Rapido EMD SD70MACH Metra #525 America 250 DC Silent HO Scale Pre-Order

Product Overview

Introducing the all-new Rapido EMD SD70MAC!

Rapido’s model has been designed from the ground up to create a wide array of phase variations on the SD70MAC, including late-production units for CSX and Alaska Railroad, Metra’s unique SD70MACH, and a variety of rebuilds.

The SD70MAC was a groundbreaking locomotive, as it truly ushered in a new era of power policies and locomotive orders. It was the first production AC-traction freight locomotive in North America, with Burlington Northern receiving its first 9400-series units in late 1993. The key advantage of AC traction motors is their greater durability compared to DC traction motors. AC motors do not burn out from overheating during sustained low-speed operation, although they cost more than comparable DC motors.

For some railroads during the 1990s, this was a clear operational advantage. Burlington Northern had a booming volume of Powder River Basin unit coal trains moving to power plants and facing long, difficult grades along the way. Colorado’s Joint Line is one example, with more than 40 miles of continuous 1% to 1.5% grades.

BN had been using sets of five DC-powered SD40-2s and C30-7s as head-end power to climb the grade. The trains had to remain above approximately 10 miles per hour to prevent the DC traction motors from overheating. With AC traction motors aboard the SD70MAC, BN needed only three units on the head end, and those locomotives could grind away at nearly any speed to conquer the grade.

For BN, the cost advantage on heavy-haul traffic was substantial, and SD70MAC orders continued into the BNSF era. Ultimately, BNSF rostered 795 SD70MACs, far more than any other railroad. Much of the fleet later entered storage, while remaining active units became an interesting mixture of patched executive-scheme locomotives and rebuilt SD70MACs.

CSX was the next-largest buyer of SD70MACs and was the other primary railroad to adopt AC power during the 1990s. Several modest batches of middle-production units were ordered during the late 1990s. After a pause of several years, CSX returned for another 75 units in 2003 and 55 more in 2004. The combined orders were numbered 4700 through 4830. All CSX units have been stenciled as “SD70AC,” regardless of their order group or rebuild status.

These later CSX orders differed from the SD70MACs that came before them because EMD was then manufacturing locomotives to Tier 1 emission standards for the engine and cooling system. This changed the styling and design of later SD70Ms and SD70MACs. CSX’s later SD70MACs featured flared rear radiators and a hood that replaced rounded corners with angled bevels along its edges.

CSX also requested the Eco-Trans Auxiliary Power Unit, which rearranged the equipment doors and vents in the long hood beneath the radiators. While BNSF placed many of its units into storage, CSX took a different approach and rebuilt most of its SD70MAC fleet. These rebuilt locomotives can be found across the CSX system leading many types of trains, including high-priority intermodal traffic.

Several other railroads have rebuilt SD70MACs in a similar manner. The original Siemens electrical gear is replaced by newer Mitsubishi equipment similar to that used in the SD70ACe series. On some rebuilds, including CSX and Kansas City Southern units, the new equipment requires additional space beneath the dynamic brake grid, causing the grid section to be raised above the roofline.

Some former KCS units remain in CPKC mainline service wearing the attractive Belle paint scheme, but an even more unusual group of former KCS locomotives became Metra SD70MACHs.

Metra and the SD70MACH

Metra’s SD70MACH locomotives are no longer configured as traditional C-C locomotives. Instead, they use a B1-1B arrangement because the inward-facing axle nearest the fuel tank on each truck no longer has a traction motor.

The hood retains the rounded corners of the original KCS locomotives, while the rear section uses Tier 1 styling with flared radiators and squared corners. The walkways feature additional protection, and stainless steel buffer plates are installed at the front and rear for coupling to passenger-car diaphragms.

The distinctive Metra lighting package includes a nose headlight, nose marker lights for push-pull operation, a high-mounted LED gyralight, and an emergency beacon on the cab. Metra initially ordered 15 rebuilt locomotives from Progress Rail, with the first units arriving in 2022, and later exercised options for a total of 42 units.

Metra’s SD70MACHs were created specifically for commuter service, combining the power and durability of the SD70MAC platform with head-end power equipment, passenger-service safety features, and the specialized lighting needed for push-pull operations.

Metra #525 and America 250

Metra #525 wears a special America 250 scheme commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States. The patriotic decoration transforms an already distinctive passenger locomotive into a colorful centerpiece suitable for modern commuter operations, commemorative displays, and collections devoted to America’s railroad heritage.

Rapido’s HO scale model captures the SD70MACH’s unusual rebuild characteristics, extensive passenger-service equipment, specialized lighting package, and imposing modern profile. This DC/Silent version is designed for conventional DC operation and is ready for the installation of a compatible DCC decoder.