Dear HO Scale Customers:
We have some unfortunate news to share with you.Effective immediately, we have been forced to increase our prices on the following 3 items:146018 - HO BiLevel Commuter Car - WCE: Set #1 (Cab: 103 Coaches: 304, 308)146019 - HO BiLevel Commuter Car - WCE: Set #2 (Cab: 104 Coaches: 301, 305)146020 - HO BiLevel Commuter Car - WCE Coach: UnnumberedAll of the orders that you have submitted up to this point for these items will be held at the previous price. All orders from now on will reflect the new price of $399.95 for each set, and $124.95 for each single car.This price increase is only for the above products, and is due to our recently-signed licencing agreement with the agency. All other items in the BiLevel Commuter Car range remain the same.
Rapido Trains Inc. has announced new Commuter Passenger Cars
The current Bilevel design, although largely originating in Europe, found its ways to North American rails in the 1970s and has since been put to use by dozens of commuter agencies all across Canada and the United States. Originally designed by Hawker Siddeley Canada, the cars have been manufactured over the years by Hawker Siddeley, Urban Transportation Development Corporation (UTDC), SNC-Lavalin, and today, Bombardier. The cars have always been built at the original Canadian Car & Foundry (CanCar) factory in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
The Bilevel Commuter Car was originally designed in the mid-1970s at the request of the Government of Ontario (Canada) to develop a higher-capacity solution for their GO Transit commuter trains in the Greater Toronto Area. The commuter trains had grown to 10-car single-level trains during peak times and it was felt that the ideal solution was to increase the height rather than length of the trains. Designed by Hawker Siddeley Canada and Dofasco with input from GO Transit, the first coach models entered service in 1976, while the first cab cars entered service in 1983.
The Rapido model aims to finally bring museum-quality details, improved operations and prototypical accuracy to this long loved and under-appreciated mode of (commuter) transportation.
We are working on a Master Class for the Bilevel cars. Once ready, you will be able to find a link to it here.
BILEVEL COMMUTER CAR - DESIGNS
The Bilevel Commuter Car, having been in production since 1976, has gone through a number of changes over the years, but the general design and appearance has remained unchanged. It has colloquially become known as the “Lozenge” design, with GO Transit even using the outline of the design on some signage. The Bilevel Commuter Car design can be broken down into 5 distinct designs or “series”. Most commuter agencies have more than one series of car, so having a variety of car designs goes a long way to having a truly realistic commuter train.
Please note: These series are based on the general designs and are not the same as the “series” numbers applied by GO Transit or Metrolink.
Series I
- 5-windows on the lower level
- Riveted-side body
- Small windows
- Intermediate-level washroom on the A-end
- Cab Coaches - Small cab with single window
- No Conductors window
- Many later retrofitted to include larger cab and conductors window.
Series II
- 4-windows on the lower level
- Riveted-side body
- Small windows
- Lower-level washroom on the B-end
- Cab Coaches - Small cab with single window (early)
- Full-width cab with two windows (later)
Series III
- 4-windows on the lower level
- Welded-side body with a transverse rib
- Small windows
- Lower-level washroom on the B-end
- Cab Coaches - Full-width cab with two windows
- Engineers + Conductors windows
Series IV
- 4-windows on the lower level
- Welded-side body with a transverse rib
- Large windows
- Lower-level washroom on the B-end
- Cab Coaches - Full-width engineers cab
- Engineers + Conductors windows
Series X “CEM” (Crash Energy Management)
- New roof profile and body design
- 4-windows on the lower level
- Fewer windows on intermediate level
- Welded-side design w/ wide transverse rib
- Large windows
- Lower-level washroom on the B-end
- Cab Coaches - Full-width elevated engineers cab
- Streamlined nose w/ large window
Order Due Date: June 15, 2021
Anticipated Delivery Date: April 2022
Looking for more Rapido Trains Inc. HO Scale Passenger cars? Click here!
Looking for more Rapido Trains Inc. HO Scale items? Click here!