Lance Mindheim’s Mantra of Reliability

[@MLWQC]

Lance is 100% correct. There is no point having a beauty queen if she cannot walk the walk or talk the talk. 5 times? This is beyond incompetence. Quality control is something that is not part of their experience PLUS the impossible to open model, what is with that? The amount of problems you experience is , sadly, not unique to you. The problem with the decoder and shorting out a layout is widespread too. Shear incompetence is right. Overpriced ,unreliable, poorly manufactured, poorly running, paper-weight! Excellent truthful video. Well done

[@SouthDown]

It was sad to let the SW1200RS go, but Rapido ensured it was beyond unusable with their “repairs.” It’s like they don’t actually know how to make a working model train nor repair their own products.

[@budgiedeluxe]

I find atlas locomotives (particularly their GPs and SDs) are absolutely amazing runners and well enough detailed to be a great choice.

[@mattw9667]

I'll second that.

[@SouthDown]

Thank you for the valuable pro-tip! I’m still exploring all the other vendors out there so this info is useful.

[@mattw9667]

@Rich_Rich yup, I concur. GP9 runs very quietly and smoothly. Just need to dress them up a bit.

[@marka87]

I agree, Atlas are great runners; also Kato are superb, Athearn dodgy but can be improved I find.

[@mattw9667]

@@marka87 converted my first genesis loco to esu. Runs much smoother at slow speed than when it had the tsunami 2.

[@albertjones1386]

When Rapido announced the SW 1200 in the New Haven scheme, I placed an pre order for it right away. However Walthers came out with theirs SW1200 sooner so I canceled the Rapido model. The Walthers model has been a great runner and it was a bit cheaper. I have found over the years that super detailed engines and cars look great but parts can come off or break off so quickly. Never had that problem back in the day with Athearn Blue Box.

[@SouthDown]

I have an Athearn SW1000 Blue Box with a TCS WowSound decoder in it. Has a few details added. Sure, it doesn’t look like a princess like Rapido’s SW1200RS but it sounds as amazing as it runs. And when things run well the extra detail doesn’t really matter. It is one of my favourite model to switch with. Thanks for the feedback!

[@albertjones1386]

@@SouthDown Funny but your comment about your Blue Box SW 1200 made me think, wait a minute, I also have a SW1200 Blue Box engine that has parts added and a really good slightly weathered custom paint job but it is still DC. Several years ago, I tried to get it converted but at the time I could not find anyone to convert it. So it remains a nice shelf engine where it has resided for years.

[@SouthDown]

@albertjones1386 not to peddle my own ware, but my video “Old Glory” is partly about taking an old childhood toy, an SW1000, and giving it new life. As a new modeller almost all my engines are old models from two or more decades ago.

[@johncho8766]

But they look so cool. I can't say that any of my Rapido locomotives runs absolutely perfectly. They range from close enough to be acceptable, to two of them that are completely non-responsive (still waiting to hear back from Rapido to send them in). I never knew that a plastic shell enclosing an electric motor that turns one way or the other would be so difficult to manufacture. I really, really wish they'd stop with the underbody detail and spend that time and effort on performance quality.

[@SouthDown]

The fact that they’re designed to be impossible to open when other manufacturers can make them user serviceable makes me question their need for over engineering the shells. Add to that a lacking quality control and you’re often left with a dud. Thanks for the feedback!

[@MMRails]

Very well done. Love your videos. Or essays. Video essays? You kept my attention all the way through. Sorry to hear about your SW. I really really wanted one, couldn’t find one, bought the Walthers one, now I’m glad I don’t own the Rapido one. :)

[@SouthDown]

Hopefully Walthers will have a new release. Add a few extra details and you could really Rapido-fy it without the quality control nonsense! Thank you always for your feedback.

[@jasonweir6345]

The stories I've heard/read about Rapido and their hit and miss quality control and reliability issues has made me very reluctant to buy any. I did buy 1 used GMD-1 that so far has performed well. I totally agree with you about having to fix issues r tuning up a $300+ loco that is advertised as RTR.I find Atlas and Kato locos to be among the best running on the market. Easy to work on, and the details, while not quite to the level of Scale Trains or Rapido, is acceptable imo, but most of all, they're reliable.

[@SouthDown]

Considering that every Rapido model I own has arrived non functional, and the plethora of videos and or comments I’ve read of complaints, Rapido’s products are getting a wide berth from me. Their inability to fix their own model and constantly getting it back in worse shape than before really turned me off. Thanks for the feedback!

