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Rapido Newsletter Vol. 214
©2025 Rapido Trains Inc.
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Dear Rapido Customer,
Boo! Welcome to spooky season at Rapido. We have lots of new announcements, including some projects that you may have thought ghosted you. See what I did there? So, grab your costume and let's get to trick or treating!
If you're reading this in November, Happy November! I'm working on my moustache but I would have to avoid shaving for four months in order for you to see any difference. Our own Dan Garcia would just have to skip his 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. shaves...
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In the 214th issue...
- New Announcements
- I could list them here, but then the guys who open each of our newsletters just looking the Ingalls 4-S won't see our other amazing announcements! So you'll need to scroll down...
- Rapido and Me
- Events and Shows
- Tooling, Factory and Shipping Updates
- Cool New Stuff!
If you are using a web-based email service such as Gmail, be sure to click on the link near the bottom of the email that says something like "[Message clipped] View entire message". That will ensure you don't miss any of this newsletter.
Please note that all renders, pre-production samples and artwork are subject to change before the final product release.
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October Announcement Video
We've made a new announcement video and it is totally awesome, dude! You can watch by clicking here or the photo above.
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NEW SCHEMES! HO Scale Budd Coach (New US Schemes!)
A couple of years ago we announced a new run of Canadian Budd coaches, including VIA's "HEP2" fleet. The factory has finally told us that they have capacity to make these in the spring, so we are delighted to announce that we are adding new American paint schemes to our beautiful HO scale "Superior Stainless" Budd coaches!
| The VIA car above, which features the as-built underframe. Below, the SCL car looks great with the black roof. | |
The last time we made our Budd Coaches in American paint schemes was 2014, when our products could only be found in about 12 US stores. Now that Rapido trains are available nationwide, it is your chance to get new, beautiful Budd coaches with flicker-free track-powered lighting that can be turned on and off using our magnetic wand.
The interior and underbody detail on these cars are simply sublime.
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Interior details that rival none! Antimacassars (What a wild name...) on the seats, glass partitions WITH decorative flowers, and a painted floor to simulate the carpeting.
That's not all, how about interior lighting that compliments the look!
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Jason is obsessed with passenger car underbody equipment, so our models look great when they derail and fall down the embankment on your layout!
But seriously, all the stuff under the cars is really important for passenger operation. See how many parts on our Budd model coach underbody you can name, and then scroll down for the answers!
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And here they are!
Top Photo:
- "Safety" 25kW axle-driven Genemotor
- Cable run from the Genemotor to the local pull box
- Pull box (electrical junction box)
- Pull box (electrical junction box)
- AC Starter Box
- 2kW Alternator
- Battery Box
- AC receptacle
- DC receptacle
- Rolokron control box
Second Photo:
- D22 Combined Reservoir
- D22 Control Valve
- D22 Relay Valve
- D22 Quick Service Valve
Third Photo:
- Trane AC Compressor
- Trance AC Condenser Unit
- Air filter dryer
- "Vapor" Steam Trap
Fourth Photo:
- Water-raising reservoir
- Thaw-out valve
How many did you get right? More importantly, if you have Budd Coaches from another manufacturer, how many of these vital components are even on the model???
| Etched-metal end gates, cut bars, and a whole lot of detail capture the look of the bulkhead ends. On the Canadian Pacific cars, we have a 3-D beaver shield. Neat! | |
Each Rapido Superior Stainless Budd Coach includes:
- Realistic stainless-steel finish
- US schemes use fully detailed the steam heat underbody
- HEP2 cars feature an all-new underbody and new side window arrangements (three different styles, including ex-SP cars!)
- New! HEP1 cars feature all-new end tooling with HEP receptacles and cables
- New! HEP1 and HEP2 cars feature working marker lights!
- Revised track-powered interior lighting compatible with DC and DCC layouts
- Full underbody detail including separate air, steam and electrical lines
- Separate metal grab irons and end gates
- Accurate D22 or Knorr 26-C brake equipment and piping
- Super-detailed 41-NDO-11 trucks with end frames
- Full, multi-color interior detail
- 3D CP beaver shields on CP models
- Sprung diaphragms
- Suggested minimum radius: 22"
First let's take a look at the brand new US schemes.
