Customers have reported increasing rates of “porch pirate” package thefts. Extend™ Shipping Protection replaces any lost, damaged, or stolen packages, and we recommend adding this protection to your order. FDH is unable to recover lost, damaged, or stolen packages that are not covered by Extend™ Shipping Protection.
EMD’s E-8 (and successor, E-9) were the quintessential North American passenger locomotive of the 1950s through the 1970s. 450 E8A and 46 E8B units were produced, with an additional 100 E9A and 44 E9B locos following. The first E8s were delivered in 1949, with the last E9 being produced in 1964. These units pulled passenger trains from coast to coast, and later became the backbone of Amtrak’s fleet in its early days. Many more were later used in commuter service before being retired. Today several units live on in museums and tourist railroads throughout North America.
What makes Rapido’s E8 and E9 models different than every E8 or E9 that has come before? Simple – we’re doing it right. Every E8 model out there is a “best guess” as to the nose, roof and windshield contours of the real thing. At Rapido’s we don’t believe in making guesses. That’s why we commissioned a 3D laser scan of Union Pacific E8 #942 at the Southern California Railway Museum. A 3D scan ensures that we get those impossible-to-guess contours bang-on accurate. Our engineers trace the scan and shrink it down to HO scale.
Rapido’s E8 model features:
3D laser-scanned body shell
Accurate nose and roof contours
Seven different noses
Three different back ends
Two different sides – with and without lifting lug covers
Three different steam generator options
36” fan, 48” fan or non-dynamic brake options
Single- or dual-headlight configurations
Freight or passenger pilots
Three styles of side grills
Original porthole sides or rebuilt with blanked sides (including unique variations)
Skirted or non-skirted fuel tanks
Original square and sloped or Hyatt roller bearing journal boxes
Heavy die-cast chassis
Smooth running drive system with all wheels powered
Complete lighting effects – headlights, class lights, backup lights, ground lights, cab lights and more
Numerous road-specific detail parts in both plastic and etched metal
Below is a list of just SOME of the road-specific detail parts that we are producing:
Four different sand filler hatch styles
PRR Train Phone antenna
Southern rooftop air tanks
Southern large-capacity water tanks
UP snow shields
Cab-side walkways (2 styles)
Pilot MU hoses
ATS shoes
PRR Nose lifting lugs
Three different radio antenna
Six different headlight/warning light inserts
Various bug screens, mirrors, and wind deflectors
Numerous grab iron configurations
Several horn styles (in brass)
And probably more that we’ve forgotten!
Each E8A & E8B locomotive will have road specific details applied. Details are listed with each product. You can see a visual representation of the details by clicking the button below.
Payment & Security
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Refund Policy
Factory Direct Hobbies has a 30-day return policy, which means you have 30 days after your item has shipped to request a return.
To be eligible for a return, your item must be in the same condition that you received it and in its original packaging.
To start a return, click to our Returns Center. If your return is approved, we'll send you emailed instructions on how and where to send your package. You will be responsible for return shipping costs, unless Factory Direct Hobbies made an error in the fulfillment of your order. Items sent back to us without first requesting a return will not be accepted and will be returned to sender.
Damages and issues
Please inspect your order upon receipt and contact us immediately if the item is defective, damaged, or if you receive the wrong item, so that we can evaluate the issue and make it right.
Exceptions / non-returnable items Unfortunately, we cannot accept returns on gift cards.
Exchanges The fastest way to ensure you get what you want is to return the item you have, and make a separate purchase for the new item on our website. Please note that we cannot process manual exchanges over the phone.
Refunds We will notify you once we’ve received and inspected your return, and let you know if the refund was approved or not. If approved, you’ll be automatically refunded on your original payment method. In certain instances, store credit may be provided instead of a refund. Please remember it can take some time for your bank or credit card company to process and post the refund too.
John S.
The Rapido E8A is now the best locomotive in my fleet, and I do have some nice ones.
This E8 is the most advanced DCC/Sound locomotive I have ever had the pleasure to run.
From engine startup to horn, bell, lighting, slow speed performance, it performs flawlessly.
The quality of the exterior details and its overall appearance is unmatched.
The advanced decoder in the E8 actually made it necessary to upgrade my own DCC controller to be able to access all the functions. After installing a new chip in the controller, I was able to turn the number boards on and off, control the interior cab lighting, and to control a host of new sounds.
If you like running passenger trains, this loco is a "must-have."
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Rewards Program Details
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Preorder FAQs
How preorders work
Guarantee your reservation on any item marked with the red "Preorder item" flag, by paying just 10% down. Preorder items also display a date badge indicating the anticipated arrival.
We will email your invoice approximately