[@jasonweir6345]

@@SouthDown yes a wide birth from me as well. Like I said my GMD-1 was used so if it had issues the previous owner worked them out. Although the motor does hum pretty loud at low speeds. I've met Jason Shron years ago at a private club layput our club was invited to because he showcasing the Canadian train set. He came across as very rude, very full of himself, and a real smartass, and that shows through in the literature that is provided with the various locos with smartass comments like "going and jumping not a lake" at the thought if putting a keep alive into one of their models or being very vague on how to adjust simple CV values to turn down their very very loud factory sound levels. I'm considering a Scale Trains purchase and compare.

[@ZombieSlayer-dj3wb]

So does the gmd pull more or is the center wheel unpowerd also ?

[@jasonweir6345]

@Zombie Slayer8999 my GMD1 is one of BB truck equipped models. I believe all the various GMD1s got retrucked with BB trucks. Even on the prototype CC truck locos, the center axle on each truck was only an idler axle to spread the weight for lighter weight rail.

[@noahbossier1131]

@@jasonweir6345yeah it’s utterly insane. Which models do you recommend

[@DaveCoTrains]

It feels terrible when you buy something expensive and it doesn't work the way it should. Sometimes "you get what you pay for" just doesn't add up. Rapido's quality control is the worst I've seen. I got rid of my Rapido models and never looked back. This video was fantastic. I'm going to have to go back and watch your older stuff.

[@SouthDown]

Absolutely speechless to receive this kind of accolade from someone of your caliber and experience. You make enjoyable videos with such professionalism topped with your fantastic narration voice. To be able to impress you just made my day. Thank you for the kind feedback!

[@DaveCoTrains]

@@SouthDown I just switched over to voice over, but I appreciate the generous comment. I think your voice over is fantastic as well.

[@SouthDown]

All kinds of blushing over here,@@DaveCoTrains.

[@DaveCoTrains]

@@SouthDown I'd love to give you a shout out and link your channel on my next video if that's alright with you.

[@SouthDown]

I would be extremely flattered,@@DaveCoTrains. Thank you for the honour and privilege.

[@silverfox5319]

Excellent video. There is nothing wrong with calling out a manufacturer for poor design and workmanship, no less one of the top model railroad companies. You are doing modelers and Rapido a big favor. If they have responsible management they will make the necessary changes to improve. Wishing you the best in model railroading.

[@SouthDown]

When I reached out to Rapido, despite knowing I would not be a returning customer, they went out of their way to make sure I was satisfied. I am grateful for that.

[@dynamicloco2186]

Sooo glad I saw this video. I was just about to place a large order of consist locomotives from rapido. You saved me a lot of money time and frustration by the sounds!!

[@SouthDown]

Unfortunately… yes. :( I really like Rapido: they’re fun, they’re different and maybe a little daring and crazy, which is kudos to their creative spirit. Plus they’re Canadian! How could I not support them, eh? Maybe these are growing pains. Maybe in a decade or two they’ll apply their lessons learnt to their products. Thanks for the feedback€

[@cpwhiskycreek]

Very informative perspective, certainly a case of never judge just based on appearance its what's inside that counts

[@SouthDown]

Or falling for skewed marketing tactics. Thank you for the feedback and looking forward in being caught up with your channel!

[@rustyc521]

Bowser is another great one to put into the mix along with Atlas,Athern and Walthers for good smooth running locomotives! Just my two cents worth!

[@SouthDown]

You’re absolutely correct. In my next video you’ll see some Athearns and legacy Life Like put to the test. Thanks for the feedback!

[@FishplateFilms]

A great video Sir! I run mainline and do yard switching, and Lance is 100 % right! I have sold MTH , early Genesis and Scaletrains as the running performance was just not there! I now run only Atlas , Kato , and new Genesis locos, all with Tsunami and Tsunami 2 decoders. Slow speed and smooth MU operation are a must on my layout , with no excuses! You can always add super details, but you can't (easily) change a driveline! Cheers Gregg 🙂

[@SouthDown]

Wow! Quite an honour to receive feedback from one of the Greats of KZbin! I really appreciate your feedback. I’ve rid myself of all the Rapidos and most of my fleet is now legacy Proto 2000 models. Definitely a great driveline on those.

