Hi folks:
Rapido has just announced a new air brush ready acrylic paint line. Check it out:
http://rapidotrains.com/proto-paint/
If Jason Shron is happy with it then it is definetly worth a try.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
I'm looking forward to trying some! I hope MB Klein will be stocking it and I hope there's enough to go around so that there aren't any shortages...
I like the fact that it dries to a gloss finish ready for decals. I have become used to this feature in using Scalecoat paints.
Thanks, Ed
This is good! A gloss finish eliminates the added step of clear coating for decal application.
Looking forward to buying a batch of colors as my old supply of Polyscale paints is shrinking.
"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"
Good news. Would be interesting to see a color chart / paint chips to see if slag brown is a close match to railroad tie brown.
Also to see which colors match some of the colors i need; SF red/blue/yellow; MKT red/green/yellow.
I also hope MB Klein carries them as well; that is now my hobby shop of necessity, the nearest brick and mortar shop to me is over 100 miles away.
Thank you for the information. I'll be anxious to give these paints a try as an alternative to other available acrylic paints that have left me disappointed at times.
Wayne
Modeling HO Freelance Logging Railroad.
tin can:
Here is the list of Rapido distributors in the US:
http://rapidotrains.com/dealer-list/
I couldn't find a colour chart on Rapido's website but I'm sure one will be forthcoming.
Has anyone actually held a bottle of Rapido Proto-Paint in their hands? The Rapido site says "In Stores Now"
Walthers shows it as TBA and a Google search doesn't seem to produce any viable source for purchase.
With the RDC and Jason's New Look Bus project taking center-stage it seems like the paint has been swept into a dusty corner.
I'll be needing to restock some paints soon and I was hoping to try a few jars of Rapido's product.
Anyone have any news?
Hi Ed:
Apparently its out there. The Credit Valley Railway train store in Mississauga, Ontario seems to have a lot in stock. Others must too.
http://www.cvrco.com/catalogu.htm
I just sent a message to Rapido asking them to supply a list of dealers.
I saw a display of those paints in Vancouver B.C. around Christmas. I also ordered some from County Line Caboose Ontario. Unfortunately, I have to wait after the cold season to receive them because of the risk of freezing.
Guy
Modeling CNR in the 50's
Thanks, Dave
Jason hasn't mentioned it in any of his recent newsletters. I usually buy a stock of paint to get me through a year or two of projects so once I'm committed to an order I'm set for quite a while. I'd really like to give the Rapido product a whirl.
I was hoping for an outfit like MB Klein to stock it. Easy to order and ship. Walthers would be another choice but they don't seem to list any in stock either. No one on Ebay selling it either.
I would rather not commit to yet another brand of paint if supplies are going to be sporadic at best.
Thanks for the info, Ed
Thanks for sharing. Have you ever watched any of You tubes Rapido vids ? That guy is a bundle of energy and enthusiasm !
I got very excited when I saw "Tuscan red " until I looked at the color next to it ! Maybe they will produce a N&W Tuscan red in the future ??
YGW
I got an answer from Rapido that makes absolutely no sense what so ever for buyers in the US.
quote:
"Proto Paint is available from a number of stores in Canada including Credit Valley in Mississauga or Trains N Such in Calgary. If you're located elsewhere in Canada then we can try and find a more local store to you. If you're in the US we can't provide details of stores that stock Proto Paint as this information is closely guarded by our distributors who regard it as commercially confidential."
I had to read that a few times to make sure what I was seeing!
I'm going to go back to Rapido to see if they will share the US distributor's name.
It may be that Rapido is private-labeling the paint from another source only for sale in Canada and that another company has the rights in the US.
Layout Design GalleryLayout Design Special Interest Group
The website lists both a USA and Canada MSRP, so it should be safe bet that it will show up for sale in the US at some point in time.
.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Rapido works so hard for this hobby, I just wish I could find a reason to spend some money with them.
