Rapido's VIA F40 in HO "or" DC Locomotive MRSP $250.00!!

[CP_8530]

Sept 13, 2014 16:39:49 GMT -5 rudy said:

I will tell you what disappoints me about this model, it is that it won't be made with OPERATING ditch lights. Kato did it with N scale models years ago...Why couldn't Rapido do it with this new F40?

Kato used their 'light tubes' in N and they worked well. They also used them for HO. I think that for $250.00, Rapido could have done something about this. (I must be fair, I have not seen inside the new F40 shell. Perhaps it was not easily possible...But, I can't help asking why, or why not?

Hold the phone there - where did you hear that from? As far as I know, they should definitely be coming with working ditch lights (and internally, there has been no discussion on changing that). The Rapido website doesn't seem to spell out every detail, but the Rapido F40 page on VIA's site does state "Working ditch lights, class lights, marker lights and backup light" (and obviously headlights ).

Without divulging too much internal goings on ( ), there were lighting provisions made for ditch lights when mapping out all the lighting functions and features the units have. The only things that probably won't be lit are some of the extra markers at the top front due to lack of extra functions on the decoders (the red markers will be lit though, so you can tack one of those suckers on the rear of a J-train deadheading from Aldershot to Toronto Union before they cut it off and run it light power back to the TMC).

As for price, think of it as buying the fully-loaded Porsche or Lexus of F40 models, and the Kato the Toyota Avalon, and the Walthers the Honda Civic of F40's. They're all F40's, but some with more features and better detail and accuracy. I guess Life-Like's can be a well-used Geo Metro winter beater on its last legs, I know the one I have is (well, it hasn't run in eons since I salvaged some motor components for a Bachmann long ago...)

[CP_8530]

CAN I HAS RAPIDO VIA F40?

YES.

(I'm running out of room on Upper Desk Yard Sean )



Couldn't resist:



(But it's legit):
www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=731
www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=14658

[slowfreight]

One of the early, early posts complained that a screaming F40 on the layout would be boring, but growing up around these left quite a different impression and I wonder if Rapido will simulate. Even in HEP mode, they sounded different coasting into a station, digging in to depart, and especially slamming down the mainline at speed.

Just like Tsunami's F units sound so good because of the shutters rattling and the generator whining, if you add the other details to the sound, so to speak, the F40 would be a little more enjoyable.

Next, someone will need to make a sound chip that has the regular E/F sounds and has the Cummins HEP generator humming away too--but that's a little OT.

[MitchGDRMCo]

So a small market (realistically) for this loco and it's only $275....locally in Australia we're beginning to hit the $300 mark for DC only diesel locomotives with DC only steam locos well north of $500....sometimes I wonder if we should be complaining too?