Rapido News 172 - The Big NMRA Show Announcements

Rapido Newsletter Vol. 172

Email not showing the whole message? Click here to view as webpage.

Dear Rapido Customer,

Hot announcements, hotter weather! As the NMRA National Train Show kicks off, we want to start this party early with THREE NEW announcements and a re-run. Here comes Rapido News 172...ready...steady...GO!

New Announcements!

HO Scale EMD GP40 Locomotive and MKT Slug
HO Scale Southern Pacific C-40-3 Caboose
HO Scale F30 Flat Car - Conrail Camp and BNSF Tie Cars

Re-Run!

HO Scale PRR F30 Flat Car - New Run!

General Announcements

HO Scale C30-7 Locomotive - First Samples

Many faces to love. Decorated renders subject to final revision.

NEW! HO Scale EMD GP40 Locomotive and MKT Slug

Rapido is proud to announce the HO Scale GP40 Locomotive! The GP40 series were considered the gold standard of four-axle locomotives, with over 1,000 examples built for 30 different railroads in North America. EMD began production in late 1965 with an order for the New York Central. The final locomotive in the series would roll off of the line in 1971 for the Chesapeake & Ohio, number 3794. In between that time period, the Penn Central would amass the largest fleet with the Baltimore & Ohio coming in at a close second.

OK, that's enough historical mumbo jumbo, let's take a look at the new GP40 video! Click here, the photo above or below to watch. Then we'll take a closer look at the 3D CAD renders.

HO Scale GP40 3D CAD renders? Yes, please! Remember, these are done from production CAD files by our multitasker, Jeremy. The models are in the tooling shop now and we expect samples in the fall.

Just a small sampling of what's to come.

Hanging out on the Missouri-Kansas-Texas, you never knew what you might see.

Photo by Dan Munson, collection of Kevin EuDaly.

We should mention that the slug is POWERED!

A rear view of the unique slug.

Look at that beautiful slug. Collection of Kevin EuDaly.

GP40s, the slug and open autoracks; the 1980s was a special time.

Photo by Dick Kuelbs, collection of Kevin EuDaly.

Here's the slug in 1993, now repainted into UP colors.

Photo by Lon Coone, collection of Kevin EuDaly.

Now before we say anything more, that HO Scale GP40 Slug is POWERED. Yes, we said it: POWERED! Double up your pulling power when taking out those large cuts from the yard or on a road train.

But the fun doesn't stop there - we also have Western Pacific versions with the unique Pyle-National bulb-reflector castings, both front and rear.

Classic WP. Photo by Alan Miller, collection of Kevin EuDaly.

Check out that modified Pyle National bulb-reflector headlight casting.

The rear showing the Pyle National bulb-reflector headlight.

St. Louis-Southwestern, better known as the Cotton Belt, ordered eight GP40s. They came equipped with the usual Gyralites, red warning light, cab roof mounted bell and painted in the iconic bloody nose scheme. These would last the duration of SSW/SP right into the UP era when they were rebuilt into GP40-2s.

The SSW GP40s had all of the SP-style lights.

Photo by Joe Trauty, collection of Kevin EuDaly.

Faithfully capturing that rugged SSW/SP look.

Wait... What's that caboose doing there?

RF&P GP40s commonly led hot pig trains all the way to and from New Jersey, because their unique 60MHz cab signals were needed on the RF&P portion. Photo courtesy of Jeff Lassahn.

The IC GP40Rs still earn their keep. Photo courtesy of Jeff Lassahn.

Now painted in CN red, white and black, the ex IC GP40Rs still soldier on. 3137 pulls the Geo train through Chicago. Photo courtesy of Jeff Lassahn.

Maybe the nicest scheme for a regional railroad? The Wisconsin Central's pretty maroon and gold scheme was a sight to see. Photo by James Murphy, collection of Kevin Eudaly.

Feeling a bit frisky? Want to run some passenger trains with your GMD GP40? Look no further than CN's two passenger-geared GP40s, 4016 and 4017. They plied the rails hauling VIA consists in Ontario.