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Here's the wide selection of Canadian variations. It's amazing how many different versions there are! This is almost like the CF7. Well, I say "almost" but I mean "pretty close." Well, I say "pretty close" but I mean "not really the same." Well, I say "not really the same" but I mean "that %^#*^& CF7 is the most complicated freaking locomotive we have ever had the audacity to try to produce. Every. One. Is. Different."
What was I talking about? Oh, right - Canadian Budd coaches.
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Note that we offer the ex-SP Budd coaches in a "painted, unlettered" version for those of you SP modelers who want to use it as the basis for your home road cars.
Whoa whoa whoa! So many Budd coaches! If you didn't watch the launch video yet, it features some neat shots of Budd coaches in action, complete with super flickering lights. (They were first run cars.) Your Budd coaches will have MoPower so there will be no flicker. Click here to watch!
As mentioned above, the order deadline is February 16th, 2026. Anyway, order all of the coaches you need at your local hobby shop or directly from us.
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NEW SCHEMES! HO Scale ACF Helium Car
Our Helium Car sales are OK, but they are just OK. One of the reasons is we... um... forgot to do a YouTube video about it. Whoops. We think this unique deserves some more attention, so we are reopening the order book and adding new paint schemes. It's in the launch video above, but we will be making a new video of the car before the order deadline. It's called Marketing, and our Marketing Team (which includes Jason and me) just forgot. D'oh! In the meantime, you can see it in our launch video.
Please welcome back the HO Scale ACF Helium Car! In addition to the four schemes previously announced, we have added another TWO SCHEMES to this run.
The NEW order deadline is December 15th, 2025. That's a pretty quick turnaround, so you better get your orders in! Please subscribe to our YouTube channel so you will get notified when we put up the video.
| | Check out the wire grab irons, tank details and the plain bearing trucks. We also tooled roller bearing trucks, which are not shown on this sample. | Did you know that a single Helium Car could fill more than two US Navy L Class blimps? During the famous space race, NASA regularly utilized these cars to haul helium to flush out liquid hydrogen tanks. Hint, hint, you NEED those NASA cars! | No need to launch the blimp attack, but if you do, you'll need MANY Helium Cars to do so! | During the space race, NASA regularly utilized these cars with many remaining in service for the duration of the shuttle program through 2011. In fact, there are photos showing these cars being toted around NASA's Cape Canaveral site, both on their property and coming off interchange with the Florida East Coast. Neat! | Lots of piping and brackets! Plus the underbelly of the car reveals the tanks — no one-dimensional underbodies here! | If you already have a ready-to-run HO scale helium car and you don't think you need ours, have a look at your model. It probably looks like this: | |
AHM's helium car - state of the art!
Photo taken from Tony Thompson's excellent page about
modeling helium cars, which you can visit here.
Love those X2F couplers!
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Here are the HO Scale ACF Helium Car features:
- Newly tooled from original blueprints and measurements
- Highly detailed underbody detail and piping
- Separate metal grab irons
- Stainless steel roofwalk
- Semi-scale metal knuckle couplers
- Free-rolling trucks with profiled metal wheelsets
- Available as single car or six-packs unless noted
- Suggested minimum radius: 18”
Finally, let's take a look at the schemes. These are a far cry from the RED! of the AHM car above. The new schemes are at the bottom!
| Float your orders in before December 15th. You can order these cars from your favorite hobby shop or directly through us. | | |
NEW SCHEMES AND NUMBERS! HO Scale F40PH-2D Locomotive
The HO Scale Rebuilt F40PH-2D is back! This popular VIA Rail locomotive has seen nearly 40 years of service running across Canada, (That's almost as old as the newsletter writer... sigh), with nearly all still running today. If you missed the launch video above, highlighting these neat passenger engines, click here to watch it.
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The rebuilds look great, complete with strobe, emergency horns and that third xenon light.
The model on the left is a special "Canada" version as seen on the Canadian $10 bill.
