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Post by rapidotrains on Mar 25, 2019 12:49:55 GMT -8
Ordered some gondolas! A nice variety of schemes to complement the ones I have from the previous run. Particularly like the modern OCS schemes in CP. Looking forward to another run of 3800s! Thanks! We've retooled the 3800s as a "flat pack" kit assembled at the factory. We're getting rid of any chance of banana-effect. -Jason
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Post by rapidotrains on Mar 25, 2019 6:44:28 GMT -8
Will the B36-7's have the New Loksound V5 decoder? Yes. All of our models have the V5 because ESU has stopped making the V4. In fact, they stopped midway through RDC production so three roadnames got V5s. -Jason
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Post by rapidotrains on Mar 24, 2019 14:35:33 GMT -8
I bought my first pair of bellbottoms in 1990, and I've been wearing them ever since. It's fascinating seeing how acceptance has changed in 30 years. When I would ride the streetcar in bellbottoms in the early 1990s, people would actually point and laugh. -Jason Interesting. When I've gone shopping for jeans during the past 30 years, I don't recall even seeing bell bottoms for sale, especially in the 1990's, and I've bounced around between Houston TX, Bloomington IN, Rochester NY, Syracuse NY and the national capitol region. But it's hard not to notice that some fashion trends sometimes recycle. As teen it was pretty normal to wear flares and bell bottoms until they went out of fashion by around 1976 or so and they were no longer sold in the stores, so even if you did want them, they were basically not sold anymore. Probably for the past 10-15 years I've been living in cave as far as fashion trends go so was surprised when my wife told me bell bottoms were making a comeback. Perhaps Canada was way way ahead here if you could buy them in the early 1990's. Cheers, Jim I used to buy them at vintage clothing stores in Kensington Market and Queen West, downtown Toronto. That was when "vintage" meant 1950s-1970s. Now "vintage" means last Tuesday. Today I get them all brand new from the UK. There are a couple of brands that are actually made in the UK. Usually they fit fine. But occasionally I order a dud. A pair of green cords arrived last week that were clearly designed to show off most of my underwear. I've emailed the store asking for something G rated. -Jason
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Post by rapidotrains on Mar 24, 2019 13:40:35 GMT -8
Being the neo-maxi zoom dweebie that I am, I appreciate that. -Jason Saturday March 24, 1984. Shermer High School, Shermer, Illinois 60062 Dear Mr. Vernon... I can't believe someone got that.....
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Post by rapidotrains on Mar 24, 2019 6:01:53 GMT -8
Jason, is that a pair of bell bottom jeans you are wearing (didn't read the caption at first)? I havent had any since the mid 1970s! Blast from past. Showed the photo to my wife she says they are back in style so I see you are keeping up with the latest retro styles! thanks I bought my first pair of bellbottoms in 1990, and I've been wearing them ever since. It's fascinating seeing how acceptance has changed in 30 years. When I would ride the streetcar in bellbottoms in the early 1990s, people would actually point and laugh. Now nobody bats an eye. We as a people have become more tolerant of people expressing themselves in unique ways. Being the neo-maxi zoom dweebie that I am, I appreciate that. -Jason
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Post by rapidotrains on Mar 24, 2019 5:59:02 GMT -8
Talking trucks, are the Barber 125 ton ones likely to be available separately? If so I’ll stop CADing That is indeed the plan! -Jason
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Post by rapidotrains on Mar 23, 2019 19:11:50 GMT -8
. Well, yeah, ‘cept for the white hair/dust/string under the springs down to the ballast, eh?! It's a VERY TALL WEED.