But don't forget, we are also doing the Noodle scheme as well. Check out the stripe scheme photo and renders below.

An 89MPH-geared "passenger" Geep pulling a VIA train.

W. Townsend photo, Kaluza-Mueller collection.

GP40s on passenger trains always look great! Kaluza-Mueller collection.

Ready to blast off.

No detail missed!

Yee-haw, let's get to the HO Scale GP40 Locomotive features:

Measured from a real GP40
Road-specific details for each model
EMD, GMD variants as well as rebuilt GP40Rs
Rapido’s innovative dead straight metal side handrails with plastic stanchions
Incredible underframe detail including traction motor cables, air filters and a silly number of separately-applied parts
Road-specific battery box doors
Dynamic and non-dynamic brake options
Separate grab irons and handrails installed at the factory
Operating headlights, rear lights, class lights, ditch lights and beacons (where appropriate)
Highly detailed cab interior
Correct fuel tank sizes per road number
Multiple styles of stepwells
See-through, etched steps
Appropriate cab or nose headlights
Multiple truck side frames tooled
Different, prototype specific dynamic-brake hatches and air filters
DC/Silent (21-pin DCC Ready) or DC/DCC/Sound (ESU LokSound) options
Mo-Power capacitor system for uninterrupted operation in DCC

And we can't forget to show the first run paint schemes! Scroll down to check them out.

Ready to look at the catalog? This PDF contains everything else you need to know about the HO Scale GP40 locos. Click the photo below to check it out.

The HO Scale GP40 will certainly be one popular and versatile locomotive. Make sure you get in on the action by putting in your preorders! Once we have some nice samples, we'll announce an order deadline.

Spiffy!

NEW! HO Scale Southern Pacific C-40-3 Caboose

Rapido is excited to announce the SP C-40-3 Caboose in HO scale. This was an end of train staple for this western carrier for over 40 years with over 200 examples built for the SP and Texas & New Orleans. Let's dive deeper into some of the history then come back to check out some more renders.

Starting in 1940, Southern Pacific’s Los Angeles General Shops constructed 185 C-40-3 cabooses, numbered SP 1050-1234. Additionally, subsidiary Texas & New Orleans received 30 of these cabooses, numbered 400-429. Beginning in the mid-1950s, the C-40-3’s went through an initial modernization, where radios were added, marker lamps were replaced with “frogeye” electric marker lights on the roof, the roofwalk on the cupola was removed, wind-wings were added to the cupola’s side windows, and the tool box was replaced with a battery box.

Caboose 1228 shows the initial modifications, including electric marker lights.

Photo by Rod Loder, collection of Rick Selby.

Some cabooses received window screens, which will be provided as optional parts in a polybag. Photo by Rod Loder, collection of Rick Selby.

In 1972, this caboose shows the most extensive modifications that certain cars received. In addition to blanked windows, this car has had its roofwalk and end ladders removed. Photo by Rod Loder, collection of Rick Selby.

By the 1960s, the C-40-3 Cabooses began to appear more frequently in local service and gradually most cars had some windows blanked out, and some cars received window screens. In the mid 1970s, the green and red “frog light” markers were replaced with a single red light, due to an FRA safety mandate. Certain cars had roofwalks removed and end ladders cut down, while others kept roofwalks until retirement. Yes, we will be capturing each era in all of its glory!

Now, on to the rest of the renders.

The classic look for 40 plus years on the SP.

Check out those bugeye markers on the cupola roof. they will be operational, too!

Here are the SP C-40-3 Caboose features:

Multiple window configurations based on era
Multiple roofwalk configurations based on era
Working roof marker lights where appropriate
Full, painted interior
Operating interior lights
Many optional parts based on era desired
Full underframe details
Factory-installed semi-scale couplers

And now for the first run paint schemes. Buckle up! For a single caboose, there were quite a few. Keep scrolling!

Click on the photo to see the C-40-3 caboose catalog. It'll open in PDF form.

