Rapido 21009 HO MLW Alco FA-2 Canadian National CNR CN #9456 Delivery Scheme Green Yellow DCC Ready No Sound Standard DC NIB RTR

Rapido 21009 HO MLW Alco FA-2 Canadian National CNR CN #9456 Delivery Scheme Green Yellow DCC Ready No Sound Standard DC NIB RTR

Rapido is pleased to announce the definitive HO scale model of the Alco/MLW FA-2 and FPA-2. The FA-2 (Alco model DL-212) was Schenectady’s response to the ubiquitous EMD F7 that was swiftly becoming the locomotive of choice for many freight and passenger railroads. The FA-2 was intended for freight service while the FPA-2 (Alco model DL-213A) included a steam generator and obligatory large water tank for heating passenger cars. Our models will have the correct details for each version. Delivered between October 1950 (Erie 736A) and June 1956 (L&N 211), a total of 283 FA-2 and FPA-2 locomotives were built by Alco in Schenectady, New York for 12 different American railroads.

A further 51 FA-2 and FPA-2 locos were built under licence by Montreal Locomotive Works for CP, CN and NdeM. Each 1600-HP unit had a 12-cylinder Alco 244 prime mover.

Although not as reliable as EMD’s competition, largely due to the underperforming 244 engine, the FA-2 firmly established itself in second place with a large number of locomotives surviving into the 1970s in service, especially in Canada. This is the first time that the FPA-2 has been offered in plastic, and the first time the FA-2 has been offered in all phases.

When it comes to the FA-2 and FPA-2 locomotives, one size definitely does not fit all. There were substantial variations from railroad to railroad, and we’re covering all of the major ones. Rapido is the first company ever to offer in ready-to-run form:

-Correct water/fuel tank combination for the FPA-2

-Vertical battery box louvers

-Underbody piping and conduit

-Nose louvers for Baltimore & Ohio

-Trainphone antenna for Pennsylvania RR

-Prototype-specific details

Ours is also the ONLY FA model ever produced that was scaled from a 3D scan of the prototype, FPA-4 #6765 at Exporail. The nose on our model is the only one guaranteed to be the correct shape, as it’s the only one designed from a 3D scan! It is quite different from the nose used on older FA models. They were far off the mark. Finally, we are tooling four different fuel and fuel/water tanks: two FA-2 fuel tanks (one for CP and one for everyone else) and two FPA-2 fuel/water tanks (one for CP/CN and one for everyone else).

HO Scale model features:

-Correct details for US and Canadian Phase Ia, Ib and II locos

-Dynamic brakes (later runs will include non-dynamic brake units)

-Operating number boards, headlights and two-color class lights

-Etched-metal grilles (Farr or chicken wire, as appropriate)

-Full underbody detail including piping and conduit

-Correct, roadname-specific FA-2 and FPA-2 fuel tanks (four types)

-Separate grab irons and handrails installed at the factory

-Roadname-specific details

-Heavy, die-cast chassis

-Full cab interior

-Sound-equipped with an ESU LokSound decoder or DC (DCC ready)

-Accurate sounds recorded from a real Alco 244 prime mover

-5-pole, skew-wound motor with excellent slow-speed performance

-Factory-installed Macdonald-Cartier couplers mounted at the correct height