[@FishplateFilms]

@@SouthDown Well I don't know about one of the "greats"...mabey great idiot..LOL. Thank you and I forgot to mention how well your units run , and at a scale speed...something you don't see as often as you should? I also have 6 Early Proto 2000 locos that are over 25yrs old , and all run like swiss watches , so yes , they are brilliant as well. Cheers Gregg 🙂

[@SouthDown]

Don’t sell yourself short! Always enjoyed bumping into one of your videos and your full energy approach to the hobby. Much like you I have zeroed on Tsunami2 decoders. While I wish they had a few more features found on decoders made by other vendors they make up for it for great documentation with which you can make engines crawl at realistic speeds. Like you said, you can always super detail but for me performance wins over looks every time. I’m currently working on my last two heritage Proto 2000, an old F3 and an even older GP18, which I am looking forward to pairing together. Lovely speaking with you! I still can’t believe it! You are great of KZbin regardless what you say!

[@FishplateFilms]

@@SouthDown And you too Sir! Keep up the good work and I look forward to seeing the new locos on the layout. Gregg 😊

[@SouthDown]

@@FishplateFilms If you have ever want to do something together (I don't know what!) let me know!

[@donniea5058]

All DCC locomotives should come from the factory equipped with "keep alives". These are premium models at premium prices. They should perform as well as they are detailed.

[@SouthDown]

As someone new to the hobby it sounds like the hobby went from affordable and reliable models to overpriced and highly detailed junk. And most modellers are okay with that! I’ll stick with vintage Blue Box. Noisy but functional.

[@joelshank3666]

I totally agree with you and all of the comments. Additionally I want a decoder that I can program easily with decoder pro. Keeps the frustration level down to a minimum. Great post, thanks.

[@SouthDown]

We are entering an era where manufacturers are raising prices, cutting corners, and skipping on QC, yet products are worse than a 30-year-old Blue Box. Rapido has set the precedent for making garbage and now other vendors are following suit seeing nobody is complaining. It's a very interesting time to enter this hobby, watching it being killed from within by the very people that depend on it. Thank you for your feedback.

[@michaelcudby787]

@@SouthDown Well said, thankyou. I noticed you put a TCS sound decoder in the Athearn SW 1000/1500.. Interesting. I have just dabbled with their sound decoders, so far, & am really impressed with their motor control. Would have to be theee best motor control on the market. Beatifull to watch thankyou.

[@SouthDown]

The TCS decoder is quite impressive from both a motor control and quality of sound perspective; however, they are still lacking some features that other top shelf manufacturers have standardized. For now I’ll be using TCS for some unique or standalone projects where I want great sound but for my obsessive compulsive need to consist I’m relying on another decoder.

[@dundasjunctionmodelr.r-jam8267]

Very interesting video, I don’t own any Rapido locomotives yet but I am getting the Turbo next year

[@SouthDown]

May you not get a lemon! Thanks for the feedback.

[@What_If_We_Tried]

Thank-you for making this video, and I need to dig my Life-Like Proto 2000s out of their boxes, give them a good cleaning / re-lube, and replace the cracked gears on half of the GPs. Having said that, my Proto 2000 switcher - can't remember the model - crawled flawlessly at a snails pace with DC power.

[@SouthDown]

Thank you for your feedback! Not sure if you watched "Old Glory" which answers the question "Can I build a better model than Rapido can?" featuring an old Proto 2000 GP9 sporting a decoder. The performance rivals modern day offerings to the point where most of my fleet now is legacy models. Would love to hear your opinion: kzbin.info/www/bejne/boenl3pqaLqEaMk

[@marka87]

I sent my Rapido Sw1200 back too. It was poorly assembled and couldn’t be corrected. I also agree about installing capacitors. My favourite loco is a BLI GP20 with Paragon 4. Such a great runner with the keep alive.

[@SouthDown]

It’s unfortunate to hear you had similar problems. I guess it’s just a matter of finding a brand that works-and if it doesn’t, that can be opened and fixed. Thanks for the feedback!

[@michaelricks1618]

I'm sorry you've had such poor experiences with Rapido but thanks a lot for the heads-up here. You've done us all a great favour and the manufacturer too. I hope they really listen to their customers and sort out these issues, otherwise, I fear, they will disappear - and rapidly too.

[@SouthDown]

Thanks for the humorous and supportive feedback. In their defence, they took all their products back. The silver lining: I learnt lots and ended up with a small vintage fleet that I’m proud of.

[@mattw9667]

I have 2 GMD 1s and a 1200rs. All three perform smoothly and don't have any issues. All bought 2nd hand.

[@SouthDown]

With those kind of odds in your favour, you should be playing the lottery. Thanks for the feedback.

