Rapido N-Scale FL-9s and Osgood Bradleys!

New Haven 9er Jul 16, 2016

  1. New Haven 9er

    New Haven 9er TrainBoard Member

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    I am absolutely emphatic about Rapido Trains Inc's newly released FL-9 locomotive and Osgood Bradley coaches. Kudos and salutations to Rapido Trains Inc. for their vision and approach to the N-scale world. I have waited 25 years for a model railroad company to make an FL-9 and accurate New Haven Railroad passenger cars. I was able to run all 15 of the FL-9s on my small temporary layout when I received them in late June 2016. I purchased 10 DC/analog units and 5 DCC/sound units. Then yesterday I received 22 of the Osgood Bradley coaches in the 4 different schemes.
    I must say that they take a little getting used to and required some small adjustments but that is due to their precision details and scale attributes. The FL-9s were so close together when back-to-back that the buffer plates prevented them from negotiating my curves, which are no tighter than a 13° radius or Kato 248-45 curve. I was able to solve this by removing a buffer plate from one of the engines in each pair. It is rather simple with a pair of needle-nosed pliers and some finesse.
    I learned quickly that the Osgood Bradleys also couldn't negotiate my, what I thought were wide enough, curves because the bodies and diaphragms were so close when coupled. It was an easy fix because Rapido Trains Inc. uses Micro Trains #1015 short shank couplers. I replaced one end of each coach with a MT #1016 medium shank coupler and the cars negotiated the curves with ease. It was a sacrifice of having a space between the diaphragms but is worth it to me to be able to run them.
    I wanted to share my findings and remedies in case there were others who encountered the same issues on their layouts. Thanks to the superb engineering these models are easily adapted with a little ingenuity.
     
  2. New Haven 9er

    New Haven 9er TrainBoard Member

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  3. Thieu

    Thieu TrainBoard Member

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    I ordered three coaches and one engine yesterday. I don't have a layout at the moment, but plan to build one soon. Maybe I should wait till the coaches arrive, so that I won't use curves that may cause problems.

    What radius is the minimum they need?
     
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  4. New Haven 9er

    New Haven 9er TrainBoard Member

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    This is from the Rapido Trains Inc website on their FL9 support page:
    Notes Regarding Our N EMD FL9
    Your FL9 was tested at the factory on a Kato Unitrack layout, including through turnouts. It should have no problem handling Unitrack turnouts and 11″ radius curves. Some brands of track (especially code 55) are notoriously fiddly. We can’t guarantee that your FL9 will handle all brands of track and turnouts. If your FL9 shorts on your turnouts, we recommend playing with the wheelset spacing to find the “sweet spot” for your turnouts. We do not offer this service for you but information on how to adjust the wheelset spacing can be found in the Support section of our web site.

    They didn't say if the coaches were tested on the same 11" radius curves but from my experience I think that would be too tight. The first curve I had trouble with was a combination of Kato 15 degree and 45 degree curved pieces. When they traversed the 248-45 piece the bodies touched and tilted each other. The other curve was a long 45 degree curve that had a 15 degree reverse curve at the end. A straight section would have helped but my space is limited. By replacing one coupler on each car I was able to solve that problem without having to redo the track.
    Good idea to wait until you receive them and can test it.
     
  5. Thieu

    Thieu TrainBoard Member

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    My space has also some limitations. I love broad curves but do not have the space for them. I will have to wait till everything arrives......
     
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  6. Mike C

    Mike C TrainBoard Member

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    Someone on another Forum did a review of these cars . He pointed out that the couplers have 2 mounting holes . They are shipped from the factory with the couplers in the close coupled mounting hole , all you should need to do is remount the coupler in the other hole .
     
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  7. Point353

    Point353 TrainBoard Member

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    It was mentioned on another forum that there are two sets of mounting holes for the couplers on the passenger cars. From the factory, the couplers are mounted using the inner holes for closer coupling. However, the existing couplers can be remounted using the outer holes (nearer to the ends of the car) to increase the spacing between coupled cars and thus allow them to negotiate tighter radius curves. Supposedly this is described in the instruction sheet for the cars.
     
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  8. Thieu

    Thieu TrainBoard Member

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    That sounds like a pratical solution!
     
  9. subwayaz

    subwayaz TrainBoard Member

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    Nice looking models there. Rapid cars are pretty nice from my experience. Much nicer than many of the others in details
     
  10. New Haven 9er

    New Haven 9er TrainBoard Member

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    Thank you very much for sharing that! I saw the other hole but never thought it was for that. I read the instructions that were included with the car and missed that, probably because there was no picture or diagram of it. Good thing for these forums to learn this stuff.
     
    Last edited: Jul 17, 2016
  11. New Haven 9er

    New Haven 9er TrainBoard Member

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    Thank you! I just found the paragraph on the instructions that I missed, probably because it didn't have a picture or diagram so I flew right past it. So glad for these forums to learn this stuff.
     
  12. New Haven 9er

    New Haven 9er TrainBoard Member

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  13. New Haven 9er

    New Haven 9er TrainBoard Member

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  14. New Haven 9er

    New Haven 9er TrainBoard Member

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  15. Hytec

    Hytec TrainBoard Member

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    AAARGH...Rapido also offers four numbers in Boston & Maine maroon, the same cars assigned to the Minute Man on which I rode many times between North Adams, MA and Hoosick Falls, NY, 1948-1953. They would fit perfectly behind my B&M E7 3804, which could have been assigned to the Minute Man on any of my trips.

    (Repeat after me...you do not NEED more B&M cars, you do not NEED more B&M cars, you do not NEED more B&M cars!)

    [​IMG]
     
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  16. nickelplate759

    nickelplate759 TrainBoard Member

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    Umm - everyone needs more B&M cars, even someone (like me) who mostly models the NKP.

    George
     
  17. Thieu

    Thieu TrainBoard Member

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    Of course you need them.
     
  18. RedRiverRR4433

    RedRiverRR4433 TrainBoard Member

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    Hytec:

    Go for those Rapido coaches. They.ll look great behind that E7.

    Staying cool and having fun with it.......:cool::cool:

    Shades
     
  19. Hytec

    Hytec TrainBoard Member

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    You guys are not helping at all. I just checked, Mike & Robin have two in stock....what to do, what to do. :confused:
     
  20. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Hesitating on buying some B&M? What? :)
     

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