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Rapido Newsletter Vol. 189
©2024 Rapido Trains Inc.
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Dear Rapido Customer,
It's August already! We have a bunch of order deadlines and important updates regarding launches and the website that you won't want to miss.
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In this 189th issue...
- Rapido and Me
- July Launch Updates
- August 15th Order Deadlines
- September 16th Order Deadlines
Also other announcements...
- HO Scale Canadian Pacific H1a/b Hudson Production Samples
- New Videos
- Upcoming Shows
- Product Updates
- Upgrading Our Back End System
- Update From the Road and Meet Our Friend Gerry!
- The Train in My Bedroom — What I Learned from Model Railroading By Boaz Shron
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 and artwork are subject to change before the final product release.
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Rapido and Me — Customer Photo Submissions
Hey there! Check out some of the recent photo submissions we've received from our friends, below. 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.
| Check out this superb weathering on the 4316 and a Slumbercoach. It just has that grungy 1970s railroading look. Model and photos courtesy of Andy Chabot. | Boston and Maine Budd RDCs take a rest between runs. The look and feel of this station scene is just amazing. Models and photos by Jack Bowles. | Here we have a submission from our very own newsletter writer, Bobby. He custom painted and decaled the HO Scale M420 into Delaware-Lackawanna's newest locomotive, the 3560. The M420 along with the SP B-100-40 boxcar behind it were also weathered by him. Photo is taken on the awesome Lehigh & Keystone Valley Model Railroad Museum layout. Models and photo by Bobby Allard. | |
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Launch Update: HO Scale Budd RDC
We have made some road number corrections On our recent HO Scale Budd RDC-1 and -9 launch. With these changes, the sales materials and website listings have also been updated. Please take a look at the updated HO Scale Budd RDC-1 and -9 sales packs below.
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Launch Update: HO Scale U25B Locomotive
For the HO Scale U25B Locomotive, we made a couple of changes to the sales pack to better clarify some of the schemes we are offering. Of those changes, we added the Maine Central artwork with frog eye lights. MEC has two road numbers with these features and two without. We now are referring to these lights as frog "eye" lights.
Jason: Yes, we got some emails regarding the naming of those lights. And no, we have no idea where he found that photo of the frog!
To ensure you have the latest PDF, download the newest catalog below by clicking on the button.
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- HO Scale Southern Pacific Dome Lounge Car
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HO Scale Southern Pacific Dome Lounge Car
It's the moment we've all been waiting for! The deadline for the HO Scale Southern Pacific Dome Lounge Car ends in just a few days on August 15th. Join Jordan aboard Amtrak's California Zephyr for a first look at our early tooling samples. You can watch that video above or by clicking here.
| Continuing from last newsletter, here's the early samples riding on the California Zephyr. | The HO Scale SP Dome Lounge will elevate service on your HO Scale passenger trains. | In case you need color photos of the SP Dome Lounge, here is a nice Daylight 3D CAD render. | Look at all of the interior dome details. It's all there! But it will only get better once the lighting conduit in the dome and paint is applied. | The underbodies are mesmerizing! Even the ends have high detail with the unique round door window. | Remember, the CP Dome Lounge Car will feature the correct smooth sides, just like the one on tour with the CP Hudson, number 2816! For more on our CP executive train models, click here. | Can't forget about the car still in service! The prototype photo was taken by Jordan Smith. | |
Below, you'll note that there are two catalogs: one for the SP cars and another catalogue for the CP "Selkirk". The order button will take you to the website where you can order all of the cars, but hurry, August 15th will be here before you know it.
Please note, if you've already preordered these through us or your favorite hobby shop, your order is reserved. This is the final order deadline; there is no need to place another order.
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- HO Scale Canadian National Hawker Siddeley Van
- HO Scale Magor 54' DODX Flatcar
- HO Scale M60A1 Tank and 5-inch/54-Caliber Mark 42 Gun Mount
- HO Scale Procor GP20 Tank Car
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HO Scale Canadian National Hawker Siddeley Van
Van fanatics — are you ready for the Canadian National Hawker Siddeley Van to be a reality? On September 16th, we will close out the ordering period for this neat staple of Canadian railroading. In the meantime, check out the features, renders and incredibly detailed pre-production samples below. Yes, you heard that correctly: we already have samples to show!
| The Hawker Siddeley Van looks great on the rear of an ore train. | |
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The CN Hawker Siddeley Vans were crew favourites on the CN, since they featured creature comforts such as: Waugh full-cushion underframes making the rises very smooth, electric lighting and power via an axle-driven generator, roller bearing trucks, a pair of oil stoves, a refrigerator and a hot plate. This design would set the standard for all of CN's future van orders even though these vans would last over two decades.
