EMD/GMDD SW9s
HO – Produced by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors from November 1950 through December 1953, nearly 800 SW9s were built for 69 different railroads (industrial, short lines and Class I roads) in the United States. North of the border, GMDD produced another 29 SW9s for Canadian National and Canadian Pacific. Now in stores are EMD/GMDD SW9s from Rapido Trains for Santa Fe, Boston & Maine, Canadian Pacific (block lettering), Erie Lackawanna, Illinois Central (black), Louisville & Nashville (gray), Canadian National (black), New York Central (as-delivered), Union Pacific and two unlettered generic liveries in red or yellow/black. Each Rapido SW9 features road-specific details, full LED lighting including illuminated beacons and warning lights where appropriate, a highly detailed cab interior, Mo-Power capacitor circuit and a precision drive mechanism with a heavy diecast frame. DC/Silent SW9s carry a suggested $239.95 MSRP, while DC+DCC+Sound SW9s with Loksound 5 Sound decoders have a $349.95 MSRP. Available now at your favorite hobby retailer.
Trenton Works 6348 CN Boxcars and more
HO – Like automobiles, each succeeding generation of railroad freight cars seem to grow larger with every new design. Between November 1993 and February 1994, Trenton Works delivered 300 combination-door boxcars measuring 60 feet long with a maximum capacity of 6,348 square feet to the Canadian National. Initially assigned to haul specialty lumber products, these big all-purpose cars later found their way into general merchandise service as well. Now available from Rapido Trains are highly-detailed replicas of these CN 6348 boxcars in four different liveries – Canadian National – as-delivered, CN with conspicuity stripes, CN website scheme and a whimsical yet realistic looking ROLX “Railroad of Lies” patched ex-CN scheme. Each car features peaked overhanging “Redi Roofs”, correct handbrake styles and housings, full underbody details, etched metal crossover platforms, semi-scale coupler boxes and draft gear and more for $54.95 each. Multiple road numbers available while supplies last.
HO – Rapido also announced that it will be producing the homebuilt wide-vision cabooses that the British Columbia Railway created at its main shops in Squamish, BC during the 1970s. These HO scale replicas will be offered in both as-built and modernized configurations in era-specific liveries with LED lighting. Additional details and pricing TBA.
VIA Rail F40PH-2Ds
N – The GMDD F40PH-2 has been the face of Canadian passenger trains since the mid-1980s. In 2010, all 52 remaining VIA F40PH-2s were rebuilt into F40PH-2Ds with a separate HEP generator mounted over the rear platform wearing VIA’s splashy new Renaissance livery. Now available from Rapido Trains is its latest production of VIA F40PH-2s in VIA’s as-delivered paint and F40PH-2Ds in the Renaissance scheme for N scale. Additional liveries include Operation Lifesaver (VIA F40PH-2 6411), and F40PH-2Ds in the Kool-Aid wrap, Home Hardware wrap, Telus wrap and VIA’s “Love the Way” wrap. Each locomotive features working headlights, ditch lights and numberboards, separate grab irons and handrails, a full suite of underbody details and specific carbody details for each version. DC/DCC-ready silent F40s are $159.95 MSRP each while DC+DCC+Sound F40s with ESU Loksound 5 decoders and Mo-Power keep-alive circuitry carry a $269.95 MSRP. Available now while supplies last.
Rapido Trains, 500 Alden Road, Unit 21 Markham, Ontario L3R 5H5, Canada;1-855-572-6917; www.rapidotrains.com