The strobe light should only be turned on during an emergency engine shutdown.
| | It's all about the bump! When sent to CAD Rail Industries in Montreal, the F40PH-2Ds returned with a unique rear end "bump" which was used to house the separate Caterpillar HEP motor and equipment. This saved on fuel as well as the engineers' ears, since the prime mover was no longer needed to run at full speed to drive the original shaft-driven HEP alternator. | The HEP grilles are see-through, revealing all of the equipment tucked underneath. | In addition to the HEP bump, they also received auto shut-down strobes, a third HID spotlight (creating the triple headlight appearance), emergency horns on the cab and the class lights were removed. These were painted into VIA Rail's "Renaissance Scheme." In late 2018, VIA Rail introduced the "Love the Way" slogan and began to wrap some of their F40PH-2D fleet. | | Feeling lucky? You just might be one of the few that will get a $10 bill with your 6403! | | Surprise! We're bringing back 6403 in the $10 bill version with "Canada" written across the nose. Ten lucky customers will receive a free, crisp, mint, uncirculated $10 bill with The Canadian on one side. | | |
Here's an image of the real thing. DO NOT attempt to copy it!
Hey, Sir John A.! Stay away from the liquor cabinet for a bit, eh?
Your nose is lookin' a little on the rosy side...
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Here are the HO Scale F40PH-2D Locomotive features:
- Unique rebuilt F40PH-2D body and details
- Working headlights, ditch lights, number boards
- Radiator fans, radiator and cabling visible through the HEP grilles
- Separate grab irons and handrails installed at the factory
- Incredible underbody detail including separate piping
- Working emergency headlight and emergency shutdown strobe light
- Accurate sound recorded directly from a rebuilt F40PH-2D!
- MoPower capacitor system for uninterrupted DCC running
- DC/DCC ready or Dual-Mode DCC/Sound
- Suggested minimum radius: 18”
And here are the paint schemes for this run.
| | Order your F40PH-2Ds now! You can do so through your favourite shop or directly from us. Along with the Budd Coaches, these also share a February 16th, 2026, order deadline. | | |
This photo was taken at the Golden State Model Railroad Museum.
Wow! It looks real!!!
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BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! HO Scale SP Dome Lounge Car
You read that right, the HO Scale SP Dome Lounge makes a triumphant return, including the very popular Canadian Pacific Selkirk! We're re-running some of the original road numbers as well as adding a few new schemes! Watch the launch video by clicking here.
| | Details on the walls? Yes, we did that! Note the unique Amtrak map inside of the Phase I car, below. Traced directly off of the real thing. If the overall look of the cars aren't reason enough to acquire them, this neat map detail should do it! | | |
Is this perhaps the nicest car we've ever done? We sure think so. All of the bells and whistles and then some! But don't take our word for it: watch the unboxing video to see even more glorious details on this car by clicking here.
In case you wanted to know more about the history and lineage of these neat 3/4 dome passenger cars, check out the special masterclass, written in tandem by Craig Walker and Bob Zenk. There's so much detail, we guarantee you'll learn something new! Click here to read it now. Hey, everybody needs at least one dome lounge if not multiple!
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Too good to be real? Of course not! The lighting and the interior details just creates a vibe.
These even have painted interior walls, not just the backs of the plastic window pieces.
| The Canadian Pacific's Dome Lounge Car Selkirk, sold out before it even hit the shelves. Good news for the fans of their executive train: we're re-running this car, again! For everyone that wants to add it into their consists hauled by 2816, here's your chance to grab one. | |
The model and the real thing. Both look stunning!
The prototype was photographed by our very own Jordan.
The model was photographed in front of... a mess? A filing cabinet? Some foam? What is that?
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The HO Scale SP Dome Lounge Car features:
- Designed from original blueprints and field measurements
- Two fully-detailed interior configurations
- Multi-color interior decoration
- Two underbody arrangements
- Accurate paint and lettering
- Full flicker-free track-powered interior lighting
- Prototypical lighting in the dome roof
- Accurate free rolling trucks
- Metal magnetic knuckle couplers
- Suggested minimum radius: 22”
Now for the schemes. You'll see a few new ones in there.
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The artwork above is preliminary. Amtrak Matt says we have to fix the tiny Amtrak that you can hardly see in the picture above. Rest assured, it will be fixed!
The order deadline for the SP Dome Lounge Car will be short — December 15th. That means if you want to reserve one of these cars, make sure to preorder one ASAP! You can do that at your local hobby shop or directly from us.
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NEW SCHEMES! HO Scale Hawker Siddeley Van (Caboose)
The Hawker Siddeley Caboose is also back and we're bringing new road numbers and schemes! Our first release shipped earlier this fall and sold out before it arrived. On top of that, we had some serious issues with our order system and many people who should have received their vans did not.
