Rapido Trains plans a fall arrival for its first HO-scale vehicle model release. Pre-order deadline is May 8, 2017, to assure your New Look Bus. The prototype saw use across North America beginning in 1959. By the end of production in 1986, approximately 45,000 of these distinctive buses were working in public transit.

Rapido Trains reports its first New Look release will follow the T6H-5307N example, which possessed double-stream rear exit doors. More variations are coming in the future. Rapido’s injection-molded plastic New Look Bus will arrive in standard and deluxe versions.

The standard New Look Bus sells for $49.95 (U.S.) and $59.95 (Canada) and will include full interior with separate seats with seatback handrails and grooved flooring. Additional details will include steerable front wheels, printed simulatedmetal window frames, printed windshield gaskets (silver or black, depending on the prototype), three bumper designs (steel, water jug, and rubber), multiple route destination decals, and more. Optional detail features will include air conditioning housing with etched-metal fan cover, etched-metal advertising frames, rear window air intakes and high-level exhaust, roof hatches, Sinclair antenna, microwave antenna, and cellular/Wi-Fi antenna. Select liveries will also come with license plate decals.

Rapido’s deluxe release, retailing for $69.95 (U.S.) and $79.95 (Canada), will include painted two seats and seatback handrails, as well as factory-installed lighting for interior, destination board over front windshield, and working headlights. Lighting requires a separately supplied 12-volt power source.

The coming paint schemes for the first New Look Bus from Rapido Trains will include BC Transit, Boston MBTA, Connecticut Transit, DC Transit, Detroit DSR, Edmonton Transit, Los Angeles LAMTA, Ottawa OC Transpo, Pittsburgh Port Authority, St. Louis Bi-State, and Toronto Transit Commission (maroon). Multiple numbers are planned for each announced livery. A painted unlettered New Look Bus will also be available, as will a limited number of undecorated kits and select detail parts.

In addition to its slate of planned New Look Bus releases, Rapido will deliver a special release to Toronto Transit Commission (standard and deluxe versions). This model will present the look of a rebuilt New Look example and will be available in five road numbers exclusively from Toronto Transit Commission’s online shop.

Another unique collector’s item coming with this Rapido New Look Bus production is a limited-edition art print. Toronto artist Raffi Anderian’s “Nostalgia Trip: Yonge Street” is available now in two sizes. A 16×20-inch signed print is available for $249.95 (limited to 360 copies), or you can order an 11×14-inch signed print for $99.95. Details on this art print, the exclusive Toronto Transit model, and the regular release Rapido Trains’ New Look Bus offerings is available at Rapido’s website.

Rapido Trains
500 Alden Road, Unit 16
Markham, Ontario L3R 5H5
Canada
855-572-6917