Rapido August 2024 - F59PHs and BiLevel Commuters

[James Costello]

NEW MODEL! N Scale F59PH Locomotive

In the mid-eighties, GO Transit was looking to replace its aging locomotive fleet with a specially designed locomotive that could meet the growing demands for service across the Greater Toronto Area. The locomotive needed to be able to quickly accelerate while pulling up to 10 of the new BiLevel coaches. In close consultation with GO Transit, GMD developed the F59PH. It is equipped with a turbocharged 12-cylinder two-stroke diesel prime mover (12-710G3A), a full-width North American comfort cab, with HEP provided by a smaller 600hp GM 8-cylinder diesel.

Due to the success of the locomotives with GO Transit, Metrolink in California placed an order for 22 F59PHs, which were delivered between 1992 and 1993. In the mid-2000s, GO would begin retiring part of their fleet which saw many of these locomotives sent to other commuter agencies across North America.

The N Scale F59PH Locomotive features:

• Scaled from field measurements and blueprints
• Unique F59PH body and details — first time in N!
• Incredible underbody detail including separate piping
• Separate wire grab irons
• Working headlight, ditch lights and marker lights
• Lit American-style red marker lights
• Accurate F59PH sounds on sound-equipped models
• Will operate smoothly on DC and DCC layouts

https://rapidotrains.com/n-scale/diesel-locomotive-47/f59ph.html?product_list_limit=48&___store=us



Now coming to N Scale: BiLevel Commuter Cars by Rapido!

The BiLevel Commuter Car was originally designed in the mid-1970s at the request of the Government of Ontario (Canada) to develop a higher-capacity solution for their GO Transit commuter trains in the Greater Toronto Area. The commuter trains had grown to 10-car single-level trains during peak times and it was felt that the ideal solution was to increase the height rather than the length. These cars proved to be very popular with commuter agencies. By the year 2020, 14 agencies across North America operate fleets totaling almost 1500 BiLevel Commuter Cars.

Our N Scale BiLevel Commuter Car features:

• 3D designed body shell for unparalleled accuracy
• Single or double cab front windows as appropriate
• Correctly tinted windows
• Accurate painting and lettering
• All-new, smooth rolling inside bearing trucks
• Full pilot detailing with body mounted couplers
• Constant interior lighting in DC and DCC
• Controllable cab car lighting in both DC and DCC

https://rapidotrains.com/n-scale/passenger-car-74/bilevel-commuter-cars.html

[Rivet Miscounter]

Great stuff.  I hope they make.  I bet they would be extremely popular in the D/FW area.

[DirtyD79]

It'd be nice if they'd make some more PAT transit buses in HO scale unfortunately Pittsburgh is flyover country and as usually companies only want to cover the pretty cities like New Yawk, Chicago, and L.A. Anything else falls under the category of "Here be Tractor Pulls." 

[mu26aeh]

Still no sodium chlorate cars, so wallet stays in the pocket.

Move along 😁

[sundowner]

Oh man those. Tri-Rail Bi-level in the new scheme look hot.

[learmoia]

Cool!!!...

Nothing I need but it's always good to see Rapido give some attention to N scale.

~Ian

[wazzou]

Booo! 

[kiwi_bnsf]

I was initially highly concerned that these new Rapido bi-levels might seriously harm my wallet, but then I looked carefully at the renders.

These appear to be the earlier phase with riveted sides, whereas the Caltrain and ACE are smooth sided.

I will stick to my original plan of 3D printing replacement trucks for my existing Athearn smooth-sided fleet so that I have free rolling passenger cars.

I hope these are good seller for Rapido — they are the first version that's correct for the GO Transit.

[turbowhiz]

I was initially highly concerned that these new Rapido bi-levels might seriously harm my wallet, but then I looked carefully at the renders.

These appear to be the earlier phase with riveted sides, whereas the Caltrain and ACE are smooth sided.

I will stick to my original plan of 3D printing replacement trucks for my existing Athearn smooth-sided fleet so that I have free rolling passenger cars.

I hope these are good seller for Rapido — they are the first version that's correct for the GO Transit.

They are offering two versions.... "Series 1" and "Series IV". The latter being welded sides. So your wallet might not be safe after all!

This isn’t good at all for my wallet. Hope y’all are going to buy some lots of couplers!

[kiwi_bnsf]

They are offering two versions.... "Series 1" and "Series IV". The latter being welded sides. So your wallet might not be safe after all!

This isn’t good at all for my wallet. Hope y’all are going to buy some lots of couplers!

Okay so I'm intrigued by the possibility of Series I and Series IV — where is this info? (I've watched the video and looked at the product descriptions — but I'm probably just being remedial!)


In other news, I've already budgeted for several hundred pairs of your new coupler for initial testing. I'm very interested in the depth and width of your Scalebox so that I can see what models I can retrofit this to after lowering.

Thanks for all your work in testing and bringing this scale coupler to market!

[learmoia]

Okay so I'm intrigued by the possibility of Series I and Series VI — where is this info? (I've watched the video and looked at the product descriptions — but I'm probably just being remedial!)


In other news, I've already budgeted for several hundred pairs of your new coupler for initial testing. I'm very interested in the depth and width of your Scalebox so that I can see what models I can retrofit this to after lowering.

Thanks for all your work in testing and bringing this scale coupler to market!

On the last page of item skus, you can see it in the UNDECs.
https://rapidotrains.com/n-scale/passenger-car-74/bilevel-commuter-cars.html?___store=us&p=4

Also some of the models say Early and Late.. But Roads that only had one or the other don't list that.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I was initially highly concerned that these new Rapido bi-levels might seriously harm my wallet, but then I looked carefully at the renders.

These appear to be the earlier phase with riveted sides, whereas the Caltrain and ACE are smooth sided.

I will stick to my original plan of 3D printing replacement trucks for my existing Athearn smooth-sided fleet so that I have free rolling passenger cars.

I hope these are good seller for Rapido — they are the first version that's correct for the GO Transit.

As someone who's stood on the sidelines while manufacturers made 85% models of cars I want, I will say this: a few years later, when their true composition of unobtanium has become clear, I am kicking myself for not grabbing them at the time, because I'm probably NOT going to "get around to making a 100% model".

I will admit, there are some things I can't suffer (like the big phase issues with BLI's Conrail SD40-2s), but slight variations like this in cars? I wouldn't let that keep me from adding commuter service to the layout that looks the part.

Don't worry, be happy (and spend your money, lol).

[jagged ben]

As someone who's stood on the sidelines while manufacturers made 85% models of cars I want, I will say this: a few years later, when their true composition of unobtanium has become clear, I am kicking myself for not grabbing them at the time, because I'm probably NOT going to "get around to making a 100% model".

I will admit, there are some things I can't suffer (like the big phase issues with BLI's Conrail SD40-2s), but slight variations like this in cars? I wouldn't let that keep me from adding commuter service to the layout that looks the part.

Don't worry, be happy (and spend your money, lol).

I generally totally agree with this sentiment, but I think you missed the part that he already has a more accurate version from another manufacturer.  I wonder how many people who 'need' the Caltrain and Metrolink cars are in the same boat.  I am.  I'll be passing.  Given their track record, I would not expect an inside bearing passenger truck from Rapido to roll any better than the ones from Athearn anyway.

Also a Caltrain F59PH is a foob. 

I hope for their sake there is a market for all this anyway.

[learmoia]

Hmm... @OldEastRR is oddly quiet on this one...

[wmcbride]

Is it just me or does the gap between the bi-level cars look huge?