dibber25 Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 Just received the DCC sound-fitted version of Rapido's new GMD-1 locomotive. So that Brits will understand, this is the 'Q1' or the Metro-Vick Co-Bo of Canadian locomotives - ugly as sin but much-loved by enthusiasts. Not, apparently by engineers, and having once squeezed into a GMD-1 cab and climbed over stuff to get in, I can understand why a moderately-sized Canadian would find them uncomfortable. Anyway, couldn't resist showing it off. Mine is the un-numbered version but it comes with a complete set of number decals and a bag of optional details. No. 1000 was the only one of these that I ever saw moving. It rumbled, light engine, over the Island Highway on the wooden trestle south of Duncan on Vancouver Island in about 1981. CNR, trestle and loco are all now long gone. Posed the model on my - still incomplete - Kinsol trestle, which the real loco operated over frequently. CHRIS LEIGH Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted July 2, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 2, 2014 So Chris how about a review so they know what to expect with the UK model? The trestle is very impressive, I bet that took a while. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibber25 Posted July 2, 2014 Author Share Posted July 2, 2014 So Chris how about a review so they know what to expect with the UK model? The trestle is very impressive, I bet that took a while. Wouldn't presume to know enough to review it and research isn't as easy as it is with British locos. There's a bag of optional bits. I've fitted the 'ducket' cab window but I wasn't sure about most of the other parts. I've found in the past with some British kits that the manufacturer assumes that the modeller knows at least as much about the real thing as he does. Some modellers do, but most don't. A little more guidance on what might go where would be helpful. I had only accumulated about 3 pictures of No. 1000 - not enough to answer all my questions. The model comes in a good sturdy box, with foam and plastic packaging. It runs beautifully and is almost silent. I have two brass GMD-1s but I haven't yet dared to put them alongside it! It pulled 4 Bachmann Amfleet cars up my 1 in 30 and I reckon it would take a couple more. I don't have many locos that will do that - and the ones that will are much larger. The trestle has been under construction for about 8 years. It is reaching the stage where a final 'push' would complete it. The real thing has 28,000 individual timbers in it. The model won't have that many but the trestle bents are all assembled from individual pieces, some containing several dozen pieces. CHRIS LEIGH Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibber25 Posted July 3, 2014 Author Share Posted July 3, 2014 Just posting this in case it might be helpful to anyone else whose intimate knowledge of GMD-1 details is as bad as mine. These are the optional parts, less the all-weather window which I've already fitted. The eight black parts (top right) are sandboxes. The instructions say that these got gradually removed and that you shouldn't fit them if you want your loco to go round sharper-than-scale curves. Radiator shutters - I guess they are the big black square (its actually two parts that fit together) - are referred to in the instructions but it implies there are TWO sets, standard and tall. I have only one set and I don't know whether they are standard or tall? The rerailers are presumably intended to be frame-mounted but the one photo I have of 1000 with a rerailer, it's a different shape and lies on the running plate ahead of the cab. I'll be filing off the mounting bracket/peg and fitting mine where it is in the photo. The pictures I have of No. 1000 (four including the 'snap' that I took) generally don't show the details that well. It's a black loco on a shady forest railway so, there are no nice 'posed in the sunshine' shots. So I'm thinking most of these extras will remain in the bag unless I spot obvious holes for grab rails etc. Most of these are factory-fitted but a few spares are always useful. Looks like I might need to pluck up the courage for a bit of weathering in due course. CHRIS LEIGH Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Y Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 As a validation of Chris's recommendation of the GMD-1 here's a close-up snap showing the level of detail that Jason records. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pH Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 The rerailers are presumably intended to be frame-mounted but the one photo I have of 1000 with a rerailer, it's a different shape and lies on the running plate ahead of the cab. I'll be filing off the mounting bracket/peg and fitting mine where it is in the photo. Nice picture of a GMD-1 with a rerailer on the frame: http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=98372&nseq=24 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rapidobill Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 Just posting this in case it might be helpful to anyone else whose intimate knowledge of GMD-1 details is as bad as mine. These are the optional parts, less the all-weather window which I've already fitted. The eight black parts (top right) are sandboxes. The instructions say that these got gradually removed and that you shouldn't fit them if you want your loco to go round sharper-than-scale curves. Radiator shutters - I guess they are the big black square (its actually two parts that fit together) - are referred to in the instructions but it implies there are TWO sets, standard and tall. I have only one set and I don't know whether they are standard or tall? The rerailers are presumably intended to be frame-mounted but the one photo I have of 1000 with a rerailer, it's a different shape and lies on the running plate ahead of the cab. I'll be filing off the mounting bracket/peg and fitting mine where it is in the photo. The pictures I have of No. 1000 (four including the 'snap' that I took) generally don't show the details that well. It's a black loco on a shady forest railway so, there are no nice 'posed in the sunshine' shots. So I'm thinking most of these extras will remain in the bag unless I spot obvious holes for grab rails etc. Most of these are factory-fitted but a few spares are always useful. Looks like I might need to pluck up the courage for a bit of weathering in due course. CHRIS LEIGH Chris, Glad to see that you're enjoying your ugly duckling (Jason will kill me for that one...)! With each of our locomotive releases we do try to provide some prototype information, normally through our web site. In the case of the GMD-1 that information is here - http://www.rapidotrains.com/gmd1class.html This could perhaps be made more clear in the instructions, something that we will have to look at for future releases. That's an amazing trestle... Bill Schneider Rapido Trains Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold toboldlygo Posted July 3, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 3, 2014 It makes Q1 & the Co-Bo look pretty by comparison lol Stunning model though Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rapidotrains Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 Chris, Glad to see that you're enjoying your ugly duckling (Jason will kill me for that one...)