Rapido newsletter #165, a survey for N scalers

[lock4244]

I just received the Rapido newsletter #165 via email (it's not up on the website as of this writing, only sent to those subscribed to receive via email) and included in a link to a survey about n scale products. It may be helpful for anyone with an interest in any of their products, particularly HO one's you'd like to see in n scale some day. I'd link directly to it, but as above it's not on the website yet. Link to the newsletter page:

https://rapidotrains.com/rapido-newsletters/

[cv_acr]

Here's the form link from the newsletter: https://form.jotform.com/230665074649261

[mu26aeh]

Sodium Chlorate cars !

[pjm20]

FA2s, RS11s, U25bs, and their steam era freight cars.

[Scottl]

Sodium Chlorate cars !

All other answers are wrong

[bobdobbs]

Bromine tank car!

[Maletrain]

OK, I took the survey, and nowhere did it ask me about any particular product.  For me, that is FA2s and maybe a B&O steam loco a late 4-6-0.

[bigdawgks]

So also in the newsletter is another strong hint at RDCs coming in N. I remember they also hinted at it at the end of a video some time ago.

[John]

I like the homage to Pud ..

[kiwi_al]

So also in the newsletter is another strong hint at RDCs coming in N. I remember they also hinted at it at the end of a video some time ago.

If they do they right roads this may well be my first Rapido purchase since they started

[thomasjmdavis]

Sorry but I am getting tired of being lectured by Rapido about what a crappy customer I am, and what crappy customers N scale modelers are in general.

Yeah, survey was pointless- a waste of their time and mine.  Their marketing in general seems pointless.  Nobody surveys us on potential new modelsnt, they just deride us for not buying what we don't want.

And while I know that some folks want a Rapido RDC, I won't be buying one. I have a Kato.  It runs fine. I would remind Rapido that Kato overproduced, and that in fact, I bought mine for something like $35-40, brand new.

And, no, transition modeling is not "waning".  It's transition model manufacturing that's waning.  The only transition freight car I can think of that Rapido has brought to market is the meat reefer of 8 years ago, and by their definitions, it is "steam era", not transition.  To draw marketing conclusions from the production of one overpriced and poorly tooled model made 8 years ago is insulting to all of us.

As to the Santa Fe reefer, of the 3 models offered, only one is "transition", and that only by about 1 year- the reefer appeared in 1956, the last ATSF steam loco was retired in 1957.  Those cars ran 97% of their working lives after steam was no more on that railroad.

I cut out about 500 words I wrote earlier.  You all recognize the issues, you don't need a multi-page diatribe from me to balance the monthly nonsense in the newsletters.

[lock4244]

I like the homage to Pud ..

Definitely. I miss pointing out to him how much CP sucks, and how he'd remind me how awful CN was.

[lock4244]

Sorry but I am getting tired of being lectured by Rapido about what a crappy customer I am, and what crappy customers N scale modelers are in general.

Yeah, survey was pointless- a waste of their time and mine.  Their marketing in general seems pointless.  Nobody surveys us on potential new modelsnt, they just deride us for not buying what we don't want.

And while I know that some folks want a Rapido RDC, I won't be buying one. I have a Kato.  It runs fine. I would remind Rapido that Kato overproduced, and that in fact, I bought mine for something like $35-40, brand new.

And, no, transition modeling is not "waning".  It's transition model manufacturing that's waning.  The only transition freight car I can think of that Rapido has brought to market is the meat reefer of 8 years ago, and by their definitions, it is "steam era", not transition.  To draw marketing conclusions from the production of one overpriced and poorly tooled model made 8 years ago is insulting to all of us.

As to the Santa Fe reefer, of the 3 models offered, only one is "transition", and that only by about 1 year- the reefer appeared in 1956, the last ATSF steam loco was retired in 1957.  Those cars ran 97% of their working lives after steam was no more on that railroad.

I cut out about 500 words I wrote earlier.  You all recognize the issues, you don't need a multi-page diatribe from me to balance the monthly nonsense in the newsletters.

