Rapido Newsletter Vol. 187
©2024 Rapido Trains Inc.
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Dear Rapido Customer,
The summer's heating up with hot order deadlines. We've got updates on multiple projects and new videos fresh off the grill!
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In this 187th issue...
- Stop The Presses! — CNR H-6-d/g Update
- Rapido and Me — Customer Photo Submissions
- Warranty Emails Wall of Silence
- We're Hiring!
- July 18th Order Deadlines
- August 15th Order Deadlines
Also other announcements...
- New Videos
- Upcoming Shows
- Product Updates
- The Train in My Basement: Growing Up Around VIA — 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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STOP THE PRESSES!
Let's Goooooooooo!!!!!
Our CNR H-6-d/g Ten-wheeler Locomotive is moving forward! Thank you to everyone who placed their preorder so far in advance. Keep getting your orders in and stay tuned for more updates as this project moves along.
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STOP THE PRESSES #2!
Oooooh.. Uggggh. Drooooool.
(That was Jason, by the way. I couldn't give a flying fadoo about some foreign underground train I never rode...)
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Rapido and Me — Customer Photo Submissions
Friends, we'd love to see photos of your Rapido models in action! This can be on your layout, at the club, on a module or diorama, on your kitchen table or even on your rug! We aren't picky; we just want to see your models any place, any situation, boxed or unboxed. Send them to us at trains@rapidotrains.com or tag us on social media.
Thanks to Nat for the brilliant graphic, inspired by something she and I know nothing about but all the Gen Xers will apparently get excited by. Whatever. Ask Jason.
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Vic Yoder's beautifully weathered Rapido F40PH | |
Warranty Emails: Did We Accidentally Ignore You?
Due to a technical problem, we lost some of our warranty emails. If you have not received any personal reply to your warranty submission and it's been a few days, please reach out to us again.
Please use our Warranty Request Form.
Sorry about this! It's annoying when stuff like this happens.
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Job Description – Model Train Artwork Dude/Dudette
Rapido is looking for a full-time artwork person to join our ever-growing team!
The perfect candidate will have a strong proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and experience doing artworks for trains; things that are train-ish like buses; or other forms of transportation that require artwork more complicated than those two tiny stripes on a 1985 Oldsmobile 98.
- Create railroad prototype artwork based on photos and research
- Be willing to do artwork for projects you care nothing about. We are not making an RSC-24 locomotive. Stop asking. You have to draw this 1980s boxcar art instead.
- Work with the Project Managers to gather prototype information so that artwork is as accurate as possible
- Able to communicate with and understand industry language. That is a “truck.” This is a “coupler.” If you think we’re talking about road haulage and plumbing, you probably shouldn’t apply. It will take way too long to train you and we’re hiring you because we’re really busy.
- Work with flattened line art files from designers to create artwork templates
- Be legally allowed to come to Canada if you're not already here
- Following on from that, you must be able to shower regularly so you don’t stink up the place when you visit. If you have a problem with this, don’t apply.
- Be able to think 3-dimensionally while working in a 2D environment
- Be able to think 1-dimensionally while working in a 0D environment
- Be able to read and interpret exploded parts diagrams
- Open to artwork criticism and be able to efficiently implement changes
- Not be a primadonna. If one fellow Rapido employee tells you the font is too thick, you can be skeptical. If two Rapido employees tell you the font is too thick, you should consider changing it. By the time three Rapido employees have told you to stop arguing and fix the farkachte font, you’ve been fired already.
- Understand that matching prototype imagery is the main focus of the art that Rapido needs. The shade of orange you chose may be “more beautiful,” but it is still wrong.
- Provide creative options for other Rapido-related needs when requested
- Create and adhere to artwork standards and templates set by Rapido Trains
- Be able to work to deadlines. This is actually very important and if you’re really good at it you can teach the rest of us how to do it.
- Work on page layouts such as user manuals and instruction sheets
- Be able to create, edit and work with PDF files
- One of the above points is not physically possible. If you didn’t realize that, don’t apply.
