Product Review HO Rapido X72 Boxcar CR - Ex Penn Central Boxcar!

[@Torquewrench1]

Dan’s so rad! Thanks for your time and videos. So awesome. 🚂🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥. Can’t wait to see the layout you build. Still waiting for the details of that small layout you always use to take your photos on ✊✊

[@DanielCortopassi]

I'm glad you like my videos. I'm working on a video about the small layout, which will hopefully be out soon. Thanks for watching!

[@mgr_video_productions]

Nice review Dan! I love the added "My Take" section that has been to these recent reviews.

[@DanielCortopassi]

Thanks for the feedback. I thought adding some commentary where I can give some opinion after the review might be worthwhile. I'm glad you like it. Thanks for watching!

[@thetaxman5302]

I have the same car you had in the review here. I noticed right away how light it felt, but without adding any modifications it has been running without issues on my track so far. I agree for a car of this price point, and for simply being a boxcar, there is no excuse for it being 30% lighter than the nmra recommended weight. Thanks for the video

[@DanielCortopassi]

I'm glad the light weight of your car isn't causing problems. It still seems odd to me that Rapido (or anyone) would build a boxcar, with plenty of room inside, and not get the weight up to snuff. I'm glad you liked the review as well. Thanks for watching!

[@markhayes6407]

I need those half ounce weights for a car that wobbles. My local harbor freight is in stock. Nice review and nice tip.

[@DanielCortopassi]

I'm glad you found the review and tip about the weights helpful. Thanks for watching!

[@205004gs]

Nice job! 👍👍

[@DanielCortopassi]

Thanks for watching!

[@TheGrundyRailfan]

I agree! I've had terrible experiences with most other couplers (Especially The Atlas Plastic Couplers, The Athearn McHenrys, and Bachmann E-Z Mates.) So I plan on purging the Bachmann E-Z Mates for Kadee Couplers (As I've already purged the stock couplers on my Athearn & Atlas models). Huge relief when I got ExactRail Freight Cars that already had Kadees installed.

[@DanielCortopassi]

On a previous layout I had a 4% grade and sometimes plastic couplers would stretch out of shape and let go, and that was with relatively short trains because the layout wasn't that big. I've used nothing but Kadees since. I'm wondering if ExactRail models will now come with ScaleTrains couplers. I used to like it that they had Kadees already, too. Thanks for watching!

[@TheGrundyRailfan]

@@DanielCortopassi Honestly I'm wondering the same thing with their new run of models. I lucked up and bought the models that had the Kadees already installed (which I'm assuming were made before ScaleTrains bought them out)

[@josecarlospereiramachado2016]

Como sempre um excelente vídeo. Parabéns.

[@DanielCortopassi]

I'm glad you liked the review! Thanks for watching!

[@d-rail7271]

In my experience as a dealer Kadee is a very strange company and difficult to deal with. It doesn't surprise me that the companies big enough to do their own thing choose to. I really wish Rapido and other manufacturers (especially the higher end ones) would do better with their quality control, far too many issues end up making it to the dealers and customers.

[@DanielCortopassi]

That's interesting about Kadee. I agree about the quality control. It's a consistent problem with a lot of models these days. Thanks for watching!

[@RonMontagueSWRR]

I agree about the couplers. Although I use 148's, it's still an expense i shouldn't have to make after the fact.

[@DanielCortopassi]

It would be nice. At the very least, the couplers that come on the model shouldn't have issues. Thanks for watching!

[@SPSteve]

Good review, Dan! I think I'll stay away from those cars because I don't want to go through the process you did to get the car serviceable. You have a good point in that it would benefit modelers if the manufacturers would adopt a universal standard for some components.

[@DanielCortopassi]

Removing the floor on this car was a little tricky because of the uncoupling levers. I think it was worth it to add the weight, but there are also plenty of other boxcars out there without that issue. I also only have this one X72 car, so I don't need to repeat the experience. I'm glad you liked the review. Thanks for watching!