OK, let's see more pre-production samples! We simply cannot wait for these to arrive!
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The interiors look great! All sorts of amazing detail. | |
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The CN Hawker Siddeley Van features:
- Super detailed underbody including all separate air and brake piping
- Operating marker lights, track and step lights, cabin lights and separately controlled cupola light
- Non-nuclear, full interior lighting
- Super detailed Barber-Bettendorf caboose trucks with all-wheel pickup
- Full 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 Macdonald-Cartier couplers mounted at correct height
Below are the schemes for the vans, in 3D render format. Neat-o!
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The CN Hawker Siddeley Van sure will be a popular item for Canadian modellers! We have just over a month to go before the order period is up, so make sure to get all of your orders in before September 16th. | |
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HO Scale Magor 54' DODX Flatcar
(M.A.S.H. PA Speaker): Military train and flatcar enthusiasts, we want to announce the September 16th order deadline for the HO Scale 54' Magor Flatcar!
For everyone old enough to remember that show, this should make sense. For everyone too young, like me, yeah, I don't know either. Anyway, let's roll through the HO Scale 54' Magor Flatcar, since we saw an in-depth look last newsletter. Below are the samples.
| Those friction-bearing Buckeye trucks look great. Below are the roller-bearing Buckeye trucks. | |
Cut bars and wire grabs make up the ends for the cars. Below is a render of every scheme in this initial run. Also note the Amtrak MOW car hiding in the back.
Note: the tank and gun mount loads are sold separately.
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Check out the HO Scale Magor 54' DODX Flatcar features:
- Drawn from original blueprints, measurements and 3D scans
- Fully detailed underframe including piping and equipment
- Correct Buckeye 3-axle trucks with incredible detail
- Trucks have friction bearings or retrofitted roller bearings as appropriate
- Metal knuckle couplers
- Simulated wood deck design
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Click here to order the M60A1 Tank and the Gun Mount Load
Now let's look at the different schemes being offered below, which also features the Amtrak versions.
| The HO Scale 54' Magor DODX Flatcars will surely be a show-stopping model, so make sure you load up on these beauties! Get your orders in before September 16th to guarantee your preorder. | |
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HO Scale M60A1 Tank and 5-inch/54-Caliber Mark 42 Gun Mount
Does your layout have a military presence? The M60A1 Tank and the 54-Caliber Mark 42 Gun Mount prototypes could be seen all across the United States, from east to west. The HO Scale M60A1 Tank and the 54-Caliber Mark 42 Gun Mount order deadline for these two great models is on September 16th, 2024. It's just over a month away.
Because they look so good, here are the 3D CAD renders of the Tank and the Gun Mount.
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Ready. Aim. Order! Show your love for these two models, whether it be for your HO Scale DODX Flatcars or just to display. Click the buttons below to open the catalog or to place your orders. | |
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HO Scale Procor GP20 Tank Car
Last newsletter we announced our re-run and two additional schemes to the HO Scale GP20 Tank Car project. While everything is still fresh in your memory, we wanted to remind you that the order deadline for the ENTIRE run of tank cars is set for September 16th. Just over a month away, but still plenty of time to roll in those orders!
Below are the billboard schemes.
| And just in case you missed last month's newsletter, here are the added schemes for the HO Scale GP20 Tank Cars. | |
CP 2816 with the special box it comes in. We can't wait! | |
HO Scale Canadian Pacific H1a/b Hudson Production Samples
We have a steamy surprise for you! The HO Scale Canadian Pacific H1a/b Hudson production samples just arrived and do they look good. They should be shipping from the factory sometime around late summer/early fall and we don't anticipate they will stay in stock for long! Until then, enjoy these photos of them below.
| Lots of details, variations and tender options! | |
The differences in paint schemes. | |
The legend of the CP Hudson lives on! CP 2860, the Royal Hudson, on the left and 2816 on the right. Note: the 2860 is from the Royal Hudson run and is not available on the current H1a/b run. | |
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Rapido (was) Live!
Did you catch the latest Rapido Live? If not, no need to worry as you can re-watch it on our Facebook or YouTube channel. Check it out, as Jason and Jordan discuss* all things Rapido and more (especially the more part)!
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*Yup, Jordan's face says it all, a lot of "and more." | |
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HO Scale Dash 8-40CM Unboxing
Check out the HO Scale Dash 8-40CM unboxing video by watching it in the square above or clicking here. Jordan runs through all of the new features on this iconic locomotive. If you are thinking of getting one, two or many of these, you better hurry as we are ENTIRELY sold out. Please check with your favorite dealer or hobby shop.