[@newenglandergray3002]

A valuable video and thanks for sharing your experience. The problems you encountered should be exposed in the model railroad press but it is staunchly uncritical and has minimal customer focus in terms of product evaluations..

[@SouthDown]

If editors think it is normal to have to fix RTR models out of the box, this kind of nonsense will continue unabated. Thank you for your support and kind words!

[@KingTrump2024]

Sounds like my F59PH experience, one of the first people to order one of the last to get it and it was damaged. Returned it to Rapido for repair, lets see how it goes !

[@SouthDown]

Having to send the model back to Rapido because the customer is left to do the quality control check falls into my definition of "The Rapido Tax" I ramble about my other video linked in the description. Being a new model, they will fix it. While this is a problem overall, it only seems to get worse as technicians leave and new ones take their place and they are faced with older puzzles they don't know how to open and fix. I really appreciate YOUR feedback!

[@KingTrump2024]

@@SouthDownguess I am lucky in that regard, as they are about 30min away from me. But the QA has been an issue since covid hit for sure.

[@SouthDown]

The SW1200RS is pre-COVID and has been going back and forth between my house and theirs for the last four years. I think the issue is broader.

[@rogermoore5761]

Fully agree with Lance's mantra. there is nothing worse than locomotives which will not run at slow speeds or stall on change of direction.

[@SouthDown]

I think what is even worse is paying a premium for a better quality model only to discover that not only there is no quality associated with it, you can’t even reasonably open the model to figure out what’s going on. Thanks for the feedback!

[@TravelinginMiniature]

Man this is a well made video.

[@SouthDown]

Thank you! I do like telling a good story. Love your channel! Reminds me of my hometown.

[@KingTrump2024]

I think you would like Louis Rossman's rants on user right to repair movements !

[@SouthDown]

Thank you! I will check him out!

[@wapatocreekrail]

My tracklaying would make Lance shiver, but my only locomotive, a cheapo Walthers Mainline nw2, is an absolutely amazing runner. It has not even stalled once, and handles unpowered frogs with ease. It doesn’t even have a keep-alive! Who says a good loco needs to be expensive? I just hope my next (planned) purchase can match up.

[@SouthDown]

While my experience has been limited, old Life Like Proto 2000 models found on eBay, extensively reworked, and converted to DCC have proven solid and reliable as they use either the cloned Athearn Blue Box mechanism for their four wheel trucks or Kato for their three wheeled trucks. Walthers bought Life Like, so it appears that such reliability lives on with them, whether Proto or Mainline.

[@friscobob56]

From what I gather, there seems to be a bit of arrogance coming from Rapido. And here I was looking forward to getting my hands on a U25B for my Frisco fleet....Thanks for taking the bullet for the rest of us.

[@SouthDown]

If Rapido spent a couple more dollars on QC and making their models user-accessible they’d save significantly more on warranty man hours and return shipping costs. Either can’t be cheap. At the very least, let me in: we’ll willingly fix it ourselves.

[@canadianlocomotivelogistics]

Excellant videos

[@SouthDown]

Thank you! Means a lot coming from a dedicated modeller and developer such as yourself!

[@BaltimoreAndOhioRR]

Thumbs up! Have a great new week! 🙂

[@SouthDown]

Thank you! You too! Always a pleasure to have your feedback.

[@erikhilsinger9421]

Juneco kits to convert an Athearn blue box SW-7 are still around......

[@kenmunozatmmrrailroad6853]

Wow... 'feel better about Lionel!

[@SouthDown]

You should! Thank you for your feedback!

[@blanetrain9584]

It seems annoying that Joe Fugate (one of the main guys behind MRH) would be one of those guys to say fix it yourself for RTR models. In my opinion, there's a difference between something small falling off and putting it back on versus the model running poorly as the latter can be a lot more hit and miss to rectify even with the right tools and knowledge (nothing ruins a beautiful model more than having it run poorly). I actually did a repair on a Rapido SW1200RS that the person had sent to Rapido twice to be fixed and came back both times with the same problem (turns out there was lubrication all around key electrical pickup points so the problem was finally resolved once I took apart both trucks and cleaned the pickups but the fact that Rapido couldn't figure that out was baffling to say the least). For your RS-18, I would secure a replacement motor from Rapido if you haven't already as the factory motors will die regardless of the CV fix Rapido has mentioned (might be worth having Rapido do it since getting inside it requires a decent amount of work like removing the cab and handrails to it plus even being careful may stll require paint touch ups). It's also annoying that Rapido insists the decoder is fine as the issue sounds like it could be the decoder itself or the motherboard but to test the dedoder on an ESU Decoder Tester requires opening the model yet again to see if that's the case