Required Skills:
- Expertise in Adobe Creative Suite is a strong preference
- Must be an expert in Adobe Illustrator and InDesign
- Adobe Photoshop skills are a plus
- Must work on multiple, on-going projects at the same time with the ability to prioritize the work load
- Must be organized and detail oriented
- Must not be a swordfish
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- HO Scale PFE R-40-27 and -28 Reefer
- HO Scale Enterprise Covered Hopper
- HO Scale Procor GP-20 Tank Car
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HO Scale PFE R-40-27 and -28 Reefer
It's almost time to put the HO Scale PFE R-40-27 and -28 Reefer to bed. But before then, let's take one more look at it. Check out the video above, and below we have two new samples showing off the newly redesigned roofwalk brackets. They are now more accurate than before!
| Check out the more prototypical brackets on the roofwalks. | Here are the schemes for the HO Scale PFE R-40 Reefer. Remember, they might all be yellowish, but they each have unique billboard style logos and wordmarks. | These cars traveled all throughout North America, up until the early 1980s. That means if you need them, you'll need them in quantity! Click the first button to check out the catalog, and the one below it takes you to our fancy website. | |
HO Scale Enterprise Covered Hopper
After a bit of a wait, the HO Scale Enterprise Covered Hopper will finally get a slot at the factory. But there's a few days left to order! Make sure to mark down July 18th as the order deadline day.
Until then check out the new video by clicking here or on the image above. Also check out the sample photos below.
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Another note regarding the NYC Enterprise Hoppers, we have retooled the roof hatches to match those on the prototype cars. The sample didn't arrive in time (thanks Speedy Delivery...) for the newsletter, but above is the CAD graphic which shows the changes. We also upgraded the end cage ladders to wire rather than plastic. | |
Please note: This is a hand-painted, pre-production sample. | |
Rapido is offering correct versions of both the New York Central Lot 747H cars and CN’s home-built versions. Note in the photo above the new wire grab irons mentioned above. These greatly improve the look on the ends and sides (especially the ladders)! We're quite happy with how these improvements have turned out.
Now, check out the many schemes below. Please note: on the re-launch, we added Revere Sugar.
| We know it's the middle of the summer, but please place your orders by the deadline so we can get these into production for a winter delivery. | |
HO Scale Procor GP20 Tank Cars
The time has come, tank car aficionados. July 18th is almost here, and that means we need to start wrapping things up for the HO Scale Procor GP20 Tank Car. Let's start by taking a look at the new video above. Jeremy highlights all the cool stuff that is on this run. Click here or on the image above to watch.
When you're back, check out the schemes for this car below. Lots of colourful billboard-style schemes, including the popular Safety-Kleen yellow, which will look great in any consist!
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Check out the catalogue by clicking on the button below. But if you're ready to order the tank cars, click the bottom button to be whisked away to our website.
By the way, if you are looking for new numbers for the cars we produced back in 2021, we are working on that. Stay tuned for another announcement...
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- HO Scale Southern Pacific Dome Lounge Car
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Photo courtesy Bob Zenk, who really likes the cars! |
HO Scale Southern Pacific Dome Lounge Car
We're just about one month away from the HO Scale Southern Pacific Dome Lounge Car order deadline on August 15th. We couldn't be more excited as this is one unique passenger car that has a plethora of detail and design work. But we have a surprise for you! New pre-production samples have arrived and they look excellent! Our friend Bob Zenk (who is helping with the project) photographed his samples for us. Also, Jordan photographed the samples while on board the California Zephyr in Utah and Colorado!
| Check out this photo taken by Jordan of the SP Dome Lounges traveling on the California Zephyr! | The Zephyr is where these cars originally ran, albeit not with Superliners! | The interior detailing is second-to-none. Check out the stair railing and the seat and table details. Note: The lighting conduit and AC ducts have yet to be installed. | This is the fluted version. Those Waukesha propane tank covers look amazing. | Underbody details! Note the Genemotor linkages as well as that signature ribbed undercarriage. | Here's one of the smoothside versions. |
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.