We are now aware of why the system melted down, and we will do our best to ensure it does not happen again. In the meantime, we're striking while the iron is hot with this quick new run. With a December order deadline, you should have your models in hand in Q3 of next year. Find out more by watching our launch video here.
| This is a later CN version with the black steps. Below, you can see all of the crazy amount of details we put into this caboose. | | |
The Hawker Siddeley Cabooses featured all of the creature comforts such as: Waugh full-cushion underframes, electric lighting and power via an axle-driven generator, roller bearing trucks, a pair of oil stoves, a refrigerator, hot plate and much more. Their styling and design would set the standard for future caboose/van orders. Few changes were made to these cars over their 30-year service lives with CN.
Read more about the illustrious history of these cabeese by visiting the masterclass. Click here to go to it.
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Did we mention we went crazy with the interior details? Stoves, desks and even cupola railings!
We really should have photographed a painted interior, but we didn't want to take apart a production model. They all had to be sent to customers!
Your model will have a painted interior.
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Hey guys, we have a neat addition to show you! We're offering a heavily faded scheme, since many of these cabooses would go many years without being repainted. After over 20 years of service, the sides tended to fade and peel, with the addition of regular weathering and scuffing. As seen on car 79329, below.
Our model of 79329 will feature these unique patterns through a special UV printing process creating a real, worn and weathered look! This hard to resist caboose is available in one number, but we're sure it won't stay on the shelves long.
| CN 79329, showing a rather weathered look. Photo courtesy of the Kaluza-Mueller collection. | | |
The HO Scale Hawker Siddeley Caboose features:
- Super-detailed underbody including all separate air and brake piping
- Operating marker lights, track light and step lights, cabin lights and separately controlled cupola light with full flicker free interior lighting
- Super-detailed Barber-Bettendorf caboose trucks with all-wheel pickup
- Fully detailed multi-coloured interior
- Interior handrails in the cupola
- See-through, etched metal end platforms and steps
- Full end detail, including uncoupling levers
- Separate grab irons installed at the factory
- Metal semi-scale knuckle couplers mounted at correct height
- Suggested minimum radius: 18”
Now for the schemes. You'll notice we've added two painted, unlettered versions for the freelancers! Also please note that the delivery scheme did not have inspection lights. We accidentally left them on the drawings when we promoted the first run. If your caboose has red steps, it should not have inspection lights as they were added later.
Jordan wanted us to make the ex-Devco Ottawa Central version. Jason and I think it will sell exactly 14 pieces, and one of those will be for Jordan, who gets it for free. Sales to Jordan just cost us money. Prove us wrong by ordering these. Somebody. Please.
| | The Hawker Siddeley Vans will have a quick order deadline, also set for December 15th. Order one, order all, but make sure to do that via your favourite hobby shop or directly from us. | | |
NEW RUN AND NEW SCHEMES! N Scale Comet Car
The N Scale Comet Cars are back by popular request! It's been FIVE YEARS since we made these!
In addition to popular liveries we've released before, we have six new schemes for this release. These versatile commuter cars have been the backbone of Eastern commuter operations for over four decades. In case you missed the launch video, click here to watch.
| | Purple looks great on the Comet Cars. | | Being an N scaler, Jeremy (remember him?) made a great video about the first run of these cars. Click here or on the image below to watch. | | |
Over the last 40 years, the Comet Cars have worn a variety of schemes and logos. Some have even been resold to other commuter operations. Their look is iconic from Montreal down along the east coast. Most are still in service, having gone through rebuilds, repaints and rebranding. In fact, some roads mixed their schemes together, such as NJ TRANSIT and Metro-North West of Hudson cars. Now you need both!
To learn more bout these fascinating commuter cars, check out our masterclass by clicking here.
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The original NJ TRANSIT Comet IIs above, and below is the rebuilt Comet IIm cars.
Note the thicker window band and larger disco stripes.
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Here are the N Scale Comet Car features:
- Full underbody and interior details
- Correct inside-bearing trucks with metal wheelsets
- Accurate and tinted windows
- Fully controllable interior and exterior lighting (with MoPower) including marker lights, headlights and ditch lights
- All-wheel electrical pickup means constant lighting on both DC and DCC layouts
- Suggested minimum radius: 14”
And now for the schemes. On this run, we have a few schemes that are close matches for similar cars. We thought they were too pretty not to offer! Each roadname will have a matching cab car and coaches, however some roads have two different coach schemes to pick from.
| | Hop onboard! The order deadline has been set for February 16th, 2026. Order your Comet Cars from your favorite store or directly through us. | | |
Rapido and Me
Hey there! Check out some of the recent photo submissions we've received from our friends. Remember, you too can be featured in Rapido and Me. You just have to send them to us at trains@rapidotrains.com or tag us on social media (and not in a story that will disappear after 24 hours!).