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Post by rapidotrains on Mar 23, 2019 18:42:33 GMT -8
Hi all, The latest Rapido News is online. In this issue: - Final, final RS-11 order deadline is April 1st - New freight cars - Rapido is hiring! - Factory updates - More stuff You can read it here: conta.cc/2JyE2UJ Thanks for reading! -Jason
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Post by rapidotrains on Feb 27, 2019 12:22:13 GMT -8
Hi all, The samples are in - and the RS-11 now has a cab that is the correct height! This new tooling is worth the investment as we did not want to have an "almost-accurate" RS-11 model but an "actually-accurate" RS-11 model. The new order deadline is April 1st. You can read more about it here: www.rapidotrains.com/ho-alco-rs11/You can order from your favorite hobby shop or direct. Photos comparing the old and new cabs below. -Jason
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Post by rapidotrains on Feb 3, 2019 19:35:53 GMT -8
Check the Rapido website. Lehigh Valley RS-11The LV units do not appear to be sold through ARHS, the information says "Proceeds benefit the Anthracite Railroads Historical Society, Inc." That may be why you could not find anything on the ARHS website or FB page (although you would think they would at least be promoting the model). You should be able to reserve/order the model through your usual sources. (Jason, please correct me if I'm mistaken.) Almost 100% correct. The only caveat is that dealers need to order them directly from us rather than from their distributors so we can afford to make the ARHS donation. But we give wholesale discounts too! -Jason
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Post by rapidotrains on Feb 3, 2019 6:43:10 GMT -8
Have to say I was disappointed in the choice to add Lehigh Valley red RS11s as an AHRS exclusive. I tried to buy one of their exclusive pieces previously and got absolutely nowhere, it wasn't listed on their site and their facebook page was useless trying to find out how to buy the parts I wanted. So I have very low confidence in spending the money for one of these through them. If they were just a regular run item I'd pre-order a couple and be done with it. I presume since they're being done this way it will be a long time if ever before they appear as a regular run piece. I never got any answer back on messages to Rapido whether Tuscan units in 7600 numbers with the large numerals to reflect the appearance of units after about 1971 would be run, either. The 8600s being initially offered are only good for about three years and given how slow other engines I've had for that period have been to sell, I didn't put in for any of these. That other maker that does a model of these, the LV units that bring the most on eBay, are the two 7600s that are good for late LV (one of them didn't even get patched until at least 15 months of Conrail, at that). So it would seem that's where the demand is. I'm not sure why you are having trouble buying the LV units. Just send us an email through our web site, or you can reach the orders desk directly by emailing orders AT rapidotrains.com. If you did and nobody got back to you, I will chase that up. Roslyn has been off sick for the last two weeks so it's taking a bit longer to get back to people. If you sent us a message through social media, it's not a reliable means of contacting us. Please send an email. We don't have an answer about whether we will run other LV units as we honestly don't know. Depending on how the final sales fall, we can do more LV units later. We plan to do several runs of RS-11s and we're just getting started. It's not a one-trick pony. -Jason
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Post by rapidotrains on Feb 2, 2019 16:16:52 GMT -8
Hi all, The latest Rapido News is now online. Subscribers got it on Friday. It is free to subscribe! In this issue (#108): - B36-7 order deadline (February 11th) and video - Flexi-Flo info - Product updates - EP-5 samples, N 8600, FA-2/FB-2 etc. - Delivery updates and show appearances - Our very own Product of the Year Poll! We're particularly proud of the poll. It will shake our hobby to its core..... or not. Here it is: conta.cc/2D3B18m Thanks for reading, Jason
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Post by rapidotrains on Jan 25, 2019 6:34:33 GMT -8
Thanks for the positive feedback, everyone. It's nice to have something for all you modern freight guys finally.
-Jason
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Post by rapidotrains on Jan 24, 2019 16:14:04 GMT -8
Hi all, Gareth and Josh recorded a new video of our two B36-7 samples on the North American Prototype Modelers layout in Milwaukee. The video also features spotting differences on three other units. You can watch it here: The order deadline is February 11th. If you haven't ordered yet, full info can be found here: www.rapidotrains.com/ho-ge-b36-7/Thanks for watching, Jason
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Post by rapidotrains on Jan 11, 2019 13:41:21 GMT -8
Hi guys, Dan D. painted up yet another sample of our B36-7 locomotive. The tooling is about 98% finished and production begins in the spring. Gareth and Josh have this sample with them in the States and will be filming a video this weekend. We hope to have it on The YouTube next week. Full information can be found here: www.rapidotrains.com/ho-ge-b36-7/I'm not sure what Gareth's connectivity is this weekend so if you have any questions it may be a while before he answers. The rotary beacon really works. Mohan devised a way to get it to "rotate", or at least look like it does. -Jason
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Post by rapidotrains on Jan 11, 2019 12:38:10 GMT -8
I'm a passenger modeller. It's #5s or reasonable facsimiles for me. I don't see myself changing any time soon, though I do like the looks of the 158s.
I would have liked your poll to include "#5 compatible metal couplers" as that is what Rapido uses. We don't use "cheap plastic clones."
It is much cheaper for our customers to buy their own Kadees in bulk and install them on our models, so we leave it to them to swap the couplers. And then they can use whatever type they want.
Some people get really riled up about the fact that we don't install the particular type of Kadee coupler that they want - and trust me, they don't all want 158s. I never quite understood why until I asked a number of our hobby shops. The reason some people really don't like to swap couplers is that they can't. They lack the skill, the confidence or the ability due to arthritis etc.