SP fans, now's the time where you show the modeling world that SP sells...big time! Place those pre-orders for the HO Scale C-40-3 Caboose and then get ready to have one of the nicest cabooses around.

A classic Conrail-style camp car. Photo courtesy of Brock Kerchner.

NEW! HO Scale F30 Flatcar - Conrail Camp and BNSF Tie Cars

Ready for something wild? Here come the HO Scale Conrail Camp and BNSF Tie F30 Flatcars! Maintenance of way equipment just got whole lot more exciting with these two specialized cars. Let's dive into the Conrail Camp Cars first.

All lined up. Photo courtesy of Brock Kerchner.

Yes, we are including nifty staircases too!

Camp cars have long been a railroad tradition, housing maintenance workers on retired passenger cars, usually older heavyweight cars. This was done as the track gangs would move from project to project across the system. By the time Conrail was formed, many of these cars were really showing their age. Afterall, these heavyweights were built in the 1920s and 1930s.

The solution for Conrail was to put a pre-fabricated "RV style" van onto a flat car, known as the "Camp Cars." In this case, Conrail had many ex PRR F30s to pick from. Several common styles of van were built to serve the various needs of the work crews. Sleeping quarters were most common, but office and dining configurations were common sights in most work trains. These “Camp Trains” continued through Conrail and into the Norfolk Southern era. Rapido’s camp cars are available in four different body styles: sleeper, diner, kitchen and office. In addition to vans mounted on F30A flat cars we offer each style van separately. The separate vans are painted in appropriate colors but are unlettered.

Just the box. Photo courtesy of Brock Kerchner.

We mentioned the Camp Cars still operate in the Norfolk Southern era. Here's proof that they're still active! On the back of a manifest freight, one hitches a ride west through Chesterton, Indiana, on Norfolk Southern's Chicago Line. Thanks to our friends over at Railstream, you can watch the action all day long on one of their railcams throughout the US and Canada!

Proving the camp cars can appear anywhere on any train. Photo courtesy of Railstream's live railcam at Chesterton, Indiana, hosted by Riley's Railhouse.

Rapido’s F30 Camp Cars Feature:

All-new camp trailer loads in four styles
End railings and platforms
Staircases
Photo-etched details
Multiple car numbers per scheme
Single, three-pack (Office, Diner and Kitchen), and six-packs (Sleepers only)

Below are the variations.

Check out this BNSF tie car. Photo courtesy of Matt Gentry.

BNSF Tie Cars

Since they were built from a massive one-piece steel casting, the F30 Flatcars were built to last. Several ex-TTX cars (F30D) were purchased by Burlington Northern and converted to crosstie-cars, with most still in service with BNSF today! Our tie car model is based on these BN/BNSF conversions and features a new deck, tie rack and decorated concrete crosstie load.

Rapido’s F30D Tie Cars Feature:

New deck
All-new tie rack
Concrete tie load
Six car numbers per scheme
Single and six-packs

We'll have two BNSF variations to pick from, as seen below.

Here's the catalog in PDF form. Click the photo below to see more.

The HO Scale MOW F30 Flatcars featuring the Conrail Camp and BNSF Tie Cars will surely be popular. (Unless you had to bunk in them...)

A first run flat car and trailer. Don't they just look superb?

HO Scale PRR F30 Flatcar - New Run with Trailers!

Here comes a new run of HO Scale PRR F30 Flatcars! These popular cars are back again and this time we are offering trailers with appropriate flatcars. What a deal!

Starting in 1954, the Pennsy converted many F30D flat cars into early piggyback service cars. These cars received perforated side rub rails, end loading ramps, and four side posts. Eighty-six cars were transferred to the new Trailer Train Company (TTX) between 1957 and 1958. These received additional upgrades in the form of ACF trailer hitches, revised side rails, and upgraded end ramps. The TTX cars also received roller bearing conversions on their trucks. These cars were used by TTX into the 1980s, many being upgraded with full roller bearing trucks and some even painted in TTX’s yellow scheme.

The piggyback versions of the F30D will come with a random era- and location-appropriate Fruehauf trailer. This will allow you to put together a fully-loaded pig train in one easy step!

