Rapido to Offer EMD FL9 in HO & N

As per Rapido News Volume 58:

EMD FL9 in HO and N scales

Well this is a surprise!

Rapido Trains Inc. and MLW are delighted to announce the legendary EMD FL9 in HO and N scales!

The EMD FL9 plays an important role in North American railroad history. Built between 1956 and 1960, these dual-power locomotives were designed to operate on both diesel-electric and on pure electric power so that they could haul the New Haven Railroad's passenger trains in and out of New York City's Grand Central Terminal without the need for an engine change. Many of the fleet continued in regular revenue service for nearly fifty years on both long haul and commuter trains. While the last revenue commuter run occurred in 2009, two units remain in regular revenue service today on the Maine Eastern between Brunswick and Rockland Maine. Several others have been preserved or are in use on tourist railroads in both the US and Canada.

http://www.rapidotrains.com/rapidonews58.html

Finally

Rapido will run all known paint schemes and undec,orignal NH,PC patch,CR patch,PC black dip,PC and CR "Empire" yellow/blue
MN silver/blue,MN(LIRR) Silver/blue/red,ConnDOT rebuilt NH,and Amtrak phase II + III

Rapido is going to run LIRR FL9's? Aren't the FL9's in production different than the ones the LIRR ran? LIRR ran FL9 AC's or something like that.

I am very happy to see this unit offered. I will not be buying one, though, only because it does not fit into the geographic theme of my model railroad (the era is correct).

What I am happy about is to see Rapido expand their line of high-quality N-scale trains. This has to portend more high-quality offerings, hopefully of a less regional nature.

Les

peanut1 wrote:Rapido is going to run LIRR FL9's? Aren't the FL9's in production different than the ones the LIRR ran? LIRR ran FL9 AC's or something like that.

Rapido will not offer the LIRR units simply because they were complete rebuilds. I emailed them myself and their response is below:

Thanks for getting in touch!

The LIRR FL9 locos were completely rebuilt, so we can't tool an accurate
one. I suggest ordering the undecorated version and then attacking it
with your hobby knife and detail parts!

I guess that Rapido figured that since the long announced FL-9 from River Point Station had still not been released
(and probably never will be) that they would jump in and produce it. Also, since they have produced the FP-9 they already have the tooling for the correct EMD "bulldog" nose.

Stuart

Just pre-ordered MN 2031. If these live up to Rapido's usual standards, they'll go nicely with my two Overland CDOT MK rebuilds 2024 and 2026.

Out of curiosity I contacted River Point Station about Rapido's announcement. They replied that they are still going to produce their model, and they apologized for how long it has taken them to produce their model.

Stuart

I've purchased two of these - NH 2015 and MN 2031. I have not yet had the opportunity to run them but the detailing and paint is excellent. I switch era's and roads on my northeast themed seasonal layout and can't wait to give them a spin.

It is interesting to see Rapido offering the FL9's at this late date and I'm sure that New Haven enthusiasts will be doing cartwheels over it. However, the days of real fame for the FL9 are today long behind us, as I anticipate the engine's appeal to general hobbyists across the board and sale potential will be as well.

Had one of the larger manufacturers been smart enough to offer a mass produced example of this locomotive back in say the 60's or 70's, maybe even the 80's when there were still many who personally recalled the operating years of the New Haven, it would undoubtedly have been a runaway hot seller. Rapido is, of course and like a increasingly large segment of the HO market today, concentrating on producing limited runs of specific RR engines and rollingstock, many of them centered on secondary lines,...with prices to match. I had a considerable interest in New Haven modeling years back and certainly would have purchased 2 or 3 FL9's at the time were the prices reasonable. But today and at $350 per retail (for a diesel mind you), it's a total non-starter for me, although some younger and far more affluent modelers of today may hold a differing opinion

CNJ999

The HO FL-9 run was a total sellout according to Rapido,there are none at their Warehouse,there might be some left at
Portman Hobby Dist Center and 1 other center in Canada.

There are still a few at M.B. Klein in Baltimore.

http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/SearchRe ... l9&Submit=