Rapido Trains Santa Fe ALCO PA & PB Debut At the La Mesa Model Railroad Club

The newly released Santa Fe ALCO PA locomotives by Rapido Trains hit the market just weeks ago. With much anticipation I captured these models at the La Mesa Model Railroad club located at the San Diego Model Railroad Museum at Balboa Park.
Featured is the San Francisco Chief and the northern section of the Fast Mail Express.
The engines are stock with the exception of weathering and the addition of cab sun visors. Close coupling was accomplished with the modification of the diaphragms. Further adding, all locomotives have Tsunami 2 twenty-one pin decoders and Current Keepers.
For more information, please visit: rapidotrains.com/
Disclaimer:
I am not a professional videographer and only share these images for the enjoyment of the hobby and for those who do not have the means to visit the La Mesa Model Railroad Club. To the viewers who expect the highest quality high-definition sound and video equipment at the ready, make a donation to the San Diego Model Railroad Museum by visiting www.sdmrm.org/ and support local businesses.
Vic Yoder: / @victoryoder
Vic Yoder Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/7150944...
Soundtraxx: soundtraxx.com/
Durango DCC: durangodcc.com/
Pacific Coast Lines: / brassmag
La Mesa Model Railroad Club: / lmmrrc
San Diego Model Railroad Museum: / modelrailroadmuseum

[@riogrande5761]

Very nice train. The Rapido PA came out nice in ATSF red bonnet!

[@peteprizzi8508]

They really captured the nose contours + lines about the best i've seen in any gauge.

[@Tricky929]

Your Rapido PA's the A and B units are amazing.

[@daviddryden8088]

Those are some spicy locomotives. The weathering on the roofs is perfect. Can't think of a better layout to showcase these beauties.

[@ThatDarnRobbo1]

I have read many articles on The La Mesa layout over the years. Simply spectacular. Those broad curves make me envious. Rapido's attention to detail is top-notch. Excellent weathering. If I ever get to visit San Diego, I will go directly to Balboa Park and probably won't see anything else in this beautiful part of the world.

[@n6nvr]

Nice overspray of silver on the nose shot. I was a bad boy and got a pair and ran them up at the Cal Southern tonight. As far as I can tell, all we have up here so far are Bloody Nose and Daylights. Maybe some will show up shortly.

[@diffened]

What a fantastic layout. Thanks for sharing.

[@forumanswers6145]

awesome scenery

[@cleoosbyjr3916]

Beautiful , enjoyed the video very much

[@shadowstep77]

Great, now I gotta get a pair of these to pull my San fran chief

[@pacset2]

Very cool 👍

[@DPT3001]

Great Video Vic!!

[@MLWQC]

They do look good. Nice video, very well done.

[@jeffreyrule8143]

Beautiful PAs and PBS and consists. Layout is also equally beautiful. Who makes the Santa Fe passenger cars? Love Rapido locomotives and have a couple myself.

[@victoryoder]

The passenger cars are a mix of brass and plastic. All which are cosmetically modified to match the prototype.

[@truebras]

Nice video. SF PA1/PB1 together with SP PA2/PB2 are the most distinct of these Alco locomotives. I like the result of swapping for short couplers and adding diaphragms between locomotives. Did use American Beauty ones?

[@tommachut7167]

Those are really nice Vic, Great replacements for the old Walthers PA's. For my future use, What Tsunami2 sound file do you use for the PA's? Thanks for the video's you do, I really enjoy them.

[@victoryoder]

Tom, TSU-21PNEM Tsunami2 ALCO Decoders are installed in all 7 units including Current Keepers. Each unit is unique as the reverb, prime mover pitch shift and equalizers are adjusted so they uniquely have their own identity like any locomotive. The video does not capture the bow wave sound effect you would hear if you were present. Less is more, but as with any video, the sound naturally becomes amplified. I keep the sound at a minimum. You hear the train gradually approach and fade away as the head end passes. Funny as guests at the museum will stop conversing as the train approaches to hear the sound.

[@victoryoder]

Also...... The P2K PAs were given to a youth member at the La Mesa Club. He loved them at first sight. To seal the deal he paid 2 bucks per unit! He is building his own Mail and Express and Grand Canyon Limited.

[@louisletourneau3429]

@@victoryoder would have like to see them side by side . Beautifull video !!!