Train Addiction Help Line: 1.866.840.7777
Jan 5, 2011 - HO Scale
Rapido Trains - Telegraph Volume #28 Page 1
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Dear Rapido Customer,
Merry Christmas! For most of us, the presents have been opened, the family is enjoying its time together, a fresh log has been added to the fire, and all is well at home. So why don't you grab a glass of sherry (or Scotch!), sit back, and enjoy our latest newsletter!
In this issue of the Telegraph:
- New Concept: No Warp Grills
- New Very Silly YouTube Movie
- FP9A Locomotive Master Class
- FP9A Introduction
- Some Spotting Features
- Classes and Variations
- Model Photos
- New Product Sneak Peaks
- TurboTrain Replacement Trucks and Gearboxes
- Meet Rapido in Person
- Shipment Update
- Join the Canadian model railroad community!
- Should we get kids into model railroading or not?
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New Concept: No Warp Grills
If you have bought a model F-Unit in the last 10 years, you know what I'm talking about when I say "warped grills." Having etched metal grills is a great feature, but model railroads tend to be located in basements, attics, and other locations that have a high fluctuation in temperature and/or humidity. After a few months and changes in temperature and humidity those grills bear little resemblance to the prototype. They are wavy and warpy!
What have you done to fix your warped grills? Have you tried spray adhesive, getting the little openings all gummed up with guck? Or maybe CA (super glue), only to have the grills pop off when the temperature changes! Two-sided tape works but is visible and has a habit of collecting bits of fluff!
None of these solutions work all the time for the simple reason that metal and plastic expand and contract at different rates. If you want grills that don't warp, you need to rethink the way model locomotive grills are made from the ground up. And guess what? That's exactly what we did.
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Our FP9A model and all of our other planned locomotive models will feature our new "No Warp Grill" technology. These are still etched metal grills to get the neat see-through effect that only etched metal can give you. However, unlike the other models out there, our locomotive grills are guaranteed not to warp in any weather condition, or we will replace them free of charge. To find out how we have achieved the unachievable, read on...
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New Very Silly YouTube Movie
Why read all about our new invention when you can watch a movie about it? Click on the picture above or the picture below to see Dan and me intrepidly brave the brutal winter elements (of suburban Toronto) as we try, in utter desperation, to get our F-Unit grills to warp.
By the way, "Grills" should really be spelled "Grilles" but we thought you might confuse us with a French pastry chef named "Gilles," and then the logo wouldn't work. How, exactly, do you warp a pastry chef? So we left out the "e."
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FP9A Locomotive Master Class
When most people hear that we are bringing out models of the GMD FP9A locomotives in HO scale, the first reaction is either "do we really need another F-Unit?" or "I just bought one of those from manufacturer X, Y or Z." Well actually, the GMD FP9A is unique and has never been produced in plastic. After reading the next few paragraphs and looking at the pretty pictures, you will know why. You will also know more about the FP9A than 99.99999% of the people on this planet!
FP9A INTRODUCTION
The General Motors FP9A (or FP9, or FP-9A, or FP9-A - it has been referred to as each of these at one time or another by the railways that owned it) was one of the last F-Unit models produced, between 1954 and 1960. The FP9 was rated at 1750 HP and powered by a 16-cylinder 567C prime mover. Like its predecessor the FP7, the FP9A is four feet longer than the standard F7 or F9. This is to accommodate a large water tank to supply water to the steam generating boiler at the rear of the locomotive. However, there are significant differences between the FP9As built by EMD (Electro-Motive Division of GM) in La Grange, Illinois and the FP9As built by GMD (General Motors Diesel Division) in London, Ontario.
La Grange built four FP9As for the United States, all used by the Chicago & North Western. The remaining 32 FP9As built at La Grange were for the Mexican and Saudi railways.
All of the FP9As that you can still see in service today anywhere in North America were built in London for CN and CP, as they remained in VIA service into the 2000s. 43 were built for CN and 11 were built for CP. The EMD and GMD versions were, externally, very different locomotives. As CN and CP owned two thirds of the world's fleet of FP9As, to substitute an EMD version for the accurate GMD version is to do these fine locomotives an injustice. Similarly, adding horizontal louvers to an EMD Mexican FP9A model (which never had horizontal louvers) does not make it a GMD FP9A model, just as changing the radiator housing on an SD70 does not make it an SD90.
