Great review! I have this unit too, along with several VIA f40s. I'm glad a co. finally made accurate f40 models, especially for VIA rail that had totally different versions of this unit.
looks pretty good Dan. you cover pretty much everything in the review. only question i have. does the decoder go into the Fuel tank? and easy to install if you got the DC version?
To be honest I didn't open up the engine to see where they put the decoder. Most modern locomotives make it easy to install a decoder. Thanks for watching!
Hi there. I am thinking of buying one of these. Would you recommend this over the Kato model? Also how easy is it to add a crew to the cab? Thanks for the review.
I haven't taken mine apart so I'm not sure how easy it would be to put figures in the cab interior. I have a couple of the Kato models as well. They run really well, though they don't have as much detail as the Rapido model. Both are good, and the Kato models could have more details added. If you want more detail out of the box then the Rapido model might work better for you. I haven't had Rapido models long enough to know how well they hold up long term. I have some Kato models that are over 30 years old and still run like Swiss watches. Thanks for watching!
Is it possible to change the horn to a nathan k5la air horn instead of the nathan p5? (I think thats what is default) I'm thinking about getting this for my consist so I would appreciate help.
I just looked at the manual. The ESU decoder comes with 4 different K5LA sounds and 4 different P5a sounds, two old cast and two new cast. I haven't tried them all. The default is supposed to be one of the K5LAs. I didn't change it for the review. They can be changed by altering the value in CV48. Thanks for watching!
Daniel Cortopassi so I just got my f40 from rapido today and I found that the plow was really low and almost touching the rail. Is that supposed to be that low
I don't have much of a layout to do a tour of yet. I'm still working on the building where the layout is going to be built. I will be documenting the construction on the channel, though, when the time comes. Thanks for watching!
Good review, but you shouldn’t take 5 points for the coupler being like 1/10 of a centimeter off, like in real engines it is more off than that, and on real engines the paint wears off so it is a little more realistic to have a little bit not filled in, but overall good.
Full sized couplers have much less vertical play proportionally than model couplers do, and they have a lot more surface area to work with. Model couplers can flex up and down somewhat, especially when they're in a long train on a grade. Mismatched heights make it more likely that one coupler will slip up and over the other, resulting in unwanted uncoupling. Thanks for watching!
I'd prefer wire handrails myself. I imagine that sometimes the plastic handrails are a little oversized so that they'll be less prone to breakage. Thanks for watching!
Ive been spoiled by intermountain's and scaletrains units with the rotating endcaps...... :( now any unlit without the rotating endcaps isn't as cool as those t4s What about functions 15-19
I did not test those functions on this engine. Knowing Rapido, it probably plays something humorous. The rotating end caps are cool, though they can sometimes fall off and get lost. I like models that give you a few spares. Thanks for watching!
I thought I mentioned it in the review, but I knocked the horn off my model at some point. I'm hoping I find it so I can stick it back on. Thanks for watching!
The bottom of the coupler is flush with the bottom of the test coupler, but it's the centerline that matters. Thankfully fixing a high coupler on a diesel is usually just a matter of adding a thin plastic shim between the coupler box and the frame. Thanks for watching!
I liked the sound on this model, though I usually turn down the prime mover noises. Too many chortling sound-equipped diesels in close proximity can get annoying. I like the horn and bell because those add something to the operation of the train. Thanks for watching!
I didn't order the NPCU version, but it has the same mechanism. It is powered, unlike the prototype. It has the same decoder but a different sound set. Thanks for watching!
Great review Dan, lots of details on the locomotive. Love it Dan
Thanks for watching!
Great review!
I did my personal review on my Rapido Modernized F40PH as well. I am very impressed with it.
It's a nice engine. Thanks for watching!
Great review! I have this unit too, along with several VIA f40s. I'm glad a co. finally made accurate f40 models, especially for VIA rail that had totally different versions of this unit.
These are pretty nice. I don't have any of the VIA versions, but they sound cool. Thanks for watching!
looks pretty good Dan. you cover pretty much everything in the review. only question i have. does the decoder go into the Fuel tank? and easy to install if you got the DC version?
To be honest I didn't open up the engine to see where they put the decoder. Most modern locomotives make it easy to install a decoder. Thanks for watching!
Hi there. I am thinking of buying one of these. Would you recommend this over the Kato model? Also how easy is it to add a crew to the cab? Thanks for the review.
I haven't taken mine apart so I'm not sure how easy it would be to put figures in the cab interior. I have a couple of the Kato models as well. They run really well, though they don't have as much detail as the Rapido model. Both are good, and the Kato models could have more details added. If you want more detail out of the box then the Rapido model might work better for you. I haven't had Rapido models long enough to know how well they hold up long term. I have some Kato models that are over 30 years old and still run like Swiss watches. Thanks for watching!