Now, let's check out those fascinating schemes being offered.
| 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! | |
New Video — HO Scale FA and FB-1 Locomotives
Come along and watch our latest video about the FA and FB-1 Locomotives with Jordan! You'll see all of the neat features these have to offer. You'll also see our new layout room, which is coming together nicely. Click here or on the image above to watch.
These models are shipping now, so order today!
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New Video — HO Scale GP38 Locomotives
Here's our latest HO Scale GP38 video, featuring all of the neat bells and whistles these locomotives come with. In fact if you look at the photo above, you'll note the Conrail GP38 IS OFF the rails and still powered! That's the magic of MoPower. Click here or on the image above to watch.
It's been a long wait, but all of our first release roadnames are in transit now. Stay tuned for updates; these models will be arriving next month!
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New Video — HO Scale Ballast Hoppers
Here comes the video for the HO Scale Ballast Hoppers! These cars look great and the video will show you all of the neat details they have. Check it out by clicking here or on the link above.
We should also mention the Ballast Hoppers will be in your hands very shortly as they are shipping now!
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St. Louis Railroad Prototype Modelers Meet
On July 19th and the 20th, we'll be attending the St. Louis RPM, held annually in Collinsville, Illinois. We're looking forward to this, since we'll have our latest samples on display and be able to answer your questions. Come prepared with your questions and greet Larry, Curly and Moe...er, we mean Dan, Ted and Jeff. See you in the Gateway City in July!
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Tooling, Shipping and Arrival Updates
LOTS of new items are arriving soon!
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The New Haven McGinnis FA-1 above and the Erie and L&NE below. | |
Check out the NSC Ballast Hoppers — They're here! | |
Those Well Cars sure look swell. | The CN 5304 Boxcars look superb. Note the Expo 86 logo! | |
Here's the brand-new Conrail GP38. Check out all of the details! Please note, the blue is not quite as pictured. It will be a much more saturated blue in-person. | |
That blue looks great and below, you can even see a CN train passing by behind our office. | Those Caltrain Baby bullets are going to be great! | ACE above and Utah FrontRunner below. | |
The Budd Gallery cars are looking great! Check out those seats. | |
The Train in My Basement: Growing Up Around VIA
By Boaz Shron
One of my earliest memories is from when I was four years old. Some family friends had invited us over for lunch. When we arrived, I asked our hosts if I could see the train in their basement. To my acute disappointment, I was informed that no such train existed in their basement.
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The train in my basement, in case anyone wasn’t sure what I was talking about. | In my young mind, every house came with a full-size blue-and-yellow VIA coach in its basement, and these people just decided to be boring and get rid of theirs. No doubt in favour of such mundane amenities as a video game console or a ping pong table. Only when my dad started getting substantial media attention for his creation, in the fall of 2012, did I realize how extraordinary the train in our basement really was. | Here I am with my dad, on our way to Washago in a HEP1 coach on the Canadian. We took ONR back. | When my friends ask me how I got into trains, I can only answer that I was born into them. My first train ride was to Niagara Falls with VIA Rail, on the Glen Fraser, when I was only six weeks old. Because I’ve grown up around VIA trains my whole life, they hold a special place in my heart, particularly those VIA trains that I take to see family. | My sister and I are very happy on the train to visit Auntie Sarah. | My second-favourite VIA route in the entire network is the Toronto-Montréal service, because I used to take that train with my dad and my sister to visit my great-great-aunt Sarah in Montréal. She passed away when I was five, but we were so close that I remember her visits like they happened yesterday. Every time I get on the train to Montréal, I still feel the anticipation of going to see her. | Hard at work in the Park Car dome on my way to Winnipeg. | And my favourite route in the VIA Rail network? The Canadian from Toronto to Winnipeg. We take that train twice each year to visit my mom’s family, who all live in Winnipeg. The train itself is a wonderful experience every time; thanks to the panoramic views from the Skyline and my Canadian Trackside Guide, I have memorized every tree, rock and lake from here to Winnipeg Union Station. On my most recent trip, I was the only person in the Skyline who recognized the bridge over the Little