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HO Scale Canadian Pacific NSC Mechanical Reefer Unboxing
The Cadillac of reefers has arrived! This is the HO Scale Canadian Pacific NSC Mechanical Reefer, full of details and sound! Jordan guides you through all of the neat details and history of the cars. You can watch the video above or by clicking here.
Don't hesitate for too long, though. These cars are out on retailers' shelves and we don't anticipate they will last long. Grab yours today before they're all sold out!
Note: Sound operators, please hold tight. The soundboards for these cars will be arriving later this summer for shipment.
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Rapido Live w/Cowcatcher — August 14th, 7:30PM EDT / 6:30PM CDT
Fellow modelers, join us on August 14th at 7:30PM EDT / 6:30PM CDT, for an exciting livestream between Jordan, Bobby (yes, he still occasionally does Rapido Livestreams!) and special guest, Tim Blackwell of Cowcatcher Magazine. The three amigos will discuss current announcements, order deadlines and the current state of Rapido models. You won't want to miss this exciting event!
Join in on our Facebook page. If you happen to miss it, you can always re-watch it later via Facebook or when we upload the video to our YouTube.
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Rapido Live w/Trainworld — August 22nd
Come catch us on August 22nd at 8PM EDT, when we go live with Trainworld! Join Jason, Jordan, Jeff and Trainworld's own, Ken Bianco, as they discuss all sorts of Rapido models, current events and any questions you might have.
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Tooling, Shipping and Arrival Updates
LOTS of new items are arriving soon!
*CP NS 5304 cu.ft. Reefer sound boards arriving late summer.
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The GMD1 production samples have arrived! That means they aren't too far away from shipping to the warehouse. | |
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More looks at this beauty. The Waterloo Central GMD1 just looks great.
Click here to visit our friends over at the Waterloo Central Railway.
| The GP38s have arrived and are shipping from the warehouse now! | Expo 86! Who remembers that? | The Canadian National 5304 boxcars are looking superb. | The Canadian Pacific NSC Reefers are almost here! They sure do look great. | |
Two iconic paint schemes: Santa Fe and Conrail. | |
Those BN C30-7 noses are mesmerizing! Below, the F40PHM-2s are taking shape. | |
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Upgrading Our Really Crummy Back End Computer System
Attention valued customers: we are updating our operations system to serve you better! Our website will be inaccessible during this update, beginning the week of August 5th. You may remember back in 2021 when we launched a new site, things did not quite go as planned. So, this time we have worked tirelessly and taken every precaution possible to ensure that even if a delay does happen, it won't be the end of the world.
Here are things to keep in mind:
- Don't panic! Your existing orders will stay safe in our system. The Operations Teams will make sure to keep track of any discrepancies in the system.
- Place any orders before August 5th or hold off ordering until we are back up and running sometime later in the week (fingers crossed for August 8th!).
- As for when our website will be back online, we should be good to go by the end of the week, but please check social media, including our Facebook and Instagram pages for updates.
We, at Rapido Trains, are always striving to improve our outdated systems and clunky practices to make things better for our customers and those we work with. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause, but we are optimistic this will make things smoother for everyone in the long run! Please feel free to reach out to us by email or phone if you encounter any other issues or have questions.
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Update From the Road and Meet Our Friend Gerry!
Jason has been travelling on a lot of VIA trains this summer. Last month he met young railfan Gerry at Oshawa station while on route to Montreal. Gerry has an excellent YouTube channel covering today's railways in the Toronto area.
Jason is currently in Winnipeg, and he got this beauty photo of the two Canadians meeting in northern Ontario. It's amazing that 1950s streamliners are still in daily service in the Great White North. Some of us are working, eh?
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The Train in My Bedroom — What I Learned from Model Railroading
By Boaz Shron
When I was seven years old, I asked my dad if we could build a model railroad in my room. No prizes for guessing what his answer was.
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Two model railroaders hard at work on my bedroom shortline. | |
The original concept was bare benchwork with sectional track in a u-shape along the walls of my room, with a removable bridge over my bed at one end. While this sounds like a pretty no-frills set-up, for a seven-year-old kid who wanted to run trains with his daddy, it was perfect.
Every now and then, we would change up the layout of the sectional track, and move the buildings and industries to suit the new track plan. I got the hang of perspective drawing pretty early, so I even drew a background for an urban scene on construction paper.
