Author Topic: Rapido Announces the GARX 37' Meat Reefer in N scale  (Read 22962 times)

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Puddington

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Rapido Announces the GARX 37' Meat Reefer in N scale
« on: October 24, 2014, 02:18:55 PM »
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Rapido is pleased to announce the General American 37’ meat refrigerator car in N scale!



The Rapido wood reefer is based on a design built between 1937 and 1941 by General American Transportation (GARX). Although built with a wooden sheathed body and roof that made them look like a car from an earlier era, these GARX cars were modern for their time. They were constructed on a steel underframe of similar construction to boxcar underframes then in common use and featured AB brakes, Equipco brake wheels and housings and Barber S-1 trucks. More than 940 cars were built to this configuration making it one of the most numerous meat reefer designs, and they lasted in service into the 1970’s. They would normally be assigned to meat service only, running between meat packing houses and regional dealers throughout North America, Including Canada.



Notable features of the General American meat reefer are wood body with three hinge doors (utilizing the GARX triangular hinge design), a wood roof with steel hatches and unique latches, side and end ladders, power handbrakes, and a steel underframe with a tabbed side sill. All of these features are included on the new Rapido model. Also found on the model is a FULL underframe with complete brake equipment, all new trucks with brake shoes in line with the wheel tread and new metal wheelsets. Microtrains couplers are fitted at the factory

The car will be released in a large number of owners/leesees and with multiple road numbers, from a minimum of four to a maximum of twelve different numbers. Cars are available in four packs (MSRP $139.80) or individually from your dealer (MSRP $34.95) Dealers may sell for less. Here is the first release:



For more details please see our website: http://www.rapidotrains.com/reefer_n.html

In addition to our standard releases, Rapido Trains Inc. is pleased to announce the Rapido Meat Reefer Collector Packs. Solid blocks of meat reefers were a common sight on North American rails for almost a half century. While the most famous of these cars were proudly adorned with the names and logos of large packing companies, a sizeable number of them bore the names of smaller packing houses. Still others carried experimental or “one off” liveries from the larger packers.

 Each of the cars included in our Collector Packs has been chosen to be a unique addition to your reefer fleet or decorated reefer collection and are sure to be a conversation piece for both rail enthusiasts and collectors alike. Each Collector’s Edition Pack contains four cars, each in their individual jewel case. These cars will not be released individually or in other four packs so the only way to obtain them is in this Collector’s Pack release.

 Don’t miss your opportunity to own each of these unique pieces of railroad history and add to your collection of high quality refrigerated cars.



The Swift 1940's Collector's Pack



The 1930's - 1940's Pre War Collector's Pack



The 1950's - 1960's Post War Collector's Pack.


MSRP - $ 139.80 (Dealers may sell for less)

As with all Rapido products these are available by pre order; we will not be carrying inventory so when they are gone; they are gone. Reservations are due by March 17th with a fall delivery planned. We are bringing samples to Springfield so drop in and see us there.

Rapido's new meat reefer - "cool" !

« Last Edit: October 24, 2014, 02:49:21 PM by tom mann »
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Dave V

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Re: Rapido Announces the GARX 36' Meat Reefer in N scale
« Reply #1 on: October 24, 2014, 02:37:14 PM »
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I have not had reason to buy any of Rapido's N scale offerings...until now!  And I know a certain Bryan who's smiling right now at a red Swift reefer!

bbussey

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Re: Rapido Announces the GARX 37' Meat Reefer in N scale
« Reply #2 on: October 24, 2014, 02:37:35 PM »
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Look at that red Swifty!  Awesome!  :D

The Wilson is a "must" also for 1950s New Haven modeling. :cool:
« Last Edit: October 24, 2014, 02:39:25 PM by bbussey »
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tom mann

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Re: Rapido Announces the GARX 37' Meat Reefer in N scale
« Reply #3 on: October 24, 2014, 02:40:26 PM »
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Chris333

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Re: Rapido Announces the GARX 37' Meat Reefer in N scale
« Reply #4 on: October 24, 2014, 02:43:32 PM »
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Finally something I can buy from those crazy Canadians eh!

