Rapido HO – EMD SD70MAC Locomotives
Looking for the locomotive that ushered in the modern era of heavy-haul power in North America — the one you'll see leading long coal trains and high-priority intermodal alike? This collection brings together all the variants of Rapido Trains' EMD SD70MAC locomotive from this announcement. The first production AC-traction freight locomotive on the continent, the SD70MAC redefined the motive-power policies of the major railroads — a must-have for anyone modeling North American rail from the 1990s to today.
Rapido recreates this locomotive from an all-new design, built from the ground up to cover a wide array of phase variations. The SD70MAC was groundbreaking: Burlington Northern received its first 9400-series units in late 1993, won over by the durability of AC motors, able to pull heavy Powder River coal trains up long, tough grades without burning out at low speed. Over successive orders, the design evolved toward Tier-1 emissions standards, with a marked restyling. This collection captures all that variety, with many firsts in plastic: late-production Tier-1 units, flared-radiator versions for CSX and the Alaska Railroad, SD70MACe rebuilds for BNSF, CSX, and KCS, and even the remarkable SD70MACH rebuilt by Metra for passenger service. The model pairs a heavy die-cast frame, a full cab interior, three HTCR truck variations, etched-metal steps, and Rapido's signature dead-straight metal handrails, with nose and cab variations and railroad- and era-appropriate PTC antennas. Offered as DC silent or with an ESU LokSound sound and DCC decoder, these locomotives bring your layout the realism Rapido is known for.
What this collection brings together:
- EMD SD70MAC locomotives and variants, HO scale (1:87)
- Multiple variants: mid-production, late-production Tier-1, flared radiator (CSX, Alaska), SD70MACe rebuilds (BNSF, CSX, KCS), SD70MACH (Metra)
- Many firsts in injection-molded plastic
- DC silent versions and ESU LokSound sound-and-DCC-equipped versions
- Nose and cab variations (nose light, high headlight, gyralight)
- Railroad- and era-appropriate PTC antennas, where applicable
- Three HTCR truck variations with rotating bearing caps (where appropriate)
- Heavy die-cast frame with numerous separate details
- Full cab interior
- Etched-metal steps with fold-over edges, dead-straight metal handrails with plastic stanchions
- Metal grab irons and rubber sanding lines
- Working lights: directional headlights, ditch lights, red markers; magnetic knuckle couplers
- Multiple liveries and operators (BNSF, CSX, Alaska Railroad, KCS, Metra, and more)
- Required minimum radius: 22" (56 cm)
- Ideal for heavy-haul (coal), intermodal, and modern Class I railroading