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Richard Deuso sent us these amazing shots of his Claremont and Concord 44-Tonner.
Just look at that awesome scenery!
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Diego Garcia sent us this neat EP-5 and County Car consist photo.
Looks great rounding that curve!
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And Amtrak F40PH and a Southern GP38 under the lights!
Great work sent to us from James Mayo.
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Trainfest — November 1st-2nd
Hey neighbor! Trainfest is here! This means we are back in downtown Milwaukee at the Baird Center. We'll have tons of samples on display as well as a few surprises. Stop by and say hello to Lystra, Dan D., Jordan and Jeff.
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Trainland Meet and Greet with Jason — Sunday December 21st
Come on out to Trainland on December 21st, 2-4 p.m. to meet and chat with Jason. Make plans to be at Trainland of Lynbrook on that day! (Remember, Trainland of Lynbrook out on Long Island!) Jason would love to meet you and can answer just about any question you might have, even those ones about Star Trek or Picard!
If you really want us to make New York subways, as we keep hearing, Jason says to bring along all your subway gear to Trainland. Let's have 'em. And if you work for MTA and you can get Jason onto the subway system to film a video that week, he says he will seriously consider launching a subway model. But only if somebody lets him in behind the scenes. When I asked him why the heck I am putting all this in the newsletter, he muttered something about "Welcome Back, Kotter."
Check our Facebook or Trainworld's Facebook for actual times when they are announced.
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Railroad Hobby Show (Springfield) — January 24th and 25th, 2026
We're just a few months away from the famous Amherst Railway Society's Railroad Hobby Show, otherwise known as "Springfield"! This is the Super Bowl of events and we'll empty out the cabinets of samples, staff and anything else we have. (Ed.: Tribbles.) As we get closer to the show, we'll announce which staff members are headed there so you can start gathering any questions you wanted to ask them!
Tribbles? Really?
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Tooling, Shipping and Arrival Updates
LOTS of new items will be arriving soon! There are currently two shipments on the way from the factories in China, with more leaving in the next couple of weeks. It is a busy fall!
| | The HO Greenbrier Reefers are almost here and we have production samples!
Remember, you need LOTS of these cars to have a prototypical manifest. | | |
Check out the end cages on these cars. Lots of detail plus the neat WORKING indicator light.
The model below is an early model, with the earlier reefer unit. The photo above shows a newer one. Also notice the different walkways and end cages in the above and below photos!
| | The Enterprise Hoppers look great! CN noodle above and the as-delivered, below. These cars had different roof and side panels than their NYC cousins. | |
New York Central cars above and Penn Central sand cars, below.
The big "S" denotes this service on the neat Jade Green repaint.
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Revere Sugar's neat scheme above, with the unique hatches. These cars carried LOTS of sugar!
Below, you can see all of the details and piping on the end cages.
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DODX equipment! The Flatcars look great, check out those neat Buckeye trucks. Did you know that we are also selling the Buckeye trucks separately? Now you do!
Below we see the M60A1 Tanks. So camouflaged, we can't even see them in the photo...
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Jason: Whoa! The next photo just arrived this morning from the factory!!!
Bobby: It's not a PATH train, so meh. I'll see myself out.
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The first production samples of Toronto's First Subway are on the way!
Click here to order yours!
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Newsletter 214 comes to a close. Lots of a goodies for everyone! We'll be back in a week or so with some very important order deadline updates. Until then, we'll see everyone at Trainfest!
Except for me. I'm stuck in New Jersey.
Jason: I'm going to England with Dan. We're staying in a nice hotel. It's a hard knock life for you, Bobby!
Bobby: I don't get paid enough to stand for this.
See you all in the next newsletter!
Bobby Allard
(Blue) Bird Fanatic
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USA: 382 High St, Buffalo, NY 14204, USA
Canada: 500 Alden Road, Unit 21, Markham, ON L3R 5H5
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