Rapido News 167 - Two new freight cars plus Pigs On Flats!

Rapido Newsletter Vol. 167

Click here to view as webpage.

Dear Rapido Customer,

We're back! This month we have two new HO Scale freight cars, a re-launch of an older freight car and MANY pre-order deadlines to discuss. So, without further ado, Rapido News 167...starts...right...NOW!

New Announcements!

HO Scale PRR X23 40' Wood Boxcar
HO Scale PRR/FGE R7 40' Wood Reefer

Re-Launch!

HO Scale Canadian Piggyback Flat Cars
HO Scale Canadian Trailers

May Order Deadlines - May 15th, 2023

HO Scale Dash 8-40CM
N Scale Dash 8-40CM

June Order Deadlines - June 15th, 2023

HO Scale GP38 Locomotive
HO Scale 53' Husky Stack Well Cars with Containers
N Scale Rohr Turboliner
N Scale Wide Vision Caboose
N Scale Barrel Ore Hopper

Second Section

Upcoming Shows
New Arrivals / Shipping Dates
Factory and Tooling Updates

This email is a big one. If you're using Gmail, please remember to click the link at the bottom of your email window to read the whole thing.

NEW! HO Scale PRR X23 40' Wood Boxcar

Remember the good ol' days? More specifically, remember 1912? Neither do I. But, what better way to commemorate it than with the all-new Rapido PRR X23 40' Wood Boxcar! This car features all sorts of things and details that I will be learning as I type this, as I have no clue about this car. Why don't I hand it over to J?

Check out that star on the car. It must be the Union Line!

All 3D renders subject to revision.

Another view of the ends and sides.

JOHN: I thought you were writing this, but OK - I'm game!

The X23 boxcars served the PRR and its subsidiary railroads very well. Over the years various improvements were made including replacing the original roof with a lap-seam roof, 2D-F8 cast trucks over arch-bar trucks, KD-Brakes being upgraded with AB-brakes, and the 3-panel Creco door being replaced with a Youngstown corrugated door. The fleet of X23s continued to soldier on into World War II with over 90% of the fleet still in service by January 1945.

However, their hard use during the war years combined with their age meant that most cars were retired from regular service by the late 1950s. What is interesting is many X23s were retained for work equipment service and lasted well into the 1970s in this role. The outer bracing and wood panels screams steam era, while the high handbrake gives away the vintage era of railroading.

Now, here are some resin printed samples. All samples are subject to revisions.

These 3D resin prints look amazing.

Something about the modern buildings and 1900s cars...

We'll call it "eclectic."

All of the cars gathered together.

Rapido’s new PRR X23 Boxcar model features:

Accurate Warren truss single-sheathed body
Youngstown or Creco panel doors
Flat panel or lap seam roofs
Split K or AB Brakes as appropriate
Free rolling Arch bar or 2D-F8 trucks with metal wheelsets
Rapido semi-scale couplers
Accurate paint and lettering
Multiple road numbers per scheme

For those special PRR paint schemes you all love, check them out below. (Bobby: Spoiler alert! They're all brown.)

Check out the catalog by clicking the photo below. It'll open up in PDF form.

Ready to order your HO Scale PRR X23 Boxcar? Click here, or visit your favorite hobby shop or online dealer today. And as always, once we have factory samples, we'll announce an order deadline shortly after.

Is that good enough, Bobby?

BOBBY: That was great! I have no clue about the next car either so please keep going!

JOHN: You know, I have other work to do...

NEW! HO Scale PRR-FGE R7 40' Wood Reefer

Following on the success of the X23 boxcar design, the Pennsylvania Railroad built over 3,500 cars in a reefer configuration designated as the R7. This fleet of reefers was built between 1914 and 1915 for the Pennsylvania Railroad and its subsidiary lines. By 1922 it had leased nearly the entire fleet of R7s to the Fruit Growers Express Company (FGE), in which the PRR had an ownership stake. By 1932, the ownership of the entire fleet of cars was transferred to FGE.

