Rapido N Scale Budd RDC

[turbowhiz]

I for one am super happy Rapido has produced the product they have in N scale. Between the LRC cars, Dash 8’s, VIA specific rebuilt F40’s, GMD-1’s, and most recently the center beams, they have really made my modeling objectives SO much easier. So, consider me a happy Rapido customer.

Now, are ANY of those products up to snuff quality wise? In my examples they ALL have had quality defects to various extents. The LRC cars that literally self-destruct by melting holes into their roofs from defective light boards is definitely the worst example. But I’m still very happy to have all of these models, and none of them are unredeemable with a little work. It would be far better if their models were higher quality out of the box, for sure. That said, I’ve found their customer support has been very good when I’ve needed them. But I’m thinking the market in general is not so forgiving, and it seems most people don’t have the skill/time/desire to fix quality problems which is entirely understandable. I’d rather have models I can remediate at any reasonable price rather than no models at all personally, but long term I can’t see that being a sustainable business model…

Their HO scale offerings suffer very much in the same fashion as their N scale offerings, so this is by no means limited to N scale, and these issues have been there a very long time. 

Their previous communication regarding N scale indicates just how out of touch they are, and unfortunately the RDC renderings confirm that they seem to be heading very much in the wrong direction I'd say. The center beams, as good as they are, perfectly capture the "Rapido" issue. Too much detail in the wrong places. And for the parts the count, not enough attention to detail in execution. Brake beam/air line detail that's effectively invisible causing operational problems, but visibly undersized wheelsets even though the model was designed for the correct size. Rapido's solution based on the RDC renderings? Replace visible detail with inferior visible detail. And still add unseen detail of course.

With respect to this RDC announcement, still proudly exclaiming lots of underbody detail you still never see but now including absolutely horrendous looking molded in grabs and “door chains” proves to me they REALLY don’t get it. “Detailing down” their product line is exactly the wrong thing to do, or more specifically in the blatantly visible areas. I’d very much rather have no grabs then ugly molded in grabs. If you want a phase 1 RDC, I’m suggesting the existent Kato model is a superior model body wise based on the renderings published, and given the track record, unquestionably of superior quality. Sure, the underbody detail, not as good. But really, I don't see that!

I need a phase 2 RDC 1 for a CN 1501 (track geometry car) project. I have a couple of Kato Phase 1 units I was going to use, and still might use, depending. I’ll order a single Rapido phase 2 unit, and make a comparison of what suits my purposes better once in hand, assuming these even make it production. Kato rather has the whole RDC thing well covered with decent models, albeit only phase 1 cars, but including RDC 4's of all things, which I don't believe were ever done in HO scale! (plastic). Sorta surprised Rapido didn't lead with RDC 4's instead of RDC 1's given their track record. Barrel ore cars!? Really? (And I even saw those in the flesh and they made a real impression on me, but I'm not biting)

[Narlie]

  I will support this product !

[bobdobbs]

Really needed to produce RDC SP10 in the repaired, red stripe version, the as delivered version did not last long.

[mu26aeh]

I think they are paying some attention to customer complaints, though not doing much about it othen than cracking a joke about the amount of underbody detail during the video announcement

[Missaberoad]

Hopefully they follow up with a RDC-2 and RDC-3.

If these make it to market I will buy some, otherwise some other manufacturer will get my money.

[John]

I think they are paying some attention to customer complaints, though not doing much about it othen than cracking a joke about the amount of underbody detail during the video announcement

Not sure I always get Canadian Humour

[peteski]

Not sure I always get Canadian Humour

I think it is more specifically "Rapido Jason humor" than just Canadian humor.

I had a good chuckle at some of the funny stuff in the Turbo Train instruction booklet. But I guess some humor can be overdone or not appropriate in some instances.

