Story and Photos by Harry K. Wong
Arriving now at your dealers from Rapido Trains are Fairbanks-Morse H-16-44 locomotives and PC&F 5241/5317 cubic foot “Berlin Mills” Boxcars.
Fairbanks-Morse H-16-44 Locomotives
Between April 1950 and February 1963, Fairbanks-Morse produced 299 H-16-44 locomotives, one of F-M’s most successful locomotive designs, with examples sold to twenty different railroads in North America.
Equipped with an eight-cylinder opposed-piston prime mover rated at 1,600 horsepower, this beefy four-axle road switcher delivered 100 additional horsepower over the H-15-44, its immediate predecessor. With a production period lasting nearly fourteen years, the H-16-44 design evolved over time with a succession of externally identifiable spotting features. Rail enthusiasts have grouped these spotting features into specific production “Phases”.
Now available from Rapido Trains are highly-detailed replicas of the Phase III Fairbanks-Morse H-16-44. 165 H-16-44s were built from 1955 to 1963 from both Fairbanks-Morse and the Canadian Locomotive Works. Phase III H-16-44s are distinguished by a taller walkway and simplified short and long hoods compared to earlier models. From the outside, these locomotives looked much like their bigger brother – the H-24-66 “TrainMaster” but with 4 axles instead of 6. For this inaugural release, Rapido Trains is offering its Phase III H-16-44s with road- and era-specific details including both dynamic and non-dynamic long hoods, Dofasco or AAR trucks, steam generators where appropriate, road-specific fuel tanks, separately-applied wire handrails, full underbody conduits and piping and illuminated number boards, headlights and green and white class lights. Road names for this inaugural release include Baltimore & Ohio, Milwaukee Road, New Haven (McGinnis & Alpert schemes), Norfolk & Western, Penn Central, Virginian, Canadian Pacific (Action Red or gray/maroon with block lettering) and Canadian National (green scheme and CN wet noodle). $225 each for DC/DCC-ready units, while DC+DCC+Sound units equipped with ESU Loksound 5 are $335 each. Available now while supplies last.
Details on these Rapido H-16-44s include etched metal grilles over the radiator section housing three radiator fans inside, see-through steps, flexible rubber MU hoses, full underbody details and much more.
PC&F Flat Roof 5241/5317cf “Berlin Mills” Boxcars
Also now in stores from Rapido Trains are highly detailed replicas of PC&F Boxcars with either 5241 or 5317 cubic foot capacity most commonly known as “The Berlin Mills” car. In 1979, the Berlin Mills Railway received 399 of these cars finished in a vibrant light green, making itself the largest owner of the PC&F 5241. Additional owners include Boston & Maine with 200 cars and the Olympic Railroad (OLYR) in Washington State with 200 more cars. Distinctive for its flat roof with non-terminating ends, the model will offer three different door styles, separate wire grab irons, Rapido’s semi-scale metal knuckle couplers, full underbody detail and much more. These flat-roofed cars are also offered in a number of “patchout” schemes and repaints including Guilford, Pan Am, EEC, SLR, SNC, BKTY and undecorated. $54.95 each MSRP.
Available now from your favorite authorized dealer or direct.
The Boston & Maine Railroad received 200 of these flat-roofed PC&F Boxcars in 1979. Seen here is Rapido’s HO scale rendition of these distinctive boxcars.
Now in stores from Rapido Trains are highly detailed replicas of PC&F Boxcars with either 5241 or 5317 cubic foot capacity most commonly known as “The Berlin Mills” car. In 1979, the Berlin Mills Railway received 399 of these distinctive flat-roofed boxcars finished in a vibrant light green, making itself the largest owner of the PC&F 5241.
