The Royal Hudson went on a tour across Canada in the 1970s and these F7B units were the backup power.  A diesel throttle was installed in the 2860 to power up the two B units if the 2860 failed.

The Rapido HO Scale F7B and F9B feature:

• Designed from original GMD blueprints and field measurements
• The only 100% accurate GMD-built F7B and F9B locomotives – This is not a stand-in
• Road-number and era-specific details applied at the factory
• Steam generator or no steam generator panel as appropriate
• Correct bodyside grilles as appropriate
• Correct end details including unique CN steam generator end louvers
• Backup light in correct location for CN or CP
• Unmatched underbody details including air piping
• Operational backup light (DCC)
• Drive system designed for silky-smooth slow-speed operation
• Metal Macdonald-Cartier Knuckle Couplers
• DC/Silent or DC/DCC/Sound versions featuring an ESU Loksound decoder with accurate recordings
• Several road numbers per paint scheme

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Canadian construction of the F7B took place at London, Ontario, between April 1951 and May 1952 with 43 units built (CN – 18, CP – 25) while the 46 strong fleet of F9B locomotives were delivered between January 1954 and July 1958 (CN – 38, CP – 8). CN and CP both used them on passenger and freight service and the majority of the fleet lasted well into the classic 1970s era of all dominant Sergeant stripes and Multimarks. Over a third of the survivors transferred to VIA Rail towards the end of the decade. CP retired its final operational examples in 1983, while several units in the VIA fleet were still active into the early 1990s.

When originally released in 2012 as part of Rapido’s landmark “The Canadian” trainset, the F9B was widely regarded as being the last word in B-unit accuracy. Our Canadian GMD F9B was designed from the ground up as a Canadian GMD F9B. There were five versions alone of the CN F9B with its unique single louver in place of the centre porthole (this second run includes two variants), while the CP versions feature their equally unique body style with three portholes per side and 48″ dynamic brake cooling fans, as well as CP winterization hatches, CP grilles, CP cooling coils, CP end details, CP steam genny details, and of course CP’s unique skirting beside the steps that no other F9B model has.