[@SouthDown]

Rather than holding a manufacturer's feet to the fire, model railroading magazines like MRH act like they are at the mercy of model railroad manufacturerers. I am not surprised by the dismissive attitude of MRH's editor, who shifted the responsibility of repair to the modeller, when modellers themselves beat the drum of "we like it better this way" normalizing the lack of QC with an angry and dismissive tone. This is the kind of community, a community of angry old men, that a newbie is first introduced to when entering the hobby. I've opted to boycott that community and build my own. And one thing that having this KZbin channel showed me is that there are actually many more modellers that instead of spending time hurting others in forums with their obtuse views, they use that energy to model beautiful things and promote a positive attitude with newcomers in the hobby. Much of my success in the hobby is thanks to the constructive criticism brought by these veteran modellers who are excited to see my progress. These are the people newcomers should be introduced to when entering the hobby, especially at a time when a newbie is still questioning his own abilities and scared of making mistakes. In regards to my other Rapido products... they're all gone: kzbin.info/www/bejne/boenl3pqaLqEaMk As I note in this video, I'll say this about Rapido when I reached out with complaints about their product failures: they went out of their way to make sure they left me satisfied, one way or another, even if it was clear we were parting ways. I appreciate your feedback. I appreciate your validation. Thank you for your time.

[@michaelcudby787]

@@SouthDown I own a considerable amount of locos, & have found that any pickup issues that occur with the bronze pickups within the truck sideframes of these locos, can be a weak point in the electrical pickup system.ie..Athearn Genesis, mainly, if the problem isnt obviously a wire off, then for sure likely to be the wheel axels that protrude into those bronze sideframe pickups.BLI have that issue too, sometimes.You should NEVER grease or oil those axels/bronze pickups, which some people & manufacturers do.IF there is a squeak coming from that area, I place ONE drop of oil on a tissue/toilet paper & then wipe it on the axel of the wheel. The BB locos with the "inside bearing" brass bearings shoulbe treated the same.One drop of oil on those brass bushes is way too much.Brass/bronze is normally self lubricating & normaly wont need any oil. Oil only interferes with the electrical path wether it be conductive oil or not.I shudder sometimes when I see videos of a youtuber doing maintenance on their locos.& go ape with the oil everywhere. Steamers are a whole different ballgame. I lube the siderod contacting the crankpins with a toothpick dipped in #102 labelle oil.With loco lubrication....less is best.Most parts of a diesel truck are self lubricating, but greasing the gears is fine, but I have dismantled OLD BB trucks, that are as dry as a bone, inside & not an ounce of wear. The main area of lubrication attention should be the thrust washers at each end of the worm.They are taking all the weight of those long trains. There is the end of my rant of the week.Thanks for the video.

[@SouthDown]

@michaelcudby787 I always appreciate pro tip advice from experienced modellers such as yourself! I have learnt with lubricants that a little goes a long way. Thanks for the rant, I love them!

[@doge_sevens]

in september im going to be getting the rapido d10, if i find any problems on it from this video ill be sure to update this comment since itll also be my first dcc fitted locomotive with sound

[@SouthDown]

May it just work, trouble free. I mean it. I have zero Rapido products now. My new fleet is eclectic at best, highly unconventional, and perhaps not very realistic. But it works.

[@doge_sevens]

@SouthDown I hope so too, from what I've seen their steam engines are reliable (uk and the cpr hudson) and plus I don't have any other options since they're the only ones doing canadian steam and it's sort of what I want to have a collection with

[@doge_sevens]

@SouthDown I've actually found a really useful video on how to take apart the long hood of the m420 for anyone who needs it (it may have been really useful for you aswell actually given your issues with it) kzbin.info/www/bejne/nKKronino8iZoqM

[@SouthDown]

I appreciate the video! Too late now and still too complex a process for something that should be literally two screws and a lift. Good luck with those steamers. Again, may they just work as expected. Rapido’s products are gorgeous and unique, I’ll give them that.

[@doge_sevens]

@SouthDown they sure are, I bought their m420w (DC only) version a few days ago so it'd be good for me to have that video though so far I've had 0 issues. Also you're welcome for the video I wished you had found it earlier though lol

[@JeffDM]

I have but one Rapido set, an N scale streamliner set of some kind, I haven't looked at the box in years. Some drive wheel sets are out of gage enough to jump tracks at switches but fixing it binds the drive train. As much as I like their attention to detail, these experiences really put me off buying any more.