Is it possible to change the horn to a nathan k5la air horn instead of the nathan p5? (I think thats what is default) I'm thinking about getting this for my consist so I would appreciate help.
I just looked at the manual. The ESU decoder comes with 4 different K5LA sounds and 4 different P5a sounds, two old cast and two new cast. I haven't tried them all. The default is supposed to be one of the K5LAs. I didn't change it for the review. They can be changed by altering the value in CV48. Thanks for watching!
Daniel Cortopassi so I just got my f40 from rapido today and I found that the plow was really low and almost touching the rail. Is that supposed to be that low
Cool looking train.....thanks, Dan
Thanks for watching!
Nice review, I recently got a F40PH as well but in Phase 2 and without ditch lights.
Cool! Thanks for watching!
Awesome review Dan!
Thanks for watching!
Great review as always!
Thanks for watching!
Another great review Dan! So how's the train room coming? Keep up the good work!!!
Train room... slow. Really slow. Thanks for watching!
Have you done a tour of your layout?
I don't have much of a layout to do a tour of yet. I'm still working on the building where the layout is going to be built. I will be documenting the construction on the channel, though, when the time comes. Thanks for watching!
Very nice engine, and fairly weighted by your point system.
Thanks for watching!
Good review, but you shouldn’t take 5 points for the coupler being like 1/10 of a centimeter off, like in real engines it is more off than that, and on real engines the paint wears off so it is a little more realistic to have a little bit not filled in, but overall good.
Full sized couplers have much less vertical play proportionally than model couplers do, and they have a lot more surface area to work with. Model couplers can flex up and down somewhat, especially when they're in a long train on a grade. Mismatched heights make it more likely that one coupler will slip up and over the other, resulting in unwanted uncoupling. Thanks for watching!
Daniel Cortopassi no problem! But still maybe three points, I wouldn’t take 5 for a very small detail.
what do these run on?
Mine has a DCC decoder pre-installed, but they will run on DC as well. Thanks for watching!
Another good review.
Thanks for watching!
I know some facts about 229 it had a weard p5a and when it was converted to an npcu it also had a weard k5la
Thanks for the information!
I thought that was the e bell for a second. I was about to say "wait what?"
Thanks for watching!
those rear handrails look so thick!!
I'd prefer wire handrails myself. I imagine that sometimes the plastic handrails are a little oversized so that they'll be less prone to breakage. Thanks for watching!
I'm pretty sure that A is just a problem with your model cuz as the other models I've seen so far the A isn't silver at the top
Well, I can only review the model I have in front of me. Thanks for watching!
Ive been spoiled by intermountain's and scaletrains units with the rotating endcaps...... :( now any unlit without the rotating endcaps isn't as cool as those t4s
What about functions 15-19
I did not test those functions on this engine. Knowing Rapido, it probably plays something humorous. The rotating end caps are cool, though they can sometimes fall off and get lost. I like models that give you a few spares. Thanks for watching!
that engine should have a cab mounted p5a
I thought I mentioned it in the review, but I knocked the horn off my model at some point. I'm hoping I find it so I can stick it back on. Thanks for watching!
the back coupler isn't high at all. it's flush.
The bottom of the coupler is flush with the bottom of the test coupler, but it's the centerline that matters. Thankfully fixing a high coupler on a diesel is usually just a matter of adding a thin plastic shim between the coupler box and the frame. Thanks for watching!
the centerline ?
The horizontal center of the coupler.
@@DanielCortopassi are you referring to the shank itself ?
Why can no decoder accurately represent the F40PH its sad
I liked the sound on this model, though I usually turn down the prime mover noises. Too many chortling sound-equipped diesels in close proximity can get annoying. I like the horn and bell because those add something to the operation of the train. Thanks for watching!
@@DanielCortopassi F40PHs IRL are a lot deeper in the higher notches. I would know because I see them frequently
@@DanielCortopassi the horn and bell are awesome. Just the prime mover is a little disappointing
For the amount of money rapido wants for these ... was expecting better.
A lot of recent models have a lot of detail but also have some issues, it seems. Thanks for watching!
Hi Dan, good review. Oh, I just turned 25.
Thanks for watching, and Happy Birthday!
Where are the cabbages!!??
I didn't order the NPCU version, but it has the same mechanism. It is powered, unlike the prototype. It has the same decoder but a different sound set. Thanks for watching!
Beats the hell out of my Spectrums.....
It's definitely a nice model. Thanks for watching!
For me and 90% is like a A 100% is A+ and like 80% is like A-
I go by how things were graded back when I was in school. Thanks for watching!
It's beautiful boss send me shop adress
I got this one on eBay. Thanks for watching!