Rapido Trains UK reveal their 00 Gauge USATC S160 2-8-0 versions.

Contributed by: Graham Muspratt

6 Jun 2024 00:00am

Rapido Trains UK have revealed their 00 Gauge USATC S160 2-8-0 versions. Although it was first announced back last August that they were produce the USATC S160, today, appropriately on D-Day, the first ten versions to be produced have now been announced.

Designed by Major J. W. Marsh from the Railway Branch of the Corps of Engineers, this all-American loco had to fit the more restrictive loading gauge of the UK. They had to be easy to build, quick to repair and reliable. Taking inspiration from its predecessor the S200, and the British WD Austerity 2-8-0, the S160 lacked the finesse of many of the British locomotives it would work alongside, but other than a few teething problems and operational challenges it met its brief perfectly.
Constructed in the United States in multiple batches from 1942 to 1945, they were split between the ALCO, Baldwin, and Lima Locomotive Works. Collectively, almost 800 locomotives were shipped to the UK. The locomotives passed through major workshops before being sent on to the respective railway company. The first 396 were assigned to the four railway companies.

Until the days of preservation, the only S160 retained in the UK post-war was WD 93257 (later No.700) Major General Carl R Gray Jr, used to train military personnel in driving and caring for steam locos at the Longmoor Military Railway.
Following WW2 the S160s were scattered across the globe, from China to Hungary. Whilst in the ownership of a plethora of different railways they were often refitted to accommodate their owners' needs. As time went on the original shape and details of many of the locos would evolve, which was in part, due to the interchangeable nature of their original design. Eight locos have been repatriated to the UK in preservation and all of them are different from their counterparts, some more subtly than others.

These models are currently in the tooling stage and will feature: a wide range of tooling variations,  two factory-fitted speakers, one in the loco and another in the tender, dual LED firebox glow with dynamic fire draw effect, twin flywheel motor, detachable loco-to-tender connection, pickups fitted on both the loco and tender and a 21-pin DCC Decoder socket. RRP will be £269.95 or £379.95 Sound Fitted.

926001 USATC S160 No.1604 - Wartime Black (GWR)
926002 USATC S160 No.2415 - Wartime Grey (LMS)
926003 USATC S160 No.1712 - Wartime Grey (LNER)
926004 USATC S160 No.2356 - Wartime Grey (SR)
926005 USATC S160 No.700 Major General Carl R Gray Jr - LMR Blue
926006 USATC S160 No.5820 Big Jim - Grey as Preserved
926007 USATC S160 No.6046 - Black as Preserved
926008 USATC S160 No.2253 Omaha - Maroon as Preserved
926009 USATC S160 No.95820 Big Jim - BR black as preserved
926010 USATC S160 No.5197 - Black as Preserved
The ten livery versions being produced, either in DCC ready or DDC Sound Fitted due during 2025, can be viewed and pre ordered here>>>

Subject to alteration.

Return to Page Top