! With each of our locomotive releases we do try to provide some prototype information, normally through our web site. In the case of the GMD-1 that information is here - http://www.rapidotrains.com/gmd1class.html This could perhaps be made more clear in the instructions, something that we will have to look at for future releases. That's an amazing trestle... Bill Schneider Rapido Trains A great source of photos for researching what little bits to attach is cnrphotos.com: http://www.cnrphotos.com This is run by my buddy Gord Hilderman. He is also happy to answer questions if you are looking for info on a specific prototype. With models like the GMD-1, the grab irons and other details migrated regularly. That's why the bits bag for the GMD-1 is quite enormous. You can have one locomotive number in one paint scheme and three different ladders/grab iron arrangements over the life of the scheme. -Jason Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibber25 Posted July 3, 2014 Author Share Posted July 3, 2014 A great source of photos for researching what little bits to attach is cnrphotos.com: http://www.cnrphotos.com This is run by my buddy Gord Hilderman. He is also happy to answer questions if you are looking for info on a specific prototype. With models like the GMD-1, the grab irons and other details migrated regularly. That's why the bits bag for the GMD-1 is quite enormous. You can have one locomotive number in one paint scheme and three different ladders/grab iron arrangements over the life of the scheme. -Jason I realise I am being very stupid (you can put a brick in a Rapido GMD-1 box and hit me over the head with it in September) but I guess I should fit the radiator shutters for a model set in 1980? Do they fit on top of the existing shutters which are already installed on the model? They have four little pips on the underside which don't seem to locate anywhere? CHRIS LEIGH Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsp3970 Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 I am looking forward to getting mine. Off course I get to see the real thing, there is often one, or two, of them sitting at Sarcee yard here in Calgary. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rapidotrains Posted July 4, 2014 Share Posted July 4, 2014 I realise I am being very stupid (you can put a brick in a Rapido GMD-1 box and hit me over the head with it in September) but I guess I should fit the radiator shutters for a model set in 1980? Do they fit on top of the existing shutters which are already installed on the model? They have four little pips on the underside which don't seem to locate anywhere? CHRIS LEIGH Hi Chris, Your model has the tall shutter covers installed. You don't need the low ones. They are there for the odd case where someone wants to backdate a model to the very early 1960s. -Jason Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibber25 Posted July 5, 2014 Author Share Posted July 5, 2014 Thanks, Jason, now I understand. Just enjoying 'playing' with it but really do need to finish that trestle so that it can go right across. I see that VIA Rail souvenirs are now advertising the Budd coach for 'The Canadian'. I guess that's the last of the Budd cars to be done (or is the Manor class sleeper still to come?) Any UK readers with doubts about pre-ordering models should check out the VIA Rail souvenirs website - ALL the previously-released cars are SOLD OUT. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gridwatcher Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 I crossed that tressle on Vancouver Island in the cab of a Budd railcar! VERY VERY slowly....and it was nerve wracking to say the least! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
peach james Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 When did you go across Kinsol in a Budd? I was under the understanding they only ever went that way ONCE...in about 1968 or so. DSC_0058 by Peach James, on Flickr (it's about 50 km by highway from here, or about 25 km by logging road) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
davknigh Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 Might as well ask this here as I'm sure the question will arise ere long. Changing numbers on the GMD-1s. I know all the smart people will have ordered the units with no number so as to make the job easy. I know this because when I tried to order one from my (sort of) local hobby shop all the unnumbered units were reserved. The same was true of other dealers I contacted so I got a numbered unit. 1903 was a Winnipeg engine, I don't want a Winnipeg engine, I want one that might have run through Guelph so 1907 seems the best candidate. I can figure out what to do for the cab side numbers but the headlight number boards are another story. Bill? Jason? Cheers, David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibber25 Posted August 4, 2014 Author Share Posted August 4, 2014 When did you go across Kinsol in a Budd? I was under the understanding they only ever went that way ONCE...in about 1968 or so. DSC_0058 by Peach James, on Flickr (it's about 50 km by highway from here, or about 25 km by logging road) Hadn't realised the Budd cars EVER went over it. They were CP Rail and the Kinsol was CN. Was there a special of some sort? I have a model being done in CN as the Kinsol Explorer (on the basis that the CN never closed). CHRIS LEIGH Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stadman Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 Those look similar to ones I've seen in Cuba. Not quite Co Bo, I think Bo-A1A. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
davknigh Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 They are the same creatures. See here; http://www.rapidotrains.com/gmd1class.html#trivia for more information. Cheers, David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stadman Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 Thought as much, just didn't want to mix my classes up. I have a few photos, they seem to operate out of Santa Clara Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mervyn Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 Are these models available in the UK ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold tetsudofan Posted August 12, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 12, 2014 Are these models available in the UK ? Not yet, mine are on backorder with Model Junction who are sending me a goodie box today - contains some Rapido sgood-Bradley coaches but no GMD-1 so must assume that none have reached the UK yet... Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mervyn Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 Just had an e mail stating that gaugemaster are going to be distributing Rapido in the UK !.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold John B Posted August 25, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 25, 2014 Just received mine yesterday, and they are very lovely indeed! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CPRAIL3000 Posted September 12, 2014 Share Posted September 12, 2014 Some images of the latest release GMD1 now on my fickr account. https://www.flickr.com/photos/nirailfan/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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