They look very nice.

wcfn100

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Re: Rapido Announces the GARX 37' Meat Reefer in N scale
« Reply #5 on: October 24, 2014, 02:55:34 PM »
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36' wood reefer in 1968.  :?  This is going to take some work.  I'll still buy a couple kits just on principle.

Isn't there a shot somewhere of one of Swift car in Silver paint?


Jason

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Re: Rapido Announces the GARX 37' Meat Reefer in N scale
« Reply #6 on: October 24, 2014, 02:56:29 PM »
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There is something intrinsically attractive about the term "meat reefer."

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Puddington

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Re: Rapido Announces the GARX 37' Meat Reefer in N scale
« Reply #7 on: October 24, 2014, 03:20:05 PM »
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36' wood reefer in 1968.  :?  This is going to take some work.  I'll still buy a couple kits just on principle.

Isn't there a shot somewhere of one of Swift car in Silver paint?


Jason

Yes Jason there is; albeit in poor condition. It's in the Morning Sun Refrigerated Car Book. We looked at it but couldn't find out a lot about it - we're looking at it for a future collector pack.
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Re: Rapido Announces the GARX 37' Meat Reefer in N scale
« Reply #8 on: October 24, 2014, 03:20:48 PM »
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Crappy Whappy.  I always loved red Swift reefers.   :facepalm:
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Re: Rapido Announces the GARX 37' Meat Reefer in N scale
« Reply #9 on: October 24, 2014, 03:27:46 PM »
-1
Is there still time to modify the tooling and decrease the board gaps?

The prototype was well carpentered:



The model looks like 4" gaps!  I know they can't be scale, as people would complain that their wood reefer looks like it was sheeted in plywood, but there must be a happy medium between the test shots and smooth sides.

wcfn100

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Re: Rapido Announces the GARX 37' Meat Reefer in N scale
« Reply #10 on: October 24, 2014, 03:32:22 PM »
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Yes Jason there is; albeit in poor condition. It's in the Morning Sun Refrigerated Car Book. We looked at it but couldn't find out a lot about it - we're looking at it for a future collector pack.

So if I need just one, I should paint it myself?

I'm almost positive there a shot around of a freshly painted car.  I'll take a look on my main computer during nap time (not mine unfortunately).

Jason

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Re: Rapido Announces the GARX 37' Meat Reefer in N scale
« Reply #11 on: October 24, 2014, 03:37:26 PM »
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Is there still time to modify the tooling and decrease the board gaps?

The prototype was well carpentered:



The model looks like 4" gaps!  I know they can't be scale, as people would complain that their wood reefer looks like it was sheeted in plywood, but there must be a happy medium between the test shots and smooth sides.

Funny: the test shots look huge with the gap but the sample cars when looked at under the naked eye and when looked at under a glass don't look like that - we're not really sure why but we noted it to the factory - this is pre production tooling so we're still tweaking stuff. The new samples will be at Springfield for people to see and the alterations will be made (and a few others that we caught).
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bbussey

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Re: Rapido Announces the GARX 37' Meat Reefer in N scale
« Reply #12 on: October 24, 2014, 04:04:48 PM »
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Agreed.  That is an HO-sized photo.  If you reduce it by 50%, the slats (and all the other details) look fine.
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Re: Rapido Announces the GARX 37' Meat Reefer in N scale
« Reply #13 on: October 24, 2014, 04:09:16 PM »
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Very nice.  I'm in for a few of those red Swift ones. 

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Re: Rapido Announces the GARX 37' Meat Reefer in N scale
« Reply #14 on: October 24, 2014, 05:40:20 PM »
-1
Agreed.  That is an HO-sized photo.  If you reduce it by 50%, the slats (and all the other details) look fine.

I beg to differ.  My first reaction was similar to Mike's the boards (and other details, like hinges,  are way heavy-handed).  Yuck! None for me - just like I don't buy the Atlas ones for this reason.  MT wood reefers still have the best overall look of the model's surface.  It looks much more realistic.

I can blow up a photo of the MT reefer and it will still look much less toy-like. 

This reminds me of the constant battle about panel lines on model airplanes.  Early ones had deep recessed lines (or even worse, raised panel lines).  Thankfully, the manufacturers finally got their act together and most of contemporary airplane model kits have very delicately engraved panel lines (not scale 3" gaps).
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