Ad also said you could buy the complete fleet of them (19, I think) in one box. Never saw that offered before !!!
I received the following in an e-mail. "Rapido trains announces today that they are producing a GMD1, a rather unique and rare EMD loco for the CN in N scale. And they have a twist- you can pre-order the entire prototypical fleet of 15. It’s only $3600 with DCC and sound included!" This is not the era I model, so I have not checked the accuracy of this message. I do not know either if the price is Canadian or US dollars.
OMI has done boxed engine sets in the past with their heritage units and Fox Valley did it with the ES44 NS Heritage units (all 10 in special packaging), so it's been done before, just rare. Not sure I'd want to drop that kind of $$$ direct from Rapido though (or any manufacturer for that matter). This would certainly be the largest offering as far as the number of units goes. Cheers, Brian
I can't help but wonder if the target market is for clubs rather than individuals. I mean, $3600 is a lot to spend on locomotives in one shot. However, $3600 split between 15 people is $240 per person; $19 less that if the locomotives were purchased individually.
"the GMD-1 can also make a lot of modern railroaders happy for a Genset chassis " I second that!!!! Jerry G.
It's true, the train nuts of Rapido are brining the Canadian icon of branchlines to N scale, the GMD-1. Two versions of the locomotive will be in this first release. Featuring the A1A truck with a prototypically correct 33" idler wheel in the center, the model will be highly detailed and has a list of features including: *ESU DC/DCC dual mode decoder factory installed or *DCC and sound version featuring an ESU Loksound decoder and awesome, prototypical sounds (yep Dan and Jason recorded the actual sounds on a GMD-1 in Alberta... ) *Five pole motor for uber smooth slow speed control *Detailed cab interior, facing the correct way per model (some ran long hood forward, others short hood) *MT couplers *Heavy weight die cast chassie *A selection of modeller applied detail parts included. There are several versions and paint schemes being offered.... The "as built" 1000 series in three classic Canadian National liveries (green and gold CN, 1961 "wiggle worm" CN and the red nose CN) and the very attractive Northern Alberta Railways cream, blue and grey. In addition, N scalers get the highly requested 1600 series re-builds of 1988 in the "zebra stripe" scheme. (Put that in HO pipe and smoke it boys...LOL) The BB truck versions will follow in a second release.... so never fear; we'll do em all !!!! Rapido is proud to bring the GMD-1 to N scale and I'm pleased to be working on this project for my fellow N scalers..... Have a look at our website and if you want to learn more about the GMD-1 (a unit built in 1958-60 that is still running on the CN and many Canadian and US shortlines) take a look at the "master class" page. http://rapidotrains.com/gmd1_n.html Thanks gang ! "Rapido Mike"... aka "Puddy"
Looking at those specs I'm tempted to get one anyway and worry about what it's doing in Texas later. We've often said on TB that the smaller guys are going to be showing the big manufacturers how it should be done in the future.
I totally agree! Look at what some guys are doing with 3D printing. Although 3D printing is not mass production like injection molding is, these guys that are doing stuff on Shapeways are tackling projects the big companies refuse to. Look at FVM for instance. Who else would do a MILW ribside caboose in N scale? Atlas wouldn't, nor would Walthers. Heck Atlas wouldn't even do the CF7 as they felt there arent enough modelers that model ATSF to warrant building the model. WHAT? How many shortlines had this model after ATSF deemed them as surplus? I for one have thought about bringing out some products to fill a huge gap for those of us that model the lumber industry. My original plan was to release these in resin kits, however with 3D printing I am thinking that is the way I am going to go. My hats off to these companies that are not afraid to tackle these projects and fill those VERY empty voids in the N scale market. Ryan
Would you believe it So... once upon a time there was a little Appalachian coal hauling shortline, and you just would not believe some of the strange second locomotives they acquired...even one from Canada! Fact stanger than fiction eh?