-Jason
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Post by rapidotrains on Dec 28, 2018 10:22:28 GMT -8
Thank you for supporting us builders, we totally appreciate it despite what you may see and read out there. :-) -Ryan It's our pleasure, Ryan. We will never forget our roots. Most of us at Rapido are hardcore modellers. Bill is at this moment building a very, erm, interesting resin kit. I'll be stuck in track and scenery for the next five years or more.... -Jason
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Post by rapidotrains on Dec 27, 2018 19:30:45 GMT -8
No Undec SP version SW1200? - Do the regular (AAR) undecs include friction and roller sideframes? - Do they have MU and non MU end handrails? - Will (all appropriate) have the correct, upper loop style cut bars, that NOBODY has made in HO scale, yet almost every switcher has? And on another subject - Maybe its the angle of the photo, but the ground lights on that RS11/18 look horrifically out of scale. Undecorated models represent about 0.5% of our sales. We will look into what optional bits we can include, with the aim to include as much as possible within reason. I can't answer more as I'm not the project manager. Similarly, for the cut bar question, I would have to ask Dan in January. The office is closed for the holidays and he is not on this forum. Our goal is always to make an accurate model, unless there is no possible way to inject or stamp the part accurately. We are limited by our material processes. The RS11/18 ground light is not horrifically out of scale. It is 2" wider than the prototype, which to us is an acceptable compromise to get it to operate. -Jason
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Post by rapidotrains on Dec 26, 2018 14:42:49 GMT -8
Hi all, The latest Rapido News is now online. conta.cc/2EOr3dNNew steam and diesel as well as more info from the factory. Thanks for reading, Jason
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Post by rapidotrains on Dec 23, 2018 17:34:29 GMT -8
I'm not really sure what the arrest of a cell phone company executive has to do with any delays of model train imports. Partially because it has escalated from that arrest to also now China detaining 2 Canadians Thankfully I made it home without being arrested... -Jason
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Post by rapidotrains on Nov 22, 2018 14:39:54 GMT -8
I am in a tiny hotel room at Heathrow. We expect to have proper samples of the EP-5 with bodged-together pantographs at Springfield. We haven't tooled the pantographs yet.
-Jason
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Post by rapidotrains on Nov 20, 2018 16:54:55 GMT -8
Hi all, The latest Rapido news is online. It contains: - new "VIA 40th" F40 locomotives - new LV Cornell Red RS-11s - a bunch of other stuff It can be found here: conta.cc/2R4KLp2Thanks for reading, Jason
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Post by rapidotrains on Nov 20, 2018 11:57:20 GMT -8
Agreed, the M420 seems like a natural for Rapido. If VIA had owned any, I'm sure they'd have done it by now! Only if VIA ran it out of Toronto in 1980.... My layout: www.facebook.com/KingstonSub/-Jason
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Post by rapidotrains on Nov 17, 2018 19:22:49 GMT -8
Does this include the Cornell red units for the ARHS? No. We're making extras of those. We will sell them until they are sold out. -Jason
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Post by rapidotrains on Nov 17, 2018 15:24:56 GMT -8
Hi all, We have a big order deadline coming this week. Please get your orders in with your dealer by Tuesday. If you are late to the game you can order direct from us until the 29th. Numbers go to the factory on November 30th. The products are the RS-11, HO scale RS-18 and awesomest, beautifulest, dearest-to-my-heart Tempo train. Not that I am biased mind you. Here's the landing page for all of the products: www.rapidotrains.com/upcoming-order-deadlines/"]https://www.rapidotrains.com/upcoming-order-deadlines/]https://www.rapidotrains.com/upcoming-order-deadlines/ Thanks to everyone who places an order! Best regards, Jason
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Post by rapidotrains on Nov 14, 2018 12:51:29 GMT -8
I already ordered two of the SPs. I am impressed with Rapido's attention to detail and their response to consumer input about improving their product. I ordered 4, I hope the UDE lights can be fixed too. Compared to a new cab, that's an easy fix... -Jason
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Post by rapidotrains on Nov 13, 2018 12:26:57 GMT -8
I can echo Gareth's comments. NP is definitely in the next batch.
-Jason
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Post by rapidotrains on Nov 13, 2018 8:03:50 GMT -8
Here's a quick look at the cab height: No difference that I can see between US and CA roads. At this point we don't know if the cab height or the hood height is off. We came to the same conclusion. It's definitely the RS-11 cab - all of them. The prototype is 3-4" lower than the RS-18, and the curve radius is different. The hood is the correct height. We traced the 3D scan and verified using field measurements. We are remaking the RS-11 cab. -Jason
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Post by rapidotrains on Nov 11, 2018 8:24:43 GMT -8
When Dan is back from Trainfest we will examine the cab roof vs. the 3D scans and field measurements. If we have to fix the RS-11 cab before production, we will. A "pre-production model" means it is not yet finished. Those who know Rapido products and history know that we don't just brush off valid concerns. And Stephen, if you really think our RS-11 video was the "worst video ever," then I have to wonder if you're ever watched YouTube before... -Jason
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Post by rapidotrains on Nov 10, 2018 18:55:23 GMT -8
Hi guys, While Jordan, Dan and Josh were off to Trainfest fun, I was stuck here editing the RS-11 video. And here it is: The order deadline is November 19th. Full info is here: www.rapidotrains.com/ho-alco-rs11/Thanks for watching! Jason
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