and 300 baud modem and input your orders ASAP! | |
Our boxcar in service. Photo by Dan Darnell. | |
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NEW! HO Scale NSC 5304 cu.ft. CN Combination Door Boxcar
Truly Canadian, eh? Here comes the HO Scale NSC 5304 cu.ft. Combination Door Boxcar. Now wait just a second! This car isn't just any combo door boxcar with CN logos slapped on the side! This is the first accurate model of this type to be produced. No more stand-ins needed!
Built in the late 1970s, these NSC boxcars have racked up the miles hauling all sorts of goods, including paper and lumber products as well as general freight all throughout North America. Despite being owned by CN, these cars have been spotted all across Canada AND the United States. In fact, anywhere there is paper or lumber, there's a good chance these cars are nearby.
(Ed: Most importantly, I need a metric tonne of these for my Kingston Sub.) Uh... yeah.
| Check out that 3D render with the unique green door for lumber service. | |
No detail missed; these are the real deal. | |
Now those 3D renders are neat, but how about we show you a pre-production sample? Here we go! | Yowsa! These cars are going to look great! | Even the roof is spot-on! | That combination door highlights the extreme attention to detail. | The underbody doesn't mess around. Triple valve, reservoir, air and brake lines. It has it all! | |
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Now, let's check out the CN Combination Door Boxcar features:
- Separate grab irons installed at the factory
- 100-ton Barber S-2 trucks with metal wheels
- Rapido semi-scale metal knuckle couplers
- Drawn from original blueprints and drawings
- Separate door posts, door latches and coupler cut levers
- Fully-detailed underframe
Here come the paint schemes! Jason thinks nobody wants the Expo86 cars, but we think they will be our biggest sellers. Jordan saw one of these cars on the York Sub in the 1990s... (Jordan is old.)
| Click the photo below to see the PDF sales catalogue: | |
A well-worn reefer in service. Photo courtesy of Dale Martin. | |
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NEW! HO Scale NSC 3294 cu.ft. CP Mechanical Reefer
Grab that maple syrup, because this car might just deliver your frozen waffles! This is the HO Scale NSC 3294 cu.ft. Mechanical Reefer. A staple to Canadian Pacific, these cars were built exclusively for them by NSC in 1966. Hold on, exclusive to CP? Does this mean my reefer clones are now being put on notice that there's a highly-detailed, fully correct reefer on the market? YES! Put aside all of those American-style reefer imitations! This is the real deal, truly-Canadian style reefer! Bring on the back bacon, eh? (Ed.: And then like Take Off, eh?)
The majority of these cars retained their CP Rail “Red Script” schemes through their entire service lives, while some were repainted into the classic CP Rail Multimark. Many of these cars lasted through 2002. Now, here comes the sample and 3D renders!
| It might be a 3D render, but this car looks superb! | Here's the unpainted pre-production sample. | Have a look at that underbody detail! | The side view shows all of the details as well as the louvers and tank placements. | As mentioned earlier, some of these NSC Reefers were repainted into CP's Multimark scheme. Others just received new wheel stencils and COTS blocks. We've got that all covered! | Here's the Multimark repaint in Vancouver. Photo courtesy of Dale Martin. | |
The HO Scale NSC 3294 CP Mechanical Reefer features:
- Separate grab irons installed at the factory
- Wire stirrup steps
- 100-ton Barber S-2 trucks with metal wheels and electrical pick-ups
- Rapido semi-scale metal knuckle couplers
- Drawn from original blueprints and prototype measurements
- Separate door posts, door latches and coupler cut levers
- Fully-detailed underframe, including piping and mechanical equipment
- Optional sound unit available for easy installation!
Did we mention the optional sound unit available? Yes we did! This is an after-market plug n' play sound board we will be offering separately in addition to the cars themselves. They were supposed to arrive in time for our ATSF reefers, but it looks like they will now be here in time for these instead. That was planned. Um... Really. (Ed.: Good save there, Bobby!)
OK, now let's see the scheme variations. Wow. That's a lot of schemes. Almost three.
| Click the photo below to see the PDF sales catalogue for the CP Reefers. | The HO Scale NSC 3294 cu.ft. CP Reefer has an order deadline set for September 15th - please note that this is a month earlier than the order deadline for the other three new products. Please order your (many, very different from each other) CP reefers today! | |
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HO Scale GMD-1 Locomotive - New Release!
They're back! By popular demand, the HO Scale GMD-1 Locomotive makes a triumphant return. The GMD-1s will feature some classic paint schemes with new numbers as well as the addition of two brand-new liveries! This production run focuses on four-axle units in the 1900 and 1400 series with Flexicoil trucks.