Come take a look at our all-new, HO Scale PRR-FGE R7 40' Wood Reefer, in 3D form below.

Can you feel the chill coming from the reefer? All 3D renders subject to revision.

Remember, turn of the century cars had the unique split K or AB brakes.

Like the X23s, the R7 Reefers went through various improvements over time, including 2D-F8 cast trucks replacing the original arch-bar trucks, KD-Brakes being upgraded with AB-brakes, and the lap-seam roof being replaced with a Hutchins Dry-Lading roof. From 1940 to 1942, over 250 R7 reefers were transferred to FGE subsidiary National Car Company (NX) for use in hauling meat products. During the early 1950s a small batch of R7 reefers was leased by National to the Mathieson Chemical Company for use in dedicated dry ice hauling service. The R7 reefers lasted in regular service until the 1960s.

Just like the X23, the R7 features an amazing highly-detailed underbody. (Bill says to check out that split K brake.)

They look good in the sunlight.

Rapido’s new PRR/FGE R7 Reefer model features:

Accurate Warren truss single-sheathed body
Double-flush Miner swing doors
Lap seam or Hutchins roofs
Split K or AB Brakes as appropriate
Free rolling Arch bar or 2D-F8 trucks with metal wheelsets
Rapido semi-scale couplers
Accurate paint and lettering
Multiple road numbers per scheme

Now, let there be color! Check out the PRR/FGE R7 reefer paint schemes below.

Check out the PRR-FGE R7 Wood Reefer catalog below. Now I'm really getting back to work.

BOBBY: Thanks, John!

Ready to order your HO Scale PRR/FGE R7 Reefer? Visit your favorite hobby shop or online dealer today, or you can order direct! Just like the X23 cars, once we have that magical sample, we'll announce an order deadline. Until then, order up!

RE-LAUNCH: HO Scale Canadian Piggyback Flatcars

JASON: Bobby, can I step in for a sec?

BOBBY: It's a free-for-all, so go for it!

JASON: Thanks!

I have been speaking with some hobby shop owners, and they tell me that they've heard concerns from customers that our flatcar, which is our regular freight car price, is "too expensive for a flatcar." Some people think the price is fine for a boxcar, maybe - but not a flatcar.

Here’s the thing: flatcars actually cost us a lot more to produce than boxcars. They have a higher tooling cost and a higher unit cost because of the insane level of detail in a smaller footprint. The body is largely diecast, with etched-metal grilles. This is much more difficult to work with than plastic.

However, the orders for these cars are far lower than our usual boxcar, gondola, hopper or tank car orders. We’re talking less than half. We really want to make these flatcars, as they were a vital part of the Canadian railroad scene from the 1960s to the 1980s. We also want to make more Canadian flatcars as there are some huge holes in the market that we’d like to fill. But we need our customers to step up and order them. There is nothing small about being flat. Please order your flatcars today. Back to you, Bobby.

BOBBY: OK - My turn! Now, we are pleased to show a brand-new video, filmed on Bob Fallowfield's tremendous CP Galt Sub layout. Click here, the photo above or below to watch. Then hurry back for some more photos.

In the 1960s, CP and CN both placed orders for flatcars capable of handling trailers of up to 45’. CN ordered 283 cars built by the Vancouver Iron and Engineering Works (VIEW), while CP ordered a large batch of 305 cars from Marine Industries Limited (MIL) in 1972.

These cars were not limited to the Northlands, as they were often seen all throughout the United States. Cars were commonly seen in New York State, Maine and Vermont, but often seen as far west as California. They traveled in large cuts and in solid TOFC-intermodal consists, but also would be mixed into manifests. The cars are a lot shorter than normal TOFC 89’ flatcars, thus making them more versatile and able to navigate tighter curves.

This just gives the impression of a hot train hammering past the mill.

Rolling through the countryside.

Excellent see-through gating on the tops.

Both cars, side by side.

The two cars are completely different!

The end detail is so awesome.