SOME SPOTTING FEATURES OF THE FP9A
Note that all of the GMD FP9A details highlighted in the photos below are included on the Rapido FP9A models. Our locomotives will have details correct for each road number. The order desk for the CN FP9A will be closing early in the spring with delivery later in the year.
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FP9A CLASSES AND VARIATIONS
If you look at the product numbers for our CN FP9A (found here), you will see that we have divided them by class. CN received its FP9A locomotive roster in five deliveries from 1954 to 1958. The locomotives are referred to by their class number: G (General Motors) P (Passenger) A (A-Unit) 17 (1750 HP) a/b/c/d/e (class or order number). So 6535, delivered with the last order in 1958, would be GPA-17e.
There are significant differences between classes, and there are also significant differences in specific locomotives as they were modified over time. Our models have specific details for each locomotive number as they were on a specific date, as close as we can match to photos. Essentially, we're super-detailing these locomotives for you.
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Below is a quick reference for the major details in each class. As shown in the photos above, all CN FP9As received permanent ditch light mounts circa 1965 and had the ditch light power outlet plated over. We have tooled both variations of the nose. Also, all CN FP9A horns were switched from M3H (all bells facing forward) to K3L (one bell facing rear) in the early 1970s. Grab iron placement varied over the life of each locomotive, and all CN FP9As received "eyebrow" grabs in the early 1970s. Again, the models will follow prototype photos. You can reserve them in advance with your local dealer.
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If you are eagle eyed and wondering where GPA-17b went.... That was a one-off engine, #6513. It is almost identical to GPA-17a.
So yes, there have been lots of F-Unit models out there. However, there has never been a CN or CP FP9A, and I need loads of them for my layout! Those of you who know me know that I am a proud rivet counter. I will do my best to be as accurate as possible in the models I produce, within the constraints of budget and technology. Bill and Dan feel the same way, and you can expect the same level of detail obsession in our new freight car and other future projects, both Canadian and American prototypes. It's our job to do the research and get it right, so you don't have to be disappointed when you get your models home.
Before moving on to some other news, have a look at a couple of our FP9A pre-production sample photos. These samples were received several months ago, so you may have seen these before. We are expecting our final pre-production samples to arrive in January, with the minor injection issues and louvers corrected (they are too narrow on this model!) - the new GPA-17e samples should also have the correct etched metal chicken wire fans on the roof. We'll be sure to show you lots of photos when the new samples arrive!
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I hope you enjoyed this FP9A Master Class. I plan to do a similar exposition for other Rapido products in future. By giving you the background knowledge on the prototype, you can make smart decisions when making your model railroad purchases.
And if you want to read more about the FP9A from someone who doesn't have an agenda, I recommend joining CN Lines. Click here to visit their web site. The most recent issue of the CN Lines magazine has a fabulous feature on the FP9A.
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New Product Sneak Peaks
It's been a long time since we announced a completely new product, as opposed to new paint schemes or a variation of an existing product. With the economy still being what it is, paying for new projects has become quite difficult. Right now, most of our resources are tied up in The Canadian and the FP9A models. Like your own personal finances, when money is tight we need to prioritize and allocate our resources. If your salary has been cut and you need a new roof, you aren't about to renovate the kitchen!
However, we've been saving our pennies and we've almost completed tooling our brand new American freight car. Above is a photo of the steel mold in progress, taken when I was at the mold shop last month. Can you guess what it is? I'll give you a hint. A lot of transition-era modellers have been complaining lately that all of the new freight releases from other manufacturers have been modern. Well, gentlemen, you can pack it in because your complaining days are over. Another clue is shown below.
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We've also finished the designs for two new N scale passenger cars. We plan to start tooling these later in 2011 and have samples in the fall. Feast your eyes on these beauties.
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And for all you diesel fans out there, here is a sneak peak of a locomotive we are tooling up next year as well. We're piggybacking this project on to The Canadian for a 2012 release. I can tell you there are four different variations being made of this locomotive, and it is HO scale.
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Train Addiction Help Line: 1 866 840 7777