[Bill H]

I am very pleased to see Rapido doing the B&O RDCs. KATO missed B&O in their run, and B&O had a lot of RDCs. Second, very pleased to see Rapido continuing to do n scale. No firm, to my memory, ever got everything right, so the whining aside, competition improves the breed and competition keeps raising the bar among all the firms.

[Angus Shops]

There have been a number of hints from Rapido that the N scale RDC’s would be announced and I was considering what I’d do when the annoucement actually happened. RDC’s in CPR ‘classic’ would definitely fit my era (1957-60), but not my geographical setting (CPR mainline in the Rockies) - I don’t think I’ve ever seen an photo of an RDC in this area. I figured I’d probably pony up and make the purchase without a clear idea what I’d use it (or them if the RDC 2 was included) for, which is not my usual practice. But this announcement doesn’t include CPR classic… What to do? Hope for a second run? Buy one to ‘support the hobby’, maybe an undec and paint it up? Not bother at all?
I have 2 Canadians, 2 FP9’s and a bunch of ‘foreign road’ Panorama Line sleepers for the Mountaineer. I’m happy with all of it despite the well known flaws, and I’d buy more if it fit my time and locale.

[packers#1]

I am very pleased to see Rapido doing the B&O RDCs. KATO missed B&O in their run, and B&O had a lot of RDCs. Second, very pleased to see Rapido continuing to do n scale. No firm, to my memory, ever got everything right, so the whining aside, competition improves the breed and competition keeps raising the bar among all the firms.

As someone who has voiced a lot of (just) criticism, I’m going to take exception to the idea that we’re just whining. I don’t know if I’ve seen another mode manufacturer have so many consecutive models have such significant issues, and combined with their reaction to it, I think it rubs a lot of people the wrong way. I agree, I’d rather have them in n scale than not, but they’ve got to stop taking the fact they have customers for granted or it’s gonna eventually bite them in the @$$.

[Missaberoad]

There have been a number of hints from Rapido that the N scale RDC’s would be announced and I was considering what I’d do when the annoucement actually happened. RDC’s in CPR ‘classic’ would definitely fit my era (1957-60), but not my geographical setting (CPR mainline in the Rockies) - I don’t think I’ve ever seen an photo of an RDC in this area. I figured I’d probably pony up and make the purchase without a clear idea what I’d use it (or them if the RDC 2 was included) for, which is not my usual practice. But this announcement doesn’t include CPR classic… What to do? Hope for a second run? Buy one to ‘support the hobby’, maybe an undec and paint it up? Not bother at all?
I have 2 Canadians, 2 FP9’s and a bunch of ‘foreign road’ Panorama Line sleepers for the Mountaineer. I’m happy with all of it despite the well known flaws, and I’d buy more if it fit my time and locale.

Deadheading west or east on the Canadian or Dominion? Not sure I've ever seen a picture but it had to have happened.

[JMaurer1]

Without reading all of the previous posts...

Rapido: We won't be making any more rolling stock in N scale cuz nobody is buying our unusual/rare/limited road name rolling stock. Instead, we will move to making N scale models that have already been made in N and didn't sell very well for double the cost of the ones that didn't sell and if you don't buy them, we're OUT...

Am I reading this wrong?

[Chris333]

If you don't order these RDC's they will never tool an all new Big Boy.



 

[Missaberoad]

Without reading all of the previous posts...

Rapido: We won't be making any more rolling stock in N scale cuz nobody is buying our unusual/rare/limited road name rolling stock. Instead, we will move to making N scale models that have already been made in N and didn't sell very well for double the cost of the ones that didn't sell and if you don't buy them, we're OUT...

Am I reading this wrong?

The only issue I would have with your take is that the Kato RDCs did sell, they just overproduced (to their own admission) what the market could bear.

Otherwise yup pretty much spot on! 

[thomasjmdavis]

If you don't order these RDC's they will never tool an all new Big Boy.
 

Nah....a GG1 is more in their wheelhouse. With lots of underbody detail and sparking pantographs.