Here are the HO Scale Canadian Piggyback Flatcar features:

Drawn from original blueprints
Two totally unique designs for CN and CP
Artworks sourced from original design drawings
Heavy die-cast centre sill
Photo-etched deck surface
Two styles of hitches; upright and collapsed
Wire grab irons
Barber S2 roller bearing 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 great on your layout, in any setting, so you know what to do: order away! The new deadline for these is July 17th.

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

What better way to complement your HO Scale Canadian Piggyback Flatcars than with these iconic Canadian trailers: The 26’ Can-Car Industries Dry-Vans with and without side doors and the 45’ Trailmobile design trailers, also with and without side doors. If you haven't done so already, watch the new video by clicking here or the photo above.

A scene you can soon recreate! Samples are subject to revision.

The 26’ trailers were widely used by Canadian National and Canadian Pacific for package delivery services, as well as trucking services and retail store owners. These unique trailers have the iconic ribbed sides with catchy graphics. Eventually they were phased out of service in the 1980s.

The 45’ Trailmobile trailers arrived in Canada in the mid-1970s, as TOFC was in full swing. These venerable trailers also had the option for side doors, for easier access as well as stores that did not have loading docks. Much like the 26’ trailers, CN and CP both had good quantities as well as small and large trucking services. Many wore a variety of colourful schemes.

Those painted samples look superb.

A nice shine and clean sides.

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.

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, crank out that fax machine or contact your local messageries service and enter those orders for the HO Scale trailers. Like the flatcars, the new deadline for these is July 17th.

May Order Deadlines - May 15th, 2023

Here comes the May order deadline reminder: HO Scale Dash 8-40CM as well as the N Scale Dash 8-40CM both close out on the 15th. Let's take one more look.

HO Scale Dash 8-40CM

The HO Scale Dash 8-40CM with upgraded tooling has just a few days left for those guaranteed pre-orders. Remember the date: May 15th, 2023. But before we close them out, let's take a look at the video. Click here, the photo above or below to watch!

Here are the schemes we will be offering on the (upgraded) production run of HO Scale Dash 8-40CMs.

Otter Valley Railroad is offering TWO special road numbers: 4604 and 4620 in the faded-out BC Rail paint scheme. Note 4620’s unique replacement number board and door!

Check out the Dash 8-40CM catalogue below. Click the photo to open up the PDF.

Click here for more information or to order yours!

N Scale Dash 8-40CM

The N Scale Dash 8-40CM Locomotives also share the May 15th, 2023 order deadline. And yes! They also have an accompanying video. Actually, it's the same video! Click here, the photo above or below to watch.

Have a look at these N Scale Dash 8-40CM schemes on the second run below.

Check out the N Scale Dash 8-40CM catalogue below. Click the photo to open the PDF.

The ever popular N Scale Dash 8-40CM is just a few days away from the pre-order deadline. Make sure you roll those orders in and prove N scale is the best scale!

June Order Deadlines - June 15th, 2023

The order deadlines are massive for June, 2023. The HO Scale GP38 Locomotive, the HO Scale 53' Well Car, the N Scale Rohr Turboliner, the N Scale Wide Vision Caboose and the N Scale Barrel Ore Hopper.

HO Scale EMD GP38 Locomotive

Ready for a big announcement? The HO Scale GP38 Locomotive's pre-order deadline closes out on June 15th, 2023. This means that after all this time, the GP38 is finally entering production!

A new, painted sample arrived - literally - an hour ago. Here is a quick snapshot Matt took on his test track. Please ignore the crooked horn...

One thing to notice: WALKWAY LIGHT!!!!

Here are more photos of our undecorated samples.

A side view of the GP38.

Crazy attention to the underbody and fuel tank details.

Many details, all specific for each road

The rear of the low hood GP38.

Note the walkway lights. A Norfolk Southern staple.

