After waiting several months for my D&RGW steam gen. car, my LHS contacted me today and told me they were not going to make any more. There are issues with the steam being toxic. They told me it says this with the paper work that came with the cars that have already been sold. NOT to use around children and use in a well ventallated area. The D&RGW was one of the first paint scheams they announced, it was even advertised in MR magazine. has anyone else heard about this? I wa realy looking forward to getting one of these. Truck.
I haven’t heard that, but maybe things have come to light about the steam? I didn’t know they were supposed to make simulated steam.
As for the Rio Grande Steam Generator, its a fantasy car - completely fictional. Because of this, I never was interested. Rio Grandes steam generators were either converted from Steam Engine tenders from the 1940’s or the two Alco PB diesels converted in 1965. Best bet is to get an Athearn or Proto 2000 PB and modify it. That is what ran on the Rio Grande Zephyr mostly.
Thanks for the info riogrande5761. Iam still learning about witch cars were prototipical and for what railroads. That would explain why I could never find a real photo of these for D&RGW. But I thought having one would be cool.
If I know Jason Shron and his strong Rapido reputation, hearing third hand about a toxicity problem with their steam gennie cars and not having a very public announcement are highly incongruous.
This story is big enough to reach out and take a good healthy bite out of your tush isn’t it? It do sound like a candidate for a future Monster Fish Unhooked episode!
Offer it unlettered and without the working “steam” at a lower price and I would buy a few. As it is, Rapido has yet to make anything I need or want - especially at their prices.
Rapido says their steam fluid is NON TOXIC. I have 4 of these and I’m still alive to talk about it, lol. Sheldon, it is offered undecorated. For $49.95 CANADIAN your getting a cool looking and very unique car, I don’t think that’s a bad price at all. I’m still waiting on my 3 in Ontario Northland colours.
A significant percentage of my 120 piece locomotive fleet barely cost $49.95 a piece. Their web site lists the price at $59.95, and is not clear if that is US or Canadian, but its too much in any case. I generally don’t spend that kind of money on rolling stock and have no interest in the “steam”. Now $29.95 US without the “electronics” and I would be all in for a a couple - it is a nice looking and well done model. But I don’t pay for features I don’t want.
I guess I will kit bash some dummy B units - like many railroads did.
As for this “toxic” issue, I don’t buy into much of any of that alarmist thinking.
When did you buy them? I’n the 80’s? LOLOL, just kidding. Most of my 100+ loco’s were in the 100 dollar mark. Some as low as 50 and some 10 times that. I only use the steam in one of mine, it is a cool feature though. You should Email Jason, you never know, they might have a few lying around with the guts out of them.
Admittedly though, much of my interest in the steam gennie has been more as a seperate HEP car, since I’m in the more modern setting. Still a nice car though,
OK - to set the record straight - we are NOT canceling the steam gennies. Any of them. The fluid is NON toxic (although we do suggest that you not drink it and use in a well ventilated area if you’re going to leave the things running - both of which… I would hope… fall under “common sense”).
In fact, we announced in the last Timetable newsletter (sent out to subscribers and dealers July 30 and available online at http://www.rapidotrains.com/timetable/tt_current.html) that final orders were due to be in by August 15 so that we could begin production (which we have). Nowhere did we say anything about canceling them, I’m not sure where that tidbit of information came from!
If you have any questions or concerns about Rapdio products always feel free to contact us. We do our best to answer all e-mails as quickly as possible. Also, our newsletters are a free subscription, come out about once a month, and are full of both up to date information and the occasional amusing tidbits. You can sign up right off the home page of our web site.
Yes, many manufacturers make “fantasy” paint jobs to fill out the number of units they can sell and help to justify the tooling costs etc. It used to be most freight cars available were fantasy but now if you are careful you can get many close if not correct freight cars. This is a handsome paint job but Rio Grande never owned a car like Rapido offers. Rather they converted some steam tenders from old articulated steam engines which were retired in the 40’s and 50’s for a couple of them, and then the Alco PB units that once pulled the California Zephyr were pulled from service in 1965 and the prime movers were removed and steam generators installed. The roof lost the large axial fan and gained some steam generator plumbing. In the 1970’s one of the ex Alco PB unit was re-trucked with 2 axle EMD blomberg trucks. At least one of the SG cars lasted up to about 1990 and after conversion to HEP was used infront of the slap side ex-Canadian ski train cars.
Well, I have been in the hobby since 1968, so for me the 80’s was not that long ago, but most of my current motive power has been purchased in the last 15 years.
It includes over 30 Spectrum steamers, and a selection of diesels from Proto2000, Athearn, Intermountain and others. Other steam includes some Proto2000 and BLI/PCM, and only two brass models.
No one piece was over $300, most steam around $100, many less, and many Proto diesels were $40-$80. One example - 6 AB sets of Proto FA’s - both units powered - $59.95 a set - $30.00 a loco!
Now, I will remind all that I do not use DCC or onboard sound and most of these models are DC versions.
A few sound/DCC or DCC models have had their electronics “ajusted” to my needs, and those models were purchased at very low prices compaired to their retail prices - Again, I don’t pay for stuff