My dad used to wake me up for school in the morning with a pair of GMD1s and a tank car sidling over the bridge above my bed. I preferred to operate an LRC set that was definitely too long for my layout.
| Here I am building the buttress supports for the removable bridge. I remember hitting my head on it a lot when I woke up in the morning. Explains a lot. | |
At this point, the layout in my room operated a lot like the other mainline operations in the house. Whether we set up the wooden trains, the Japanese “blue track” Tomy sets, or even the OO gauge Thomas the Tank Engine sets, I would act as the chief track planner.
Working with the wooden and Tomy tracks, I learned how to create effective and interesting mainline runs, good for up to four trains running at a time. I avoided creating inescapable loops, and spread out the stations within the confines of the room so most trains could get up to top speed between stops. It also helped that we had a ridiculous amount of track.
Not only was this a lot of fun, but the principles that I learned regarding spacing and design are ones that I apply in my everyday life, especially now as I’m furnishing my first apartment. Time does fly.
| Here I am caulking down the cork roadbed for my new-and-improved track plan. | |
When I was nine years old, I decided that I wanted a more realistic layout in my room. So my dad and I put away the sectional track and the secondhand structures we had bought from train shows, and started laying a foam scenery foundation.
We progressed to cork roadbed for a fixed track plan, which included a through-truss bridge over a river. I was most excited about building that part.
| Here I am looking very proud of this gorgeous through-truss bridge that I built for the layout. | |
Beyond the fact that I’m the only one in my friend group who knows how to solder wire, I’m grateful for my experience in model railroading because of what it taught me about life.
My goal was always to run trains. But putting that goal aside temporarily in order to enhance it in the long run taught me the value of patience. I knew that it was going to be a lot more enjoyable to run trains when my layout had scenery and wired track. It’s okay for the good to trump the now.
| Here I am perfecting the water for my river. The riverbanks are painted sculpt-a-mold. Boy, does that stuff smell. | Additionally, I gained an appreciation for the process. At first, I only saw the foam scenery-building, the track-laying, and all the other steps in building my layout as just that: steps. They were tasks to be completed in pursuit of the end goal. Only once I got deep into the layout-building process did I start to enjoy building my layout for the sake of building my layout. | Wiring switches. A rite of passage for many a model railroader. It’s a good thing I enjoy soldering. | I actually really enjoy soldering wire. And not just because soldered wire leads to powered track. The actual act of soldering wire is fun. When I started to appreciate the journey of building my model railroad — “loving the way”, as VIA calls it — I felt less discouraged by setbacks and delays. I was doing this not just for what my layout would be, but what it was, in all its pink, foamy, half-finished glory. | The blue backdrop was fun to paint, and an improvement on my crayon backdrop motif from before. | |
Now, I’m not going to pretend that building my layout was all sunshine and rainbows. Because the reality is that I don’t have a layout in my bedroom anymore.
When I was thirteen, my parents came to me with a proposition: put my layout in storage and renovate my room entirely. This way I would have more space for books, a better environment to do schoolwork, and increased closet space for my burgeoning sense of style.
When I first heard this idea, I started crying. I had no desire to take down my model railroad, something I had put many hours into with my dad over the years. But the more I thought about it, the more the plan started to make sense. My dad was not able to split what little layout time he had between two projects. In case I hadn’t noticed, there was an HO scale empire developing in my basement and garage.
| Here I am after my riverbanks were sufficiently sculpt-a-molded. Note Carey Price’s right pad in the top right corner. | |
Having grown to appreciate the process of building layouts as much as the finished products themselves, I realized that I could still take part in that process and draw enjoyment from it. The Kingston Sub was there whenever I needed it. And its run is definitely long enough for LRC sets.
After we renovated my room, both my dad and I had more time to work on the layout in the basement, and progress down there picked up speed. Sometimes what looks like a step back is really two steps forward.
So if you’re ever admiring the houses in Brockville, or the front-end loader next to the yard, well, I’m glad you like my handiwork. And while my brother, Isaac, may have taken over as chief track planner for wooden train layouts, I’m always happy to employ my expertise as his deputy.
Model railroading is so much more than playing with trains. This hobby taught me life lessons about patience, enjoying the journey, and establishing priorities, that I will take with me no matter what I do in life.
|  | It’s my layout and I’ll run LRC sets if I want to. | |
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Thanks again, Boaz. That entire layout setup is amazing! I actually had a small Lionel layout in the room when I was growing up.
We'd like to thank Boaz for his thoughtful essays this past summer. He'll be heading to university soon, but we hope to see a surprise encore, possibly during his breaks or next summer!
That's it for August's FIRST newsletter. Look for us to return after the website updates in a few weeks to deliver even more new announcements!
Until then, keep modeling.
Bobby Allard
Frog Eye Newsletter Inspector
🐸🔎
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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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