[@SouthDown]

I appreciate your feedback and understand your frustration. You could try sending it back to Rapido for service (and hopefully they won’t mess it up) followed by giving them and their products a wide berth.

[@oneastrails]

My Rapido problem list is endless. Let’s start with way way back with their first passenger cars, the Super Continental line. Horrible runners out of the box, you better get a truck tuning tool and adjust all the couplers and diaphragms, then you might salvage most of them to run half decently. Then I got 5 LRC passenger cars that have interior lights that flash like a disco. 1 is totally dead lighting wise. Next is a Via F9-B that just dies at certain times for no reason, gonna gut it and use it as a dummy. Next is Via F40-PH that died and had to be sent back to Rapido. Next is a $700 CP Royal Hudson, the small side rod broke into 2 pieces. Thankfully I am somewhat handy and replaced it with a new one Rapido sent me, still not a job for the faint of heart.Next is 3 pack of GO bi-level cars, 2 have only half the interior lights working and the flicker also. All 3 are very stiff rolling. Lastly their new RSC-14 can barely pull itself around the layout. 7 freight cars max on 1.75% grade. Not to mention how many small parts have broken off over the years, or come broken right out of the box. I’m sure I missed a few more technical issues as I recall sending something else back years ago. ….edit…Oh I forgot about the Via Tempo passenger car that came with bent axles, had to send for replacements

[@SouthDown]

I am impressed you gave Rapido these many chances hoping they would figure out their QC eventually--I did too, but gave up after my fourth locomotive showed the same pattern of issues as the previous three. At some point you either suck it up and accept this is the state of the hobby or vote with your wallet and stop buying their products. I opted for the latter, got rid of my Rapidos, and I'm now using some second hand vintage models fit with decoders instead. I'll take performance and reliability over details any day.

[@michaelcudby787]

@@SouthDown I have ALWAYS maintained that a good running& I mean an exquisit runner is far better than a beauty queen. You van always add the details to a good runner, but making a "beauty queen" run exquisitly, is a totally different ball game

[@SouthDown]

At some point you either have models that look great and live on a shelf or you have models that wouldn’t pass a rivet inspection but run like butter on a hot pan. Thanks for the feedback!

[@kenholbrook5963]

I’ve purchased 6 Athearn Genesis locomotives and have had good luck with them, but now after just one year of operation, I have two of the locomotives that won’t make it though an arrival track with 5 turnouts without stalling at each one. The track is immaculately clean, the wheels are cleaned, and the locomotives have both been properly lubricated. I love the Athearns because they are super quiet at any speed, where BLI locomotives (I have three of them) sound like they are running on a gravel road. I even sent one back to Broadway Limited for repair and it came back with a note that said that is the standard sound for their locomotives. My wife (bless her heart) bought me a BLI 2-8-0 Consolidation steamer and I was excited to see if this had that same grinding sound. Yep… sure does. So, you have to run BLI’s with the sound up very loud to mask the gravelly sound of their decoders. I had considered Rapido, but no longer. Thanks for the information.

[@SouthDown]

I’m sorry to hear about your issues! There’s nothing more frustrating than an engine that performs poorly when all you want to do is just run some trains. Unfortunately this seems to be the norm with modern day offerings. Thank you for your feedback!

[@mysticrailroad]

Great video. I will see your Rapido and raise you one BLI :)

[@SouthDown]

Quite the compliment coming from you, thanks! BLI will be a manufacturer I’ll need to try next. :)

[@mysticrailroad]

@@SouthDown Just to make sure my comment was clear- BLI is horrible because of their decoders! :)

[@SouthDown]

Oh so It’s a thing! I had to get a refund on the Consolidation. It was terrible.

[@gtown150]

Can't go wrong with DC 12 volts...they never fail and cost half as much...

[@SouthDown]

The best way to be is to always keep it simple. Appreciate the feedback!

[@cme8331]

Unfortunately I have to agree...Rapido's quality is very low. It even extends to their cars...Shouldn't have to replace over half of the couplers on their freight cars. Have canceled my newsletter and won't be purchasing anymore of their products.

[@SouthDown]

Thank you for your feedback. It’s too bad, really. I wanted to love Rapido. They don’t make it easy to do.

[@mysticrailroad]

Great video! very entertaining :)

[@SouthDown]

Thank you! Being entertaining is always a bonus I hope to achieve.

