Rapido Trains hosted a dealer open house at the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat on Monday, Oct. 16, 2023 in Essex, Conn. During the event, the manufacturer unveiled several new HO scale products. Here’s a rundown of some of the items announced.
Locomotives
Electro-Motive Division SD7, SD9, and SD10 diesel locomotives were among the six new HO models announced by Rapido Trains. The SD7 will be available decorated for Bessemer & Lake Erie, Denver & Rio Grande Western (“Bumble Bee” scheme), EMD Demonstrator, and Southern Pacific (black widow scheme with orange lettering and traditional black widow).
Paint schemes on the SD9 will include Burlington Northern; Chicago, Burlington & Quincy (red with white and yellow frames); and Chicago & North Western (low short hood).
The SD10 will be offered in Milwaukee Road paint. Conditional releases on the Milwaukee Road rebuild are Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern and Soo Line (“bandit” scheme).
The models will feature railroad-specific details and weights in the fuel tanks. Direct-current models will be priced at $239.95. Sound-equipped models will sell for $349.95.
Freight cars
A 1937 Association of American Railroads boxcar was one of three transition-era freight cars announced at the dealer open house. Rapido will be tooling four ends, three roofs and sides, four ladder sets, two doors, and more for the model.
Boxcars with square corner ends will be decorated for Chesapeake & Ohio, Soo Line, Southern Ry., Southern Pacific, and Western Pacific. Models with round corner ends will be painted for Delaware, Lackawanna & Western; Erie; Minneapolis & St. Louis; Monon; New York, New Haven & Hartford; Nickel Plate Road; New York Central; and Seaboard Air Line.
Canadian National cars will be available with NSC-2 ends, and Canadian Pacific models will have CP 5/5 ends.
Enterprise covered hoppers will also be joining the Rapido HO scale lineup. Paint schemes will include Canadian National, Canada Southern, GFCX, MGSX, New York Central, and Penn Central.
Wrapping up the freight car announcements were Pennsylvania RR class H21A and H21E four-bay hoppers. Class H21A versions will include circle keystone (K brakes), 1930+; circle keystone (AB brakes), 1935+; circle keystone and “Coal Goes to War” slogan, 1941+; shadow keystone, 1954+; and black with plain keystone, 1961+. H21E variations include circle keystone, 1948+, shadow keystone, 1954+, and black with plain keystone, 1961+
All three freight cars will be priced at $54.95 (single), $164.85 (three-pack), and $329.70 (six-pack).
Passenger equipment
A Northern Pacific Day-Nite lightweight coach caught the attention of passenger modelers. The model is a conditional release, meaning minimum order quantities must be met for the car to be produced. Paint schemes will include NP (Loewy and Steamline schemes) and NP/Chicago, Burlington & Quincy (Loewy scheme). The car has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $129.95. Orders placed before Jan. 15, 2024 will get a 5% pre-order discount.
Comet commuter cars, scheduled for release this year, will be available decorated for Connecticut Department of Transportation (delivery and late schemes), Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (delivery scheme), Maryland Area Rail Commuter, Metro North Commuter RR, Metropolitan Transport Agency (Montreal, late scheme), and Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (late scheme). Painted but unlettered models will also be available.
Yes, disappointed that Rapido shut out N scalers this go round. Was hoping there would be an EP5 McGuinness “Jet” in N scale in the pipeline, to go with our FL9s. Also would like to see more N Comet cars. That they omitted NJT in the array of roadnames
for the HO Comets does not bode well for seeing NJT again, which is too bad. I want to be able to root for them but I fear the HO side has won full control over development. I hope that is not true. Broadway Limited Imports at least usually, eventually, does an N scale version of their HO releases, at least better than most manufacturers. Was surprised and relieved that they are doing a new release of the PRR M1s.
Would love to see these in N!