Rapido not understanding the N scale market is certainly not the same as n scalers being crappy customers. Atlas seems to generally do quite well serving n scale modelers, as does Athearn.

I'm a big fan of the Procor 5820's, and from my experience these cars are very common on both class one's radiating out of Toronto and have been for years (I remember them in the early 80's as a dunb kid with his face glued to the window on a GO Train), and they were common across Canada moving to and from Alberta and Ontario where a lot of plastic pellets are produced. Can't say if were common here in the US, but I did see a few in Harrold, SD., in 2018 repurposed for grain service on the RCP&E. I'm happy they're doing them, but the price point may be an issue for many. The street price is such that one may only want one or two in their fleet, or if not common in your prototype one may serve as sufficient to add a little variety. Not many will buy in multiples. Additionally, there's a lot of choice in covered hoppers out there, so it's possible that the casual purchaser may not be as gung ho to pay $40 for one when something at $20 will suffice? Not everyone is as neurotic as some are for era or RR appropriate equipment. Me, I've got 22 pre-ordered... I do support mfg's that make the stuff I really like, and not in one's or two's.

I love the barrel ore cars, however it's probably a bad car to offer in N based on the short timeframe they ran (1967-1990) and where (mines on the south end of the Ontario Northland to Hamilton, Ontario, via Toronto, a run of a few hundred miles on only two railroads. I'm happy they're doing them, but not surprised they're not selling fast. I may up my order just to help out then dump them on ebay or wherever in 10 years to someone that wasn't able to get them on what will likely be their only run. But even if I doubled my order, would the extra 45 make a big difference?

I'd buy the RDC's if only to avoid having to paint the Kato's I got for fire sale pricing for CN, CP, and / or Via.

FP9A - I actually planned on buying a small fleet, but balked at the prospect of running Rapido's A with Intermountain B's since there's no way the paint would match (CN zebra, Via colors never match between mfg's, sometimes not even between runs) and pairing the accurate Rapido GMD FP9A with the stand-in IM model would irk me. So I didn't order any...my all IM fleet will have to do. Producing an FP9A without a B makes no sense to me, but it does feed into a perception that n scale customers can just accept their second class status at certain mfg's.

The CP Angus van - Jason Shron is a Via / CN modeler. All CN modelers know just how rabid SCPF's are, and that there's still no Angus van announcement but we have barrel ore cars coming in N, is remarkable. There's a rumor that the Angus announcement will be in 2023, but honestly it should've been Mike McGrattan's first project imo.

SW1200RS - I was told that the engineering involved in getting this model produced in N would be too difficult to attempt. But looking at the Atlas N scale S-2 and S-4 I think that may be a weak excuse given they've managed DCC and sound in a nicely detailed locomotive. Possibly super detailing the cab interior and including every pipe and fitting under the locomotive was what the person that told me that meant? I can't say if it would sell well, but the SW1200 was a good selling model overall, and would the LL SW1200 that Atlas owns hold a candle to a Rapido SW1200? Thinking not without a lot of upgrading.

GP9RM & Slug, M420, RS-18, RS-18u, SW1200RS, sodium chlorate car, Canadian bulkhead flat, Canadian pig flat, Angus van - my hoped for HO stuff to be done in N some day fwiw.

[mu26aeh]

The libe I model serves a plastics industry but everything I see delivered, and always have for years, is the 5701 style centerflows ftom Atlas.  I'd possibly get a few if price point was lower but when I can get the Atlas cars for $15-20, I'll spend money on other things

[Scottl]

The thing that resonated in the newsletter for me was the point that the tooling and production costs for n scale are not materially less than HO, but the retail prices are.  Given the smaller market share of n scale, it means they have to be even more careful in selecting models to offer if they want to break even, let alone profit.

I get the barrel ore cars as a neat prototype, but agree with your point that the audience might be quite limited for this model.  By comparison, the lumber bulkheads are widely used over a long period by a number of both Cdn and US railroads.  Seems more sensible to me as a model to pick.