[@SPSteve]

I should send you one of the Walthers Proto Phase II GP9's I bought a few months ago, #3444 and #3451. I must say I was disappointed in them. @@DanielCortopassi

[@YardGoat2022]

I have the same X72 boxcar, but in the PC scheme. One of my favorite boxcars, and yes I could tell by holding it it feels too light and the coupler were also too low! ONLY thing I don’t like about Rapido is their couplers seem a bit wide. I’ve replaced this coupler on my X72 long time ago with KD5’s but now my new Rapido 53’ flatcar with stock coupler always seem to get uncoupled. I’m pretty sure the design is too wide, and OR the part of the coupler that closes needs to close a bit more.

[@DanielCortopassi]

I am not a huge fan of the Rapido couplers. This isn't the first one I've encountered with a wiggly trip pin. This is still a nice model overall. I'm glad you like your PC car. Thanks for watching!

[@lucgagnon5241]

Hi Dan. So glad you're back with a new review. Well... I should say that the issue you had with coupler's pin is now nearly universal to all models on the market. Most of the time, Athearn puts cheap McHenry couplers, Rapido use their own couplers, Scale trains too. Even 3D print kits witch I'm mostly doing have this issue. For my part I think that they're all putting their own couplers for two main reasons : One - Because it's cheaper. Two - Because they probably assume that most of the modelers will change them anyway (like you did). So why the hell should they put HQ couplers. Money talks again here. At least, that's my own opinion. I got to admit that this car is nice. I think you know I'm from Canada. Doesn't mean that I like Rapido trains stuff that much. Especially their engines. At the end, Atlas has nearly always my preference. Good job as usual. But I need to ask you this : Why do you put weights in the center of the car instead of putting them on top of the trucks ? That's what I would do so I'm interested to know the reason. Keep on your good work.

[@DanielCortopassi]

I am not a fan of the Athearn plastic couplers either. The ScaleTrains couplers seem to work okay, but they look goofy to me compared to a Kadee. It looked to me like the weights I used were a little too long to fit comfortably in the spaces between the stock weight and the ends of the floor. I think as long as the mass is distributed evenly it will work well. Thanks for watching!

[@Lehighrailfanproduction]

I can’t believe it got 5 points off cause of its weight!

[@scotabot7826]

Sometimes way too critical in my opinion as well!!

[@fernandomarques5166]

I think it's fair, it's a 47USD car and it's a boxcar meaning there's no technical reason for the car to weight a whole 1oz off the recommended NMRA weight, there's no space restriction, which is usually the biggest problem when adding weight, compared to other types of cars.

[@DanielCortopassi]

@Lehighrailfanproduction I don't deduct points for weight often, but I really can't see any reason to make a car like this underweight, and this one was off by a lot. Boxcars have a ton of room inside, and the doors don't open so there's no worry about spoiling the interior. If this were a flatcar that would be a different story, as often there's just no room to add more weight to that type of car. Thanks for watching!

[@DanielCortopassi]

@scotabot7826 It's the job of a reviewer to be critical and tell the good and the bad, otherwise it's just an advertisement. Thanks for watching!

[@DanielCortopassi]

@fernandomarques5166 Yes, exactly. Boxcars have enough room inside that there's no reason not to weight them properly. Thanks for watching!

[@Greatdome99]

Give it a good shake. Rapido cars are known for losing little pieces at the least provocation. i just spent an hour reattaching parts to my pricey Rapido gondola.

[@DanielCortopassi]

I'm sorry you had issues with parts falling off. That's always a disappointment with any model. I guess that's the down side of having models with a ton of detail parts. Thanks for watching!

[@stephenlineman]

you think that is good wow for that price it should be perfect

[@DanielCortopassi]

It's kind of rare to get models that earn a perfect score. This one was still above 80, though, which is good. At least it didn't self-destruct like the Rapido bulkhead flat that I reviewed recently. Thanks for watching!

[@epacm50]

This Rapido model has failed the exam, according to my standards. I will not purchase this model anytime soon.

[@DanielCortopassi]

I'm glad you found the review informative. Thanks for watching!