rapidobill

It wouldn't be a "brief essay" but rather more like War and Peace! :>) Bill

It hasn't even been shown publicly, and already..... :>) This is why the 3-d sample is so important on this project. There is a physical limitation as to how thin we can make the cab roof and still have it reliably inject and be strong enough, but we may be able to make some changes that would help at least the back edge look thinner. Having said that, there is a rather pronounced bead/lip that runs around the rear of the cab that makes it look thicker than just the sheet metal would imply.We also need top ensure that the back edge of the cab is properly rounded. And no, I'm not talking about the "thickie" in the center of the photo......

Oh, come on.. Take another day and bask in the glory... :>) Bill S.

OK.. I KNOW that we designed it to do this, but watching it negotiate that tight a curve is still painful for me to watch! :>)

Well, that's not entirely true! Read the caption... :>) Right now the loco will go around a 22" (~4th) radius curve with scale appearing splashers. To get down to a #2 radius (a design requirement) we will likely have a second set of user-applied splashers that will allow more side-to-side movement on the lead bogie. Updates will be posted once we have finalized these parts. Bill

You say Tomato, and I say..... I had to deal with yellows as well! :>)

DON'T ENCOURAGE HIM!!!!!!! Bill

Thanks to everybody for the compliments on the model. It has been an extremely gratifying project to be involved with! Kudos should go to Locomotionmodels for taking the chance and to Kit and the preservation group for the help in steering us through. As for the color... sorry... colour - this can be so subjective. For for the record, here's what we matched to.... Back when we were doing the APT-E scans one of the intermediate bogies was being touched up by Melissa Jardine of the APT-E Conservation group with, as she reported it, the can of blue paint used during the restoration. I commented that would be great to get a sample of the blue paint, and this was answered by my being given the lid to the now nearly empty tin of paint! It went home in a plastic bag in my luggage (which smelled oddly like paint thinners for quite a while afterwards), then on to China with me (it had dried by then!). We matched the model paint to that colour, and it is quite a close match in daylight. However... from experience... model colour can vary significantly depending on layout lighting type and conditions. As an example, my favorite US road - the New York, Ontario and Western, used a mid-gray that is notoriously difficult to match. A well known O&W modeler came to see my layout several years back and gave me hard time about having the "wrong" colour all the locos. A few months later I brought a few of them to a model meet and he commented how happy he was that I had "fixed" them. In fact, I'd done nothing! The lighting on my layout tended to be a bit "cool" while the lighting in the hall was warmer. Same model, same expert. We're still friends... ;>) Bill

Well... the dirty secret is out, and I promised Kit that I would never spill the beans, but...... That was actually a photo of how the record run was accomplished. Bill

It is one of simpler projects in that regard. Most of our current North American locos have well over 200... http://www.rapidotrains.com/content/manuals/F40-bom.pdf Bill

Hi all, I light of some of the difficulties some members have had working the connection system, I'm hoping that these images will help. Bill Connecting your APT-E Power Car 1 (PC-1) of your APT-E model is the “brain” behind the train. All electrical functions originate here, especially on the DCC models. The model relies on the 10-pin plugs between the units to carry electrical power to the trailing cars and to PC-2 for both light and motor functions. These plugs must be completely seated in order to make good contact for the model to operate properly. Note that this also means that while PC-1 is self-sufficient and will run on its own, PC-2 is strictly a “slave” and will not operate unless plugged into PC-1. Connecting the units is actually not that difficult, (as witnessed by the fact that even I can do it...) and with a little practice can be done quite quickly. Here we see the ends of the power car and the trailing car. Note the male pins on the plug and the plastic tab above them. These pins go into the female end of the plug and the plastic tab into the slot above the plug. Below the plug is a large plastic tab. This tab goes into the slot between the chassis and frame. Also note the two pins on the side of the male plug that will engage the two notches in the side of the female plug. To connect the components insert the large plastic tab into the corresponding slot. Now tip the intermediate car up about 10 degrees. Slide the two units together inserting the smaller tab into its corresponding slot. The plastic pins on the side of the plug should engage into the slots with an audible click. Bring the model back down to level and verify that the plugs have completely seated. Repeat between each unit. Should you have issues with headlights or motor functions not working on PC-2 please double check all the connections. Remember, the power has to travel through the entire train so the culprit could be any of the plugs. Once the model has been assembled and disassembled a few times the clips will polish in a bit and the process will go a bit smoother.

It replaced the Nokia Whosiewhatsit, which in turn was nothing more than an upgraded Nokia Gizmo. Neither of them are nearly as nice as the new Nokia Shebang. Bill

Thanks Andy!