When this paint shows up, I may give it a try, but I'm not much for acrylics, pretty much a Scalecoat guy....
And what is up with the "New Look" bus? the "GM" emblem is not to be found on the preproduction models or artwork, and there is no mention of General Motors or GMDD (Canada) in any of the information?
How do you make this model without GM's permission and call it the "New Look" bus but not mention GM?
But sadly the New Look bus is out of my era, and of no actual purchase interest as well.
Rapido has made lots of great looking stuff, but the selection has not fit my needs for the most part, and now some of the prices are more than I'm willing to spend.
The RDC might have interested me - but not at $225 - and that is for the DC version I would want - I'm not price complainer, I don't doubt the detail, quality or fairness of the price based on production costs. It is just more than I want to afford for such an item - especially since my operational scheme would require six of them to replace the six I have now.......
Still happy I have most all the trains I need and want.......
Sheldon
Ed,
Rapido lists a dealer in Columbus, OH, The Train Station, 614-262-9056 Their website is next to useless, but a phone call should tell you if they carry the paint. If not perhaps they can contact the "top secret" distributor and order some for you.
Here is the second response from Rapido about the availability of Proto Paint in the US:
"The distributors deal with stores direct. They don't sell the paint to anyone other than stores and they don't advertise to the general public.
Hey! I have heard that routine before somewhere...
Abbott: Strange as it may seem, they give ball players nowadays very peculiar names.
Costello: Funny names?
Abbott: Nicknames, nicknames. Now, on the St. Louis team we have Who's on first, What's on second, I Don't Know is on third--
Costello: That's what I want to find out. I want you to tell me the names of the fellows on the St. Louis team.
Abbott: I'm telling you. Who's on first, What's on second, I Don't Know is on third--
Costello: You know the fellows' names?
Abbott: Yes.
Costello: Well, then who's playing first?
Costello: I mean the fellow's name on first base.
Abbott: Who.
Costello: The fellow playin' first base.
Costello: The guy on first base.
Abbott: Who is on first.
Costello: Well, what are you askin' me for?
Abbott: I'm not asking you--I'm telling you. Who is on first.
Costello: I'm asking you--who's on first?
Abbott: That's the man's name.
Costello: That's who's name?
I'd really like to support Rapido and their product lines but, something that is a staple in our hobby, such as paint, has to have an easily accessable inventory. For now, I'll stick with other vendors and hope that the Rapido line of paint enjoys a broader distribution very soon.
Thanks for all the information, Folks.
Slammin, I'll give The Train Station a call later today and see if they have any paint in stock, Thanks!
Regards, Ed
ATLANTIC CENTRAL And what is up with the "New Look" bus? the "GM" emblem is not to be found on the preproduction models or artwork, and there is no mention of General Motors or GMDD (Canada) in any of the information?
This was in the newsletter announcing the bus:
"One small note: You will notice that the letters G, M and C are missing from the badge on the nose of the model. If you know anyone high up in The Company That Must Not Be Named who can get us permission to include those letters on the bus model, we would love to print them on. "
-Tim
Well, I don't get the newsletter.......like I said, I'm still waiting for a product my layout actually needs. Not sure why it would be that hard to talk to someone at GM?
Maybe that should have been the first step? But what do I know, my little trains don't have any brains........
hon30critterOf course we can provide the details of our distributors, we distribute our products into the USA via Walthers, Hobbytyme, Horizon Hobby, Portman Hobby and Heartland Hobby.
Well, Walthers seems to list some of the colors: https://www.walthers.com/search/manufacturer-name/rapido-trains-inc/show/20?match=AND&q=paint
The distributors may be another story. For example, I sometimes deal with Hobbytyme. If you go to their website, they have a list of retailers by state:
http://www.hobbytyme.com/dealer-locator.cfm
(Caution: some of the retailers listed are no longer).
But that doesn't help if the distributor doesn't happen to carry the product. I searched for Rapido paint at Hobbytyme's website and didn't find it even though they have 20 pages devoted to Rapido items.
