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Are there any realistic HO models CPR and CN loco's?


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Since I saw a CPR orange diesel set in Canadian Tire many years ago, I have thought of having a few representative CP and CN steam engines (1950s) and diesels (1950s thro' 1970s) but most models seem to be cobbled up versions of US loco's.

 

Are there any reasonably accurate Canadian HO models? Preferably as would have been seen in Manitoba. I also fancy a Shay logger like the one now in Duncan BC.

 

Are there any passenger cars that could make up 'The Canadian' circa 1969 - early 1970s? I burned off some gas chasing 'The Canadian' from Kicking Horse to Superior and rode on it from Montreal to Winnipeg.

 

I did once have a Tri-ang Budd twin railcar but I only saw the real ones in the Maritimes so I sold it.

 

This has got on the agenda since I recently bought a VCR tape of 'Manitoba Steam circa 1958' and a big book of CN steam loco's.

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As mentioned, Rapido has done the Canadian as a full train, but it's pricey if you can find it.  Credit Valley Railway in the Toronto area has two sets on consignment, $1,800 vs the original $1,500 MSRP. www.cvrco.com - Set 3 with the script would be for the 1960's era maroon.

 

As also mentioned, RapidoTrains is a Canadian company that makes super accurate models of Canadian equipment and Locomotives - www.rapidotrains.com .  They have just released the FP9 as individual locomotives in CN schemes (1954, 1961, VIA) and will eventually release the CPR versions that were included in the Canadian set as individual locomotives.  There are also forthcoming models of the GMD-1 and FPA-4 which were used by CN.  Technically orders have closed on the GMD-1, but if you search around stores should still have stock they ordered that isn't committed for, they are scheduled to arrive sometime in 2014.  Pre-Orders for the FPA-4 are still open, so you can order them still.  They have also started releasing individual cars from the Canadian for sale, Park Cars and Coaches are currently available to order.

 

Other than Rapido, several American Manufacturers are offering better and better versions of Canadian Locomotives.  Bowser recently released D-S-4-1000's in CPR, which are good models if looking for Vancouver/Victoria BC models, they have released MLW C-630m's in a number of Canadian roads, these are still available here and there if you hunt around.  Bowser also has SD-40-2's in the works which are being done to Canadian accurate details, and new Executive Line (their higher detail line) F7a's and b's which look to be reasonably accurate models of CN's freight F7's in the 1961 noodle scheme.

 

Athearn has released really nice GP-38-2's which are also quite accurate and fit the 1970's part of your era search.  Atlas and Intermountain have also done much improved Canadian Locomotives in recent years, but i have no personal experience with them.

 

The summary is, in the past 5 years, Canadian modellers have finally started to get good quality models of Canadian Locomotives and equipment that aren't just re-paints of American cars, its a nice change and a good time to be a Canadian modeller in HO scale.

 

Stephen

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This is typical CP rail traffic that went past our house in Winnipeg. Looking north, as here, the single line track runs on the other side of Saskatchewan Avenue towards the City to the right. There was not much rail traffic which caught out some courting couples who parked late at night in what they thought was a secluded side road only to be disturbed by a very loud object with a bright headlight bearing down on them. One horn sort of cancelled out the other I guess.

 

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I am not familiar with the type of loco's., - I just snapped what I happened to see.  Each one has a slightly different livery and I do not know which was earliest.

 

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Thank you for the replies and advice. As VIA was created on April Fool's Day 1978, I can narrow my interest as from the end of 1939-45 war until the end of 1977. I dare not get in too deep with Canadian models but a few representative ones would be OK.

 

 

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In addition to the mentioned above, Athearn have the GP40-2W and GP40-2L coming out next year, and True Line Trains has the SW1200RS coming out some time in the future.

 

Intermountain did the SD40-2W but my recollection is that there were issues with it, in particular I think the slope of the noise was wrong.

 

In terms of steam you are stuck with brass with one exception, True Line Trains did in the past bring out a plastic CN U-2-g 4-8-4 Northern, but there has been no indication of any future accurate plastic steam being produced.

 

In the distant past Life Like Canada did the C-Liner and the RS-18 - the RS-18 had some minor issues mainly related to height if I recall correctly.

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Those would be either GP7 or GP9.  Can't tell but if you can read the road numbers in the original photos CP's GP7 were 8409 - 8425, if its not in that range then it would be a GP9.

 

Don't know if there are any differences between a Canadian GP7/9 and the American ones, if there are I don't think anyone has done a unique Canadian model yet.

 

The second is the CP maroon (script) scheme, the first would be maroon (block).  Block came first, script was second.  In 1968 CP started changing to the multimark scheme (aka Pac-man).

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Pretty certain they're GP9s from the 3 sets of louvres on the long hood, Canadian built GP7s and 9s were very similar to US production, the main differences being a high mount bell on the short hood and a winterisaton hatch on the long hood (the large rectangular box above "dian" on the second loco.

 

Athearn have a new GP9 out but no Canadian versions announced yet. I did my two a few years ago & they're one of the easiest CP locos I've done.

 

Nick

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