What about those HO Scale GP38 features? Glad you asked! Here they are:

Measured from multiple living GP38s
Road-specific details for each model
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
Separate grab irons and handrails installed at the factory
Operating headlights, rear lights, tri-color class lights AND ditch lights and beacons (where appropriate)
Highly detailed cab interior
Correct fuel tank sizes per road number
Multiple styles of stepwells. (ATSF has correct “Switcher-style" steps)
See-through, etched steps
High short hood where needed
Appropriate cab or nose headlights
Multiple truck sideframes tooled
Different, prototype specific dynamic-brake hatches and air filters
DC/Silent (21-pin DCC Ready) or DC/DCC/ESU LokSound

Scroll down to see the roads being offered on the first run of HO Scale GP38 Locomotives.

Ready to look at the catalog? It compliments the GP38 model very nicely. Click the photo below to view the pdf.

The HO Scale EMD GP38 Locomotive project is nearly ready to go. Next month we'll have a video and much more! Stay tuned to our YouTube and Facebook for more updates.

HO Scale 53' Husky Stack Well Cars

The Rapido 53' Husky Stack Well Car features a new die-cast body, injection molded end handrails and brake detail and a combination of etched and plastic walkways. The new diecast body allows for MORE see-through walkway madness. The trucks are free-rolling 70-ton, which have separate brake shoe detailing. This is one sturdy, yet highly detailed car.

We're offering a total of nine different car numbers for most of these cars. If you want to ensure you get all nine, you need to order the 3-pack of single cars with containers, and the 6-pack of cars without containers.

Check out the schemes below.

Check out the sales catalog below, in PDF form.

Please order your HO Scale 53' Husky Stack Well Cars today!

N Scale Rohr Turboliner

The RTL Turboliner is one popular trainset and what better way to celebrate it than by making it in N Scale! Stylish, compact and trendy. And now we a have solid pre-order deadline: June 15th, 2023. We have finally received our first samples, and we have a video to prove it! Click here or the photo above to watch.

Here's 4/5ths of the train. Early samples are subject to revision.

A side view of the coach.

Full interiors!

Remember, this is N scale. The detail is insane!

Here's the Rohr Turboliner sales catalog. It has everything you need to know when ordering your set(s)! Click the photo below to open the PDF.

We'll be ready for the N Scale RTL Turboliner order deadline. The question is, will you?

(Ed.: These are selling like hotcakes. Thanks, N scalers!)

N Scale Wide Vision Caboose!

So soon? Yes, the Rapido N Scale Wide Vision Caboose will close out pre-orders in a month, on June 15th, 2023. If you haven't seen the video, click here or the photo above.

Did we mention we have brand-new samples? Check them out below. Then, let's take a quick peek at the schemes.

Gorgeous looking model!

Please ignore the crooked stack. This sample just arrived today!

Lots of details, including a crooked stack!

The end view.

And of course the underbody details.

Check out the two catalogs for the wide vision caboose below. The normal catalog is on the left and the CSX version ion the right.

The N Scale Wide Vision Caboose will meet its pre-order deadline on June 15th. The tooling is finished for these, which means we'll be able to shoot them right into production!

N Scale Barrel Ore Hopper

The Barrel Ore Hoppers now have a final pre-order deadline: June 15th, 2023. So, this means we need to examine these cars quickly this month, before we close out the ordering period. Watch the video here.

The RMGX cars. Photo courtesy Ted Curphey.

Here is a graphic showing the list of schemes being done. Don't forget the three US variants. These black cars will be quietly canceled if we don't get more orders for them. We're not extending the deadline again, so please place your orders ASAP!

Don't forget, we also offer the long and short cars in undecorated form. Be sure to check them out and all of the other schemes by clicking the photo of the catalogue below!

Please order your N Scale Barrel Ore Hopper today!

Second Section - May 2023

Lots of new photos, arrivals and future shows! Here comes the Second Section for May 2023. Off we go!

Pennsylvania Railroad Technical & Historical Society Convention

May 18th to the 20th

For those PRRT&HS members, come join John Frantz during the convention and check out some of the new samples he'll have out and on display.

Northeast Railroad Prototype Modelers Meet - June 16th-17th, 2023

Come on out to the annual NERPM meet and see our samples that we'll have on display 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 will also be giving a clinic!