[@OgaugeTrainsplusslotCars]

Nice👍♐♐♐

[@southplainsrr]

Atlas and Athearn Genesis are my go to. I avoid all other manufacturers no matter how good their locos look.

[@SouthDown]

This seems to be the general consensus, with Walthers and Kato in the mix. No more Rapido in this household. :(

[@marka87]

Not particularly impressed with Athearn, ok at best.

[@southplainsrr]

@@marka87 Athearn RTR is not great in my opinion, my Genesis locos run really well and sound good, great for slow speed switching. I haven't been impressed with Broadway Limited at all. I guess everyone's mileage may vary.

[@marka87]

@@southplainsrr my Genesis are ok but not in the same league as Atlas but I think it’s also dependent on the individual loco type too. Strangely my Athearn RTR F59 PHI runs really well. The size and weight of locos makes a big difference to running quality whichever manufacturer is used. I run a lot of small switchers and they are more troublesome than larger six axle units due to the lack of weight. The BLI unit I like is purely because of the capacitor, the ones without are just average.

[@Archerman.4514]

Have had many issues with Genesis switchers out of the box. Customer servuce at Athearn is a joke.

[@dougkathydavies3024]

Don't get me started about the Rapido FP9A.

[@SouthDown]

No, please, please do. I’m all ears!

[@DarkTerritory71]

Just my opinion, "it's the decoder's fault". The factory LOKSOUND/esu version decoder, is not up to par, as the QSI decoder that ATLAS had in their locomotives. The funny thing about the QSI you could give them a slight push, and they'd crank up. (true story) AGAIN! MY opinion, purchase the switcher without sound or decoder and install your own. The sounds are killer on the ESU, But jumping through all those hoops, I never wanted one. KATO, ATLAS, WALTHERS, ATLAS, Even Cursed old Bachmann has a decent run/creep. A modeler can order hoses, mirrors, and anything else, as for details to be added. Great video by the way!

[@SouthDown]

You raise a good point. But then we go back to the issue of not being able to open a Rapido model. How can you buy a decoder-free model that can't be opened by the user to install a better quality decoder inside?

[@DarkTerritory71]

@The South Down Switching Layout Most of the time, (underline) "most" mfgs come "plug-n-play"? And as for getting into one, I let nothing stop me, I will figure out how to get into one. If your not confident, you can find someone who does installs. All That being said, it's just a suggestion, if you, really want that particular model. I agree with the first premise, if they don't want to make something accessible, there are other options.

[@SouthDown]

You can get into anything if you really want to, it may just not look the same way when you put it back together. Having said that, I've retired all of my Rapido motive power. I plan to replace it with quality-built equipment that's user-serviceable and put less emphasis on underbody detail.

[@DarkTerritory71]

@The South Down Switching Layout lol! There ya go! If ya ever want to rid yourself of it, let me know! 🤣 I joke!

[@ZombieSlayer-dj3wb]

Hmm my sw works great and had it for almost 5 yrs just picky on dirty track , and what cv is dde ?

[@SouthDown]

Thanks for your feedback! As with all things YMMV, albeit in the case of Rapido you might just be lucky! DDE is a Tsunami2 feature. You’ll need to review their documentation as it is several CVs.

[@ZombieSlayer-dj3wb]

@@SouthDown hm well its says econami can have it to

[@SouthDown]

Hmmm of course? The SW1200RS has a LokSound so DDE not available.

[@ZombieSlayer-dj3wb]

@@SouthDown no for athrean locos i meant

[@Coreyhkh2]

I have had the same issues with Rapido and my sw1200 is unusable its a POS!

[@SouthDown]

From what I hear in the community you are not alone! You can try having them fix it but… I don’t think Rapido knows how to do it anymore. Thanks for the feedback.

[@Coreyhkh2]

@@SouthDown its a shame the models are beautiful but super unreliable. The Hudson though is my favorite loco though even it had to go back for repairs.

[@SouthDown]

Ultimately it comes to how much abuse you are willing to put up with a vendor. I can forgive and forget one, maybe two items, needing to be sent back for repairing what a quick check at the factory floor would have found. But when it is every model, and they themselves can't fix it, then you start to question.

[@rickdee67]

The handrails on the GP9 are smashed! Was it dropped? I won’t buy Rapido or Bachmann ever! My Atlas gold and BLI run absolutely awesome out of the box new for $200 each.