Classified GRG-12n, the 1900-series GMD-1 was geared for 83 MPH and had a Vapor OK-4625 steam generator in the short hood. The 1900s were intended for commuter and other short-run passenger services and were delivered in 1958 and 1959. They soon migrated to freight service, with many remaining in service until the late 1990s!
Canadian National created the 1400-series rebuilds in 1989. Featuring a larger, 2000-gallon fuel tank, the 1400s also received upgraded power assemblies. These units ran long-hood forward and were also equipped with ditch lights. CN retired the last of the 1400s from service in 2021. Yes, that said 2021!
Most of the 1400s went on to secondary owners.
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Ditch lights, plow and all weather window. They mean business.
This is Grass Creek on Jason's layout.
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Now why did we concentrate heavily on the 1400 and 1900s? These have been the most requested versions to date. And we have obliged on new numbers!
Ready to see the previous run models? We're just as excited, so scroll down!
| Steam gennie details are visible on top of the short hood of the 1900s. | The Classic look of a GMD-1. Just beautiful! | |
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The Rapido HO Scale GMD-1 features:
- Heavy diecast frame with super detailed piping
- Detailed Flexicoil trucks
- Separate grab irons
- Accurate sounds for both original and rebuilt units
- Working ditch lights on 1400 series locomotives
- Front and rear plows or pilot footboards where appropriate
- DCC/Sound equipped units feature ESU V5 decoders
- Minimum 18” curve radius recommended
And now for the paint schemes. Note that Waterloo Central and Oregon Pacific are conditional announcements.
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OK, time to check out the GMD-1 sales catalogue. Click the link below to open the PDF. | |
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Second Section - June 2023
Anyway, lots of new photos, arrivals and future shows! Here comes the true Second Section for June 2023. Off we go!
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Northeast Railroad Prototype Modelers Meet - June 16th-17th, 2023
Come on out to the annual NERPM meet and see our samples and discuss them with Bill, who will be there representing us... as well as giving clinics AND opening up his layout for tours on Sunday!
And we cannot forget John, who will also be giving a clinic!
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Spring Creek Model Train Show - July 8th-9th, 2023
Come on out to Deshler, Nebraska, home of Spring Creek Model Trains, for their biannual open house train show! We'll be attending and bringing along lots of new samples. We also will be able to answer any questions (when we aren't buying our own models!). That's July 8th, from 9AM to 5PM and July 9th, 10AM to 4PM, all Central Daylight Time. Come out and join Matt and Jeff for an exciting two days!
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St. Louis RPM - July 28th-29th, 2023
Ready for 2023's St. Louis RPM? This year it is once again at the Gateway Center, in Collinsville, Illinois. Come meet Bill and Dan D. and see the samples!
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NMRA National Show 2023 - The Texas Express - August 25th, 26th and 27th, 2023
We're back at the NRMA National Show! This year it is being held in Grapevine, Texas at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center. This is our first National Train Show in about 100 years. Remember now: "If you're gonna play in Texas you gotta have a fiddle in the band."
... We don't know what that means either, but best not to mess with Texas. See you in August!
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Shipping and Arrival Updates
LOTS of new items are arriving soon!
Arriving in the next few weeks:
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Factory and Tooling Updates
| The eastern low nose versions looking superb. | High nose, low nose and the Santa Fe. | The Frisco is irresistible! | A closer look at the UP U25B. | |
The NP RS-11, fully dressed in classic black and gold, with the steam bell. | |
The New York Central RS-11 | |
The Burlington Northern RS-11 complete with steam bell and working roof beacon! | |
The Northeast Caboose interior. | |
The WM version, with the famous speed lettering. | |
The CNJ, with the Lady Liberty logo. | |
The Lehigh & New England version. | |
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This concludes our double newsletters for June. We'll be back in July with our regularly-scheduled newsletter programming.
Ed.: Kudos to Bobby for getting two newsletters out in the space of a week. He hasn't slept since 1996.
Thanks, though to be fair it was 1998.
Before we sign off, just a note that today is Rapido's big Canadian dealer open house (while I am stuck here in New Jersey). They are having a blast, with a catered supper, giveaways and discounts. The US dealer open house is on October 16th, somewhere in Connecticut. If you work at a hobby shop then you are invited. Keep an eye on your email for full details to be coming shortly.
Until next time,
Bobby Allard
Grand Poobah of Newsletters
Chief Water Buffalo of Advertisements
Rapido Trains, Inc.
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USA: PO Box 796, Higganum, CT 06441
Canada: 500 Alden Road, Unit 21, Markham, ON L3R 5H5
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