25% DEPOSIT for U25B DCC Sound locomotive - expected ship Q4 2025
Make your 25% deposit to reserve this product. You will be emailed a gift card code - PLEASE SAVE IT for use to complete your purchase once the product is available.
Rapido is willing to produce GN U25B ‘Phase IV’ locomotive models in HO scale, including GN's nonstandard ‘five step’ step well, a feature missed on previous ‘Phase IIb’ models. They'll also include prototypical snow plow pilot, side mounted handrails, two-piece windshield, upward sloping nose, and fireman’s side nose mounted ratchet handbrake. Two GNRHS exclusive road numbers would be available, in both DC and DCC.
But they'll ONLY be available if 100 reservations are made. Terms:
• A deposit of 25% (refundable if model is not produced)
• Order deadline is January 2025
• Current expected delivery in 4th Quarter 2025
• DC price $239.95
• DCC with sound price $349.95
Paint scheme would be as-delivered in simplified orange and green with post-1968 cab roof warning flasher. Rapido may offer additional road numbers if the order minimum is met.
Let's act now to take advantage of this opportunity to secure a never-before-produced Great Northern model.
Further historical details:
General Electric’s U25B was their initial offering of a complete locomotive under the GE name. Historically, GE supplied electrical components to other manufacturers for decades, but with ALCO struggling in the market place due to issues with their engines and a reputation for higher maintenance costs than EMD, GE decided that to stay in the component market it would have to offer complete locomotive.
General Electric began their conquest of the diesel locomotive market in 1955, with extensive testing, trials, and design improvements culminating with the introduction of the U25B in 1961. In June of 1961 Great Northern took the opportunity to examine the performance of high hood demo units numbered 753 and 754. These two units completed 5,588 miles between Union Yard MN and Whitefish MT proving that two units could handle Great Northern’s high speed mainline freight service by maintaining schedules. During their 164-mile run from New Rockford to Breckenridge, on a .3% ruling grade with 5499 trailing tons, the trip took four hours for an average speed of 41 MPH.
GE’s unique central duct air system provided clean air to the locomotives when they ran through a severe dust storm at Lothair MT. Great Northern engineers were impressed with another GE innovation, the wheel slip adhesion loss detectors, which limited wheel slip and prevented damage to wheels and the rail while maintaining maximum attainable pulling power. The cable for the detectors is visible on the fireman’s side.
Great Northern’s ten Phase IV U25Bs, numbered 2514 to 2523, were delivered during May of 1965 and were initially assigned to the Havre Freight Pool for Great Northern’s Minneapolis to Seattle service on trains #97 and #83 westward and #82 and #88 eastward