Jackfish river (about 30 miles east of Armstrong). This includes the attendant! | I’ve always enjoyed the food in the dining car, even the specially-ordered kosher meals. | Back when my dad, my sister, and I were the only ones taking the Canadian, and VIA had not yet introduced Prestige Class service, we would reserve the drawing room in the Park Car. I loved that room because it was just steps away from the front two seats in the Park Car dome; my favourite seats on the entire train. The old Park Cars with the denim-blue upholstery were an enjoyable ride, even if the seats started to feel like plywood after a while. | Taking in the sights with my sister in the wonderful Park Car dome. | When my brother came around, we would reserve rooms E and F in the Manor sleepers. F is the biggest room in the Manor, and the adjoining wall between E and F can be removed, creating accommodations for four people. On the downside, when I would wake up at six in the morning and open the window to watch the scenery go by, I would inadvertently wake up my brother on the other bottom bunk. Once my mom started taking the train with us, I was upgraded to my own roomette! Very exciting. | Everyone in the family was excited to be back in Hornepayne on Train #2! | On every journey on the Canadian, I’ve sat in the dining car with interesting new people who have exciting new stories to share. I’ve bought candy and snacks from the inimitable G & L Variety Store in Hornepayne, Ontario, a distinction I believe I only share with other passengers of the Canadian and the good people of Hornepayne itself. | Here I am with my siblings after we stocked up on snacks. | But the train’s meaning to me is as exciting as the trip itself: with every milepost passed, I am one mile closer to seeing my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, all of whom I haven’t seen in any number of months. For me, trains like the Canadian represent family, togetherness and love. |
It’s always great to visit my family in Winnipeg, not least because of this view.
Here we are on the way to Jasper and Vancouver.
| My friends would often tell me when they were going to Ottawa or Montréal with their families. When I asked them if they were taking the train, the answer was invariably “No, we’re driving.” It bothered me that most people of my generation, and their families, don’t even think about the train as an option when travelling short- or medium-distance routes. I understand the reluctance to pile the whole family into a Manor sleeper bedroom for 36 hours with no cell service, but taking the train for four or five hours is always more enjoyable than driving for the same length of time. | Introducing my friend Greg to the joys of VIA Corridor service. Here we are off to Kingston. | I hope that people my age and younger will get the chance to enjoy the Minebuster-level shakiness of HEP-2 cars, the “ginger-ale, ginger-ale, ginger-ale” idling of the P42, and the excitement of watching the world fly by from an LRC window before it’s too late. | I’m so lucky that I got the chance to ride the old Amtrak Cascades equipment before they were retired. | And for those exceptional kids today who are able to sit still, I hope they get a chance to take sleeper trains like I did. Seeing Canada up close, in 360 degrees, from a Skyline dome, is an experience that not even IMAX can match. | Skyline domes have other uses, too, such as the cardboard train mainline in the aisle. | You would think that so much exposure to trains throughout my life would dull the excitement that comes with taking trains. In reality, the fact that I grew up around trains only adds to the thrill of every new rail journey. | Here I am looking very impressed at the size of the Chateau sleeper that I had just taken to Gaspé. | A big part of this has to do with my dad. From that first trip to Niagara Falls, through the many rides on the old Chaleur train to Gaspé, and right up to our recent train travels in Europe, my dad has made every train trip more special. He would bring cardboard trains for me to play with, he would look out the window with me for hours, and he would even get us permission to ride in the cab every now and then. | My dad has made every train trip more special, from the very beginning. |
Growing up around trains has brought many wonderful things to my life, but none is more important than the close relationship I share with my dad. Both physically and emotionally, trains bring people together.
Boaz
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That's all for this week. Excellent story, Boaz. We'll be keeping you around for a while!
We know this was a long newsletter, but it was packed with lots of great updates and photos. We'll see you next week with some new product announcements, including N SCALE!!!!!
Bobby Allard
Chief Newsletter Officer
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Canada: 500 Alden Road, Unit 21, Markham, ON L3R 5H5
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