Things that go well together: trailers and flat cars!

Crank up the detail on the underframe.

And now we see the original PRR F30 Flat Cars. These F30A flat cars were built between 1933 and 1934. The cars were so successful that the PRR built another 250 nearly identical copies in 1951, classified as F30D. These cars have the full brake rigging, separate grabs, full die-cast chassis and deck for maximum weight and of course, the correct PRR 2E-F10 roller- or friction-bearing trucks. And, just like the first run, will feature a variety of PRR schemes as well as Penn Central and Lehigh Valley iterations. Here's some photos of the first run.

The PRR original scheme.

PRR - 1950s scheme

The unmistakable green of Penn Central.

The Rapido HO Scale F30 Flatcar features:

Die-cast chassis and deck for optimum weight
Correct trucks (PRR 2E-F10, roller bearing converted or full roller bearing trucks)
Turned metal wheels
Rapido’s semi-scale couplers
Full brake rigging
Separate grab irons
Random but appropriate trailer will be included with piggyback cars

Check out the second run paint schemes by scrolling down.

Come check out the catalog in PDF form. Note: It's the same catalog as the Tie and Camp car version.

The HO Scale F30 Flatcars are back and ready to state their prominence once again. Once we have our final samples of the camp cars and tie racks, we'll announce an order deadline. Stay tuned!

General Announcements

You've waited a while, but the wait was well worth it. We just got our first HO Scale C30-7 Locomotive samples and we're excited to show them off. And, if you come down to the NMRA show this weekend, August 25th, 26th and the 27th, we'll have ALL of the samples on display.

Normally, our first samples are such a hodgepodge that we can barely show one of them. These samples are so incredibly AWESOME that we can show them all to you! Bazinga!

Every Rapido C30-7 variation!

The CSX C30-7. Nose headlights, K5LA, blanked out cab light and that rugged look.

Capturing the hearts of many, the CSX C30-7s got around on the east coast!

NdeM's later C30-7 orders came with only two windows and no sunshade, as shown here.

The NdeM version features unique Adirondack low-brake cylinder trucks.

The BN with the iconic anti-climber. Please note: the rooftop Stratolite has not been installed yet.

The UP C30-7 with the giant plow, strobe light and arm rest.

The UP front is solid looking!

The N&W/NS C30-7 looks rugged and ready to drag some Pocahontas coal out of Welch. Note: N&W/NS have varying bell locations, production models will have correct bell location based on roadnumber.

No mistaking this one: this is the N&W/NS C30-7 with the rear nose bell.

The N&W/NS version with the triple-clasp trucks and all weather window.

The Conrail variant, with the as-delivered weed cutter snow plow and the distinct four-steps - never done in plastic before!

A closeup of the ATSF C30-7. Note the attention to detail!

Often overlooked on HO scale GE locomotives is the fireman's side cables on the trucks.

The rear of the ATSF version.

The ATSF version, with Stratolite and antenna raised plane.

Looking good on the Prairie Scale Model Railroaders' club layout.

Hanging out at the engine house.

That's the ATSF on the left, the CSX version in the middle and the NdeM on the right.

Please click on the image below to download the catalog.

Now that we have these amazing samples, we will be announcing the order deadline shortly. Beat the rush and order today!

NMRA National Train Show 2023 - The Texas Express

August 25th, 26th and 27th, 2023

The NMRA National Train Show in Grapevine, Texas at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center is just about ready to rock. Come on down and check out all of the new announcements as well as samples of existing projects. We'll be at the aptly named: Longhorn Exhibit Hall, section 218, tables D and E. We look forward to seeing you!

See you in a couple of weeks...again? Yessir! We'll be back in September, with more announcements and October's pre-order deadlines.

Until next time,

Bobby Allard

Chief Water Buffalo of Newsletters

Rapido Trains, Inc.

USA: PO Box 796, Higganum, CT 06441

Canada: 500 Alden Road, Unit 21, Markham, ON L3R 5H5

Check out our YouTube channel, Facebook page and Twitter!