Model Railroading > Rapido M420

Well, I purchased 2 Rapido M420's. I'm so impatient that I couldn't even wait for the US vendors to get them, So I ordered a pair from Otter Valley Model Railroad. I must say that OV's speed and customer service was beyond amazing. I live in Mississippi and I received both models within 10 days and that included going through customs and such. Great folks up there and I would highly recommend using them, even if you live here in the states!

As far as the models go, I'm blown away. Granted, I have absolutely no use in the world for these units on my railroad, but I couldn't pass them up. I'm a die hard Alco/MLW fan, so when Rapido announced them, I had to get them. Per typical Rapido fashion, the details are amazing, packaging is great, and the manual that's included is awesome too. I opted to just go with the DCC Ready version as I plan to just add an ESU LokSound decoder and Scale Sound Systems speaker at a later date. Personally, going this route saves me a few bucks in the long run, and gives me a reason to put my LokProgrammer to use. 

All in all, I'm happy with the model and the service I received from Otter Valley. 

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I own a Rapido FA2 and RS11 and am also as impressed with the manual as I am the actual model.

Very nice models, aren't they.  As a Canadian, I'm wondering how the USD/CAD currency exchange rate worked out for you.

Jim

Two things about them that catch my eye, that seems to be consistent with Rapido across the board now.   Extremely out of scale tread plate, and the handrail wire
size on the outer ends is larger then that of the inner/side railings.

Look pretty good outside of that though.

Congratulations! Have you checked out the front door on the short hood? Don’t these come with an extra door that you can leave open? I was just wondering what it looks like behind the open door. Of course that might come in handy running them in Mississippi in the summer 😁

Posted from iPhone

Great looking model.

Does anybody know if Rapido is using a custom ESU LokSound decoder or is it stock off the shelf?

Their RDC had a Rapido custom version in the LokSound decoder, the ' F ' numbers on the throttle were custom to the Rapido project. I had a lot of discovery after plugging in a LokSound RDC decoder as opposed to the Rapido factory decoder. It works but there's a lot of questions and adjustments to figure out.
tia.

TCnR Wrote:
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> Great looking model.
>
> Does anybody know if Rapido is using a custom ESU
> LokSound decoder or is it stock off the shelf?
>
> Their RDC had a Rapido custom version in the
> LokSound decoder, the ' F ' numbers on the
> throttle were custom to the Rapido project. I had
> a lot of discovery after plugging in a LokSound
> RDC decoder as opposed to the Rapido factory
> decoder. It works but there's a lot of questions
> and adjustments to figure out.
> tia.

Rapido really seems to like moving the functions around from model to model.  It gets quite frustrating, especially if you are trying to consist with other locomotives. I really wish they would stick closer to LokSound's normal function mapping. 

Jimmies Wrote:
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> Very nice models, aren't they.  As a Canadian,
> I'm wondering how the USD/CAD currency exchange
> rate worked out for you.
>
> Jim

Jim, The exchange rate worked out great for me. After shipping the total cost was about $190.00 for one unit. (Purchased one unit one week and the other the following week). To be honest, as of right now, it seems like I can get a better deal buying models from vendors in Canada versus the US due to the current exchange rate. 

BNSF20 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Congratulations! Have you checked out the front
> door on the short hood? Don’t these come with an
> extra door that you can leave open? I was just
> wondering what it looks like behind the open door.
> Of course that might come in handy running them in
> Mississippi in the summer 😁
>
> Posted from iPhone

They do come with the open door, I just haven't opened up the parts bag to put it on yet. From the pictures I've been on facebook, it's fairly detailed in there. Some modelers are painting the inside of the open door white per the prototype. 

The problem you can run into when buying a Rapido unit without sound is 2 fold. Sometimes their sound files are proprietary and you can only get it on a factory sound unit or a ESU sound decoder you purchase from Rapido direct. 2. Rapido has been adding quite allot of lighting to their engines and are mapping the different functions. That can become quite complex and sometimes hard to figure out using a Loksound programmer. When you buy a factory unit, it is all done for you. Finally, in the long run, you will pay more in my opinion buying a separate Loksound decoder and speakers then ordering it from the factory. Rapido is using the Apple iPhone speakers and some of them have 2. They sound quite good versus the junky cube speakers Scale Trains uses. Good luck. Bruce 

brfriedm Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The problem you can run into when buying a Rapido
> unit without sound is 2 fold. Sometimes their
> sound files are proprietary and you can only get
> it on a factory sound unit or a ESU sound decoder
> you purchase from Rapido direct. 2. Rapido has
> been adding quite allot of lighting to their
> engines and are mapping the different functions.
> That can become quite complex and sometimes hard
> to figure out using a Loksound programmer. When
> you buy a factory unit, it is all done for you.
> Finally, in the long run, you will pay more in my
> opinion buying a separate Loksound decoder and
> speakers then ordering it from the factory. Rapido
> is using the Apple iPhone speakers and some of
> them have 2. They sound quite good versus the
> junky cube speakers Scale Trains uses. Good luck.
> Bruce 

Thanks Bruce. 

I've been using LokSound for many years. And I've never had an issue programming sounds or functions. With the lokprogrammer I can do it all and use it as I see fit, and easily replicate the prototype. 

As far as speakers go, For a while I was sold on the iphone speakers, but I've recently moved to Scale Sound Systems speakers and they're my go to speaker going forward. Don't get me wrong, the Iphone speakers are great, but once I tried a SS Speaker for myself, I was sold immediately and haven't looked back. 

No worries. If you have allot of experience with the Lok Programmer you will be fine.  Bruce

tuxedorailfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> brfriedm Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The problem you can run into when buying a
> Rapido
> > unit without sound is 2 fold. Sometimes their
> > sound files are proprietary and you can only
> get
> > it on a factory sound unit or a ESU sound
> decoder
> > you purchase from Rapido direct. 2. Rapido has
> > been adding quite allot of lighting to their
> > engines and are mapping the different
> functions.
> > That can become quite complex and sometimes
> hard
> > to figure out using a Loksound programmer. When
> > you buy a factory unit, it is all done for you.
> > Finally, in the long run, you will pay more in
> my
> > opinion buying a separate Loksound decoder and
> > speakers then ordering it from the factory.
> Rapido
> > is using the Apple iPhone speakers and some of
> > them have 2. They sound quite good versus the
> > junky cube speakers Scale Trains uses. Good
> luck.
> > Bruce 
>
> Thanks Bruce. 
>
> I've been using LokSound for many years. And I've
> never had an issue programming sounds or
> functions. With the lokprogrammer I can do it all
> and use it as I see fit, and easily replicate the
> prototype. 
>
> As far as speakers go, For a while I was sold on
> the iphone speakers, but I've recently moved to
> Scale Sound Systems speakers and they're my go to
> speaker going forward. Don't get me wrong, the
> Iphone speakers are great, but once I tried a SS
> Speaker for myself, I was sold immediately and
> haven't looked back.