Rapido Trains has announced new Alco PA & PB Locomotives

The Alco PA series locomotives are considered by many to be the most attractive diesel locomotives ever produced. The PA locomotives were built by a partnership of American Locomotive and General Electric between 1946 and 1953. They offered two models, the PA-1 initially followed by the PA-2. Both were powered by Alco’s 16-cylinder 244 diesel engine generating 2,000 HP in the PA-1 and 2,250 in the PA-2. 

The PA locomotives were designed to compete with General Motors’ EMD E-units in the passenger locomotive market. While one could argue the Alcos won in style, they did not win in reliability. Their 244 prime movers could not unseat the EMD 567, and the PAs were demoted to secondary service on many lines. Most were retired as passenger service declined in the 1960s, and nearly all were scrapped.

Happily for railrfans, in 1974 four retired Santa Fe units were bought by the Delaware and Hudson and sent to Morrison-Knudsen for rebuilding and upgrading with Alco 251 V-12 engines. These four units were used on Amtrak’s “Adirondack” for several years and also saw service on Boston area commuter trains under an MBTA lease. All four units eventually ended up in Mexico.

Two of the ex-D&H units have since been brought back to the US, one residing at the Museum of the American Railroad in Frisco, Texas. The other unit is privately owned by Doyle McCormack and is being restored to operating condition painted as Nickel Plate #190.

Rapido’s all-new HO scale model will be the first mass-produced plastic HO scale model of the PA series to feature completely accurate contours and road-specific details. Carbody contours have been generated using a 3-D laser scan of Doyle McCormack’s preserved unit. Both PA-1/PB-1 and PA-2/PB-2 variants will be offered.

Our first run of HO Scale Alco PA models feature:

• Correct nose and roof profiles 3D-scanned from the prototype

• Loads of roadname-specific details

• A units and A-B sets available

• Dynamic or non-dynamic brake versions, where appropriate 

• Full underbody piping and conduit 

• Separate grab irons and handrails installed at the factory 

• Etched-metal grilles, where appropriate 

• Lit number boards, headlights and green and white class lights

• Lit control stands and full cab interior 

• Operating Gyralite or red Mars light, where appropriate 

• Rapido’s proven drive system adapted from the FA-2 

• DC/Silent (21-pin DCC Ready) or DC/DCC/Sound options 

• Now with a TCS Sound Decoder featuring Rapido’s exclusive Alco 244 sounds, programmed to operate seamlessly with Rapido’s other sound-equipped locomotives.

• Available as single powered A-units or in A+B powered sets

Train Control Systems (TCS) DCC Sound

The Alco PA and PB will feature all-new exclusive TCS sound decoders featuring Rapido's own Alco 244 recordings. These decoders are being customized for Rapido to be fully compatible with our proven range of ESU LokSound decoders, and they feature phenomenal motor and slow speed control.

We are excited to be working with Pennsylvania-based TCS. I've been a personal customer of TCS since the mid-1990s and it's a pleasure to be working with the Forsyth family and the whole TCS team to bring their exceptional sound decoders to the wider Rapido community. We promise you will be impressed.

ESU fans have no fear! We are continuing to use ESU LokSound decoders in many of our sound-equipped

Order Due Date: May 23, 2020 April 15, 2021

Anticipated Delivery Date: October 2020 TBA