A Canadian National GP9RM is now available in HO scale from Rapido Trains. The four-axle, chopped-nose diesel locomotive features a heavy die-cast metal frame, traction motor details on the gearbox, and prototype-specific details.
Prototype history
From 1981 to 1994, CN rebuilt its fleet of General Motors Diesel Ltd. GP9 locomotives for various duties at its Pointe St. Charles shops in Montreal, Quebec. By the numbers, there were 81 road switchers (4000 and 4100 series, GR-418 class), 84 switchers (7000 series, GS-418 class), 81 yard switchers (7200 series, GY-418 class), and 64 yard booster units (200 series) that were used with the 7200-series engines.
The sample we received is decorated as CN 4000. The prototype unit started life as CN 4568. It was rebuilt in September 1981 and assigned to the GR-418a class. Here’s what the class code translates to: G = General Motors Diesel Ltd., R = road switcher, 418 = 4-axle unit, 18 is the horsepower rounded to the nearest hundred, and a = order the unit came from, in this case the first.
Canadian National No. 4000 was retired on September 22, 2007. The locomotive was sold to RTEX Rail in December 2007. The following year the diesel was repainted for Dunn Roadbuilders RR in Laurel, Miss., keeping its original road number. In 2022 the GP9RM became part of the Meridian Southern Ry. fleet.
Model highlights
The Rapido Trains HO scale GP9RM features an injection-molded plastic shell with many separate, factory-applied details, including trainline and m.u. hoses, windshield wipers, wire grab irons, and metal side handrails with plastic stanchions. Additional features on the 4000 include front and rear plows and barrel-style spark arrestors.
The model has a variety of lighting features, including track lights, class lights, and control stand lights. The headlights are not directional. Instead, function 0 controls the front headlight and function 13 activates the rear light.
To separate the shell from the chassis, I removed the front and rear draft-gear boxes. The motor is centered in the chassis, above the fuel and air tanks. A metal weight fills most of the interior. The motherboard and ESU sound decoder are attached to the top of the weight. The speaker is located on the weight above the rear truck.
Tale of the tape
The CN stripes paint scheme is neatly applied on our review model. The separation lines between colors are crisp, and the gray stripes are opaque over the black. The gold-tinted road numbers outlined in gray on the cab sides were especially well executed. The placement of the various labels and stencils matches prototype photos I found online and in books.
I was unable to find prototype drawings of the CN GP9RM. However, the truck centers, distance over the end sills, and long hood height all matched dimensions on a standard GP9 elevation drawing in the 1956 Locomotive Cyclopedia of American Practice (Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corp.)
The sample we received features a dual-mode ESU LokSound V5 sound decoder. I did the initial testing at the workbench with an NCE Power Cab. The model moved at less than 1 scale mph at step 1. At step 28, the four-axle road switcher achieved a top speed of 70smph. The prototype unit had a top speed of 65 mph.
Then I took the model over to our Milwaukee, Racine & Troy staff layout for further testing. The model pulled a short freight train and switched industries on the Wisconsin & Southern section of the layout without any problems. The GP9RM was able to pull 13 50-foot insulated boxcars up the 3% grade between Williams Bay and Skyridge.
In addition to single GP9RM units, Rapido Trains offers GP9RM mother-slug sets in both early and late versions. These distinct locomotives would look right at home on the point of a road freight or switching cars in a yard.
Watch a video of the Rapido Trains HO scale GP9RM in action on Trains.com.
Facts & features
Price: Direct current — single unit, $239.95; mother-slug set, $439.95. Digital Command Control and sound — single unit, $349.95; mother-slug set, $669.95
Manufacturer
Rapido Trains
500 Alden Rd., Unit 21
Markham, Ontario, Canada
L3R 5H5
Era: 1981 to 2007 (as decorated)
Road names: Single unit — Canadian National (stripes and large “wet noodle” schemes). Mother-slug sets — early and late versions. Three to eight road numbers per scheme.
Features
- Metal couplers, at correct height
- Metal wheel stubs on plastic axles, in gauge
- Weight: 13.8 ounces
- Minimum radius: 18”
