Rapido #22539 Alco FB-2 Locomotive w/DC/DCC&Sound – New Haven #468

Different road number shown. Rapido Trains Inc. is proud to be able to add the much requested freight FB-2 and dual-service FPB-2 locomotives to its range of museum quality Alco/MLW cab units. Now you can partner your first run A-units with matching Bs to the same high standard. Yes, what manufacturer is crazy enough to bring out not one B-unit on its own, but two? Rapido, that’s who! And technically there are four! (GMD F7B and F9B, Alco/MLW FB-2 and FPB-2). And we’re not just making paint schemes to match our first run locomotives, we’re offering those to match our second run too! The Gulf Mobile & Ohio and New Haven railroads were the only companies to purchase FB-2 locomotives without accompanying A-units. Two of the New Haven fleet were repainted in the classic McGinnis scheme and most lasted right into the Penn Central era. Photo courtesy Collectibles by Bob’s Photos Alco/MLW built around 230 B-units which were mostly ordered with A-units in matched sets, usually in fours (A+B+B+A) or in threes (A+B+A). However there were a few notable examples of FB-2s that were constructed to supplement existing fleets of FA-1 cabs. The New Haven was the most famous railroad to only buy FB-2s, and we’ve added the whole fleet of five units to our range, in two paint schemes! The fortunes of the FB-2 and FPB-2s mostly mirrored the lives of the A-units and most lasted well into the 1960s, with a few notable examples keeping theirs right to the end of Alco/MLW cab unit operation. This included a sizable fleet of New York Central and New Haven Bs that were still operational into the first years of the Penn Central. One FB-2 was even repainted PC black, which we’re offering as a special PC 50th anniversary release. In Canada the Bs lasted even longer with Canadian Pacific’s fleet eventually being retired in 1977. It’s a common misconception that B units always ran with the same A unit. However, by the end of the 1950s, the Alco/MLW B-units were mixed and matched, and regularly operated not only with other A units but with totally mismatched hood units as well. So even if you didn’t buy our Alco/MLW cabs, you can still buy an FB-2 and amaze your friends and relations! And just like the FA-2, there were substantial variations of the FB-2 or FPB-2 locomotives from railroad to railroad, and we’re covering all of the major ones. Rapido’s model will include: Correct water/fuel tank combination for the FPB-2 available in two styles Alco or MLW small fuel tank for FB-2 With or without dynamic brakes Vertical or horizontal battery box louvers Etched metal wire mesh or Farr side grilles With or without back-up light Accurate underbody piping and conduit Canadian or American cast Type B trucks The Rapido B-units will be available in the following paint schemes. Alco and MLW sold about three real B-units for every A-unit that rolled off the production line. If we manage that compared to our first run of As then we’ll be very happy! However, unlike Alco it’s not possible for us to make as few as a couple of units so many of our paint schemes are conditional on us reaching our factory minimum quantities, otherwise they will not be produced. Our HO Scale Alco/MLW FB-2/FPB-2 features: Many roadname-specific details Operating back-up light where appropriate Separate grab irons and handrails installed at the factory Incredible underframe detail including piping and a ridiculous number of separately-applied parts Heavy, die-cast chassis Rapido’s proven 5-pole skew-wound motor with dual flywheels and silky-smooth drive DC/Silent (21-pin DCC Ready) or DC/DCC/Sound (ESU LokSound) options Accurate sounds recorded from a real Alco 244 prime mover Factory-installed Macdonald-Cartier couplers mounted at the correct height