Hi all, A few members have reported having short circuits on their sets after plugging all of the units together. To be honest we've been completely baffled by this until today. We may now have a simple answer and we would ask you to check this first before starting a return or repair process.... On some models it seems that the intermediate bogie has just enough play in the pickup wires to allow it to rotate 180 degrees. If it is put on the track this way then a short occurs - Thomas just confirmed this on our test track! To visually check, the pick up wires should go straight up from the bogie to the plug - the right rail to the right side of the plug, the left rail to the left side. If they are twisted or cross then they would have the effect of shorting across the rails once the next car was plugged in. To check with everything on the track, try rotating the bogie. Hopefully this will solve the issues for those of you who have reported shorts. We apologize for the delay in getting this sorted. Why we didn't think of this a few days ago I'm not sure. I can only put it down to a combination of jetlag,long hours and real ale. Bill

THOSE WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO SHIP YET!!!! Don't tell anybody.....

Hi all, As mentioned, we did spot check some sets. Initially I was quite alarmed to find a few with 'faulty" headlight or taillight (never both oddly....), one with no sound and one with no motor function on TC2. After unplugging and re-plugging the connectors and making sure that ALL of the plugs are fully seated all of these "issues" were fixed. Srihaggis' post is spot on - please make sure the connectors are fully engaged. They DO loosen up significantly after a few uses as the plastic edges polish themselves. Should that not sole the issue, please contact us as described in the manual and we will walk through the next steps. Having said that, I'll start the next thread now.... "RAPIDO UNRESPONSIVE TO POSTS!"... Thomas and I are heading from York to Heathrow tomorrow morning, then home - Thomas to Toronto and myself to Connecticut via Newark. Due to the wonders of the Amtrak timetable I am STUCK in Newark until the following morning (please don't complain to me about UK train service!), so won't be home until mid-afternoon Wednesday, after which I plan on spending some time with my family who, amazingly, still seem to want to see me. As a result I will likely NOT be on-line and almost certainly not on RM Web until some time on Thursday. Hope that everybody plays nice while I'm gone.... It was great to be able to see and talk to so many of you at the York show (and the few who recognized me at Ally Pally). It was great to see such a positive response to the train, especially during the test runs on World's End. Thanks also to Kit "Mr. Tilt" for making the journey in to join us. Hope to be back soon... Bill

Brian/Gordon, Regarding the shorting issues you both have reported, please take a look at the pins in the end of the connector at the end of PC1. Do any of these show any evidence of being bent? That would be the first place that I would check. If two were bent to where they touch then it is possible that they might short. I am currently in the UK at the York Show with Thomas from out Toronto office. As the sets arrived while we we were here (timing is everything.. I should have delayed the shipment!) we went to Shildon and took some time to inspect and spot check some of the units coming in. We found no shorts on any of the units that we checked. Also the factory pre-tested each power car before they were packed. This is not to imply that you DON'T have an issue, only that it is not a widespread fault. Regardless, we will take care of the issue and make sure that your set is running 100% to your satisfaction. Please PM me and I'll get you contact details if you need to have it looked at. Bill

As the resident Yank on staff, I think that it's funny that the Canadians have a senese of humour as well! :>) Bill

How long before we can hire him for product testing? Bill

Well, it would have at least one member... ;>) The APT-E project could not have been such a success without the help of Kit & Co. (The APT-E group). Bill

Brian, We can try a quick diagnose process... try PC1 on it's own (it will run) then add one of the trailing cars, then the other, then finally PC2 until the short occurs again. This will identify which unit has the issue and I can walk you though a couple of things to quickly check. Bill

Not worth the effort. Manufacturers never pay attention.... Seriously, this is always a good idea as a first recourse. Going straight to the manufacturer with a question first is the best, sure way to get an accurate answer - especially since they're the only ones who really know what is going on! . Rapido and NRM/Locomotion do try to be as up-front as we can be on projects. Having said that, don't assume that a lack of response within an hour means that either we just don't care, we're not going to make it or we're going out of business! We can get a bit busy (or in my case, may be travelling) so it might take a day or two for a response. Bill

Well.. it MIGHT be.... We are finalizing a few details of the design and will have an update as soon as we have final drawings to show. Thanks for you patience! I'm looking forward to this one as well! Bill

No, sadly that one didn't make the chip... ;>)

Now wait a minute... This is a refined and carefully researched historical model associated with one of the premier railway museums in the world! We would NEVER detract from the offering by providing a sound byte that was not 100% accurate and historically significant.... (Go on, check it out!)