Rapido EMD SD70MACH Metra #525 America 250 DCC & Sound N 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 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 difference with AC traction motors is their higher durability compared to DC traction motors. AC motors do not burn out at low speeds from overheating, though they cost more than DC motors.

For some railroads in the 1990s, this was a clear advantage. BN had a booming volume of Powder River unit coal trains moving to power plants, facing long, tough grades along the way. Colorado’s Joint Line is one example, with a continuous grade of approximately 1% to 1.5% extending for more than 40 miles.

BN was using sets of five DC SD40-2s and C30-7s as head-end power to climb the grade, and the train had to remain above approximately 10 miles per hour to prevent burnout of the DC traction motors.

With AC traction motors on the SD70MACs, BN needed only three units on the head end, and they could grind away at nearly any speed to conquer the grade. For BN, the cost advantage on this heavy-haul traffic was substantial, so 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 the 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 always 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 a majority of its SD70MAC fleet. These rebuilt locomotives can be found across the CSX system leading many types of trains, including high-priority intermodal traffic, defying the perception that SD70MACs are only suited for hauling coal.

Several other railroads have also 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 KCS units, the new equipment requires additional height beneath the dynamic brake grid, causing that section to be raised above the roofline.

KCS rebuilds have a complicated history, but several remain in CPKC mainline service wearing the attractive Belle paint scheme. Other former KCS units became something far more unusual: 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 operation.

Passenger-Capable SD70MACs

Metra’s SD70MACHs were not the first passenger-capable SD70MACs. That distinction belongs to the Alaska Railroad’s late-model SD70MACs.

Alaska Railroad had a fleet of sixteen typical middle-production SD70MACs for freight service but did not have an ideal solution for powering its busy seasonal passenger operations. The solution was to adapt the Tier 1 SD70MAC design used by CSX, which had rearranged the rear of the hood to accommodate an auxiliary power unit, and use that space to install head-end power equipment.

The first eight units arrived in 2004, with an additional four arriving in 2007 as the final SD70MACs manufactured. The twelve-unit fleet became essential to Alaska Railroad operations because passenger schedules are substantially heavier than freight operations during the summer but much lighter during the winter.

Every major Alaska Railroad passenger train features SD70MAC power, but the locomotives also mix freely into freight service as needed. This makes them the only true mainline freight and passenger locomotives in North America.

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 suited for modern commuter operations, commemorative displays, and collections devoted to America’s railroad heritage.

Rapido’s N scale model captures the SD70MACH’s unusual rebuild characteristics, extensive passenger-service equipment, specialized lighting package, and imposing modern profile. This version includes factory-installed dual-mode DC/DCC operation and sound for an immersive operating experience on compatible layouts.