[@SouthDown]

They were bent out of shape out of the box, which is ridiculous for a $300 model. Ended up replacing those. And the motor. And the decoder. And the chassis. And pretty much everything else except for the shell. By far the most expensive model I own. Thanks for the feedback!

[@lepetitnabot]

The market is like 80% collectors so, what do you expect? Give me an Atlas model any day of the week.

[@SouthDown]

You're right, the mistake is on me: I wanted to support a local Canadian business. I believed the marketing material. I thought this was a genuine quality product. I wrongly assumed I could service this model myself. It's only after you start seeing the pattern of abuse from this vendor that you start to realize how naive I've been and how I've been duped. Live and learn I suppose.

[@lepetitnabot]

Sadly, in my experience, all the major manufacturers have a similar dud rate and a similarly aggravating repair/warranty process. My advice is learn to work on your own stuff, and buy your locomotives from a place that tests all the models before they are sold.

[@SouthDown]

I agree,@@lepetitnabot. But the testing often involves running the model up and down the track once and calling that a successful test. If fixing duds marketed as RTR is the norm, then at the very least the models need to be accessible. Have you seen the RS-18/11? I think I nail it pretty well here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/kJ6Qi5h5hsera8k This is the original video I had made, kept for posterity--you'll note the similarities--but the breakdown of the RS-18/11 speak for itself.

[@lepetitnabot]

@@SouthDown At the store where I work, we test every unit that comes through the doors to make sure all the lights work and that it runs smoothly in both directions (as well as fixing any detail that comes flying out of the box). You'd be surprised at the ratio of engines that don't make it past this step and get sent right back whence they came (although that varies from run to run). If we get a jerky runner, we run it on bearings for a while to see if that helps (it does about half the time). Last week, I tested about 20 of the new Rapido F59PH's and they all worked fine. Not a single defective LED! But half of them had a broken HEP generator exhaust cover due to poor box design (a quick fix, thankfully). Now as far as durability goes, that's on the manufacturer, unfortunately...

[@SouthDown]

Wow! My hat off to your inspections! I asked for my SW1200RS to be inspected and it arrived barely able to ride down the tracks, which started this ridiculous four-year saga they eventually refunded. I should be shopping at your store!

[@jfturner73]

When you can't open a cover on the trucks so that basic maintenance can be done such as lubrication and removing dirt build-up on the axle gears, you are losing me as a customer. Rapido and Scale-Trains are the 2 biggest offenders. I own one of each manufacturer (Rapido SW1200 and Scale-Trains SD40-2.) I won't buy from either again until they change their designs.

[@SouthDown]

When the RS-18 stopped working the second time around I could see the issue was a loose wire in the trucks. But I nearly broke the model trying to get to it. I’ve since switched to very old LLP2K converted to DCC that can easily be taken apart and worked on. And those models are based on even older Athearn Blue Box models that come apart without any screws. When I entered the hobby a few years ago I thought the current state was the norm but it looks like manufacturers forgot how to make trains like they once did. Thanks for the feedback!

[@jfturner73]

Like everything else in life, the more technology we add to a product, the more it breaks down. Same is true for the "1:1" scale locomotives. Engineers actually have to call a Help Desk when the PTC isn't working or the engine won't load properly. Same with today's cars with electronic emissions monitoring.

[@SouthDown]

I suppose that's a fair argument, @@jfturner73; however, for a model toy train that is about as complicated as a tiny mobo, a motor, and a bunch of wires, allowing the customer to take the model apart on their own should be a reasonable request, not something I need to send in for repair like an iPhone. Add to that the fact that as technicians come and go at Rapido, many of the new ones don't know how to fix their own legacy models, with some even questioning how a model already a few years old could possibly still be considered under warranty.

[@randysrockandrollrailroad8207]

😊

[@SouthDown]

Thanks for the, uh, feedback! :)

[@carmenjaster598]

Moral of the story is, DO NOT BUY RAPIDO , it's crap! Money wasted!

[@SouthDown]

It’s too bad really: I’d want to support a local business, but it has to be a two way street.

[@majikglustik9704]

Wow. It sux that you're trip went bad. Smooth jazz and some easy listening should see you through untill your check arrives.

[@SouthDown]

Thanks! When China ding dong helicopter green, then yogurt favourite earlobe. Cheese slice!

[@sal3060]

Crapido.

[@SouthDown]

That says it all.

[@billygribble9939]

Stay in your lane bro. Only American cash here lol.

[@SouthDown]

Not even sure what this means but, uh, thanks for the feedback?