And Horizon Hobby does not list Rapido as one of the vendors on their paint selection list.
Searching the other distributors is left to someone with more interest in this subject.
Well, it looks interesting. Little short on information.
I notice that it is very Canadian heavy in colors. Not a surprise for a Canadian company, but not as useful for us down under (under Canada that is).
It's nice that it is airbrush ready (for those that airbrush). Question is will it work for those of us who prefer a regular brush?
Nice to have choices, but I'm not sure what boxcar #1, #2, #3, #4 mean.
Still and all it's good to have a supplier of railroad colors. And once they get some more U.S. colors in the line it will start to show up in U.S. hobby stores.
Paul
For starters, folks, the new Rapido paint line is made by the same company that used to make Polly Scale paint for Testors. When Testors killed off their railroad colors in the Polly Scale line, the paint manufacturer went looking for a new company to make paint for. Rapido fit the bill nicely because the paint manufacturer is also Canadian. Rapido had to source thousands of new glass bottles (from France, IIRC), but they are in the paint business in a big way and for a long time. They are now at 60+ colors.
Rapido did make a couple changes to the Polly Scale paint: it smells better and they made it so that all the railroad body colors now dry glossy. Weathering colors like grimy black, concrete, and anti-glare, etc. are still flat colors. But when you're painting locos or cars, one no longer has to gloss the model for decaling (I appreciate that).
Folks, if you want Rapido Paint to be at your LHS, call your LHS and ask for it.
Sheldon,As you may know, GM has a strict licensing program that has banned any use of their logos on anything that can choke a child. This means that we may never see "complete" HO scale models of any GM product again.
Paul,Boxcar Red #1, #2, #3, & #4 are just different shades of Boxcar red. The old Polly way of Lt. Freight Car Red, Mineral Red, etc. didn't make much sense either.
IRONROOSTER...It's nice that it is airbrush ready (for those that airbrush). Question is will it work for those of us who prefer a regular brush?...
I agree. Pre-thinned paint is, in my opinion, an inconvenience and a rip-off, as thinner for most paints is cheaper than the paint itself. I don't see a corresponding decrease in price for "airbrush ready", so they're actually promoting the "convenience".
Has anyone tried masking HO (or N) scale figures before painting them? What about painting details added to locomotives, structures, and rolling stock? A good brush is a lot quicker for such work, and will do a better job.Also, if it's pre-thinned, do they even offer thinner? I certainly wouldn't use paint thinned to provide good air-brushed coverage when I want to add air-brushed weathering.
No Paul3, I have no knowledge of GM business practices in that regard, and I have not bought any of their products in more than two decades. Seems a shame that they would undermine their own history and reputation in this way.
I did ask Rapido, and did get a nice reply, apparently the license fee is rather high.......again seems rather foolish. Maybe that has something to do with why I have not owned any of their products in 25 years.
Paul3:
Paul3For starters, folks, the new Rapido paint line is made by the same company that used to make Polly Scale paint for Testors.
Thanks for sharing that Paul. I love the old Polly Scale paints but I am starting to run out of some colours.
For those who may be interested, here is a link to the Rapido Proto paint colours:
I noticed that they offer flat coats for dulling the finish as well as a 'reducer' for thinning.
What we need now is for somebody to come up with a cross reference chart comparing the Proto colours to Polly Scale. I haven't looked to see if one exists.
Rapido has just issued its latest e-mail. One of the announcements is several new colours for Proto Paints.
hon30critter Rapido has just issued its latest e-mail. One of the announcements is several new colours for Proto Paints. Dave
And they named the secret distributor!
http://www.hobbytyme.com/
Ed
gmpullmanAnd they named the secret distributor! http://www.hobbytyme.com/
Shush! You're not supposed to tell anybody!!! Otherwise the customers might find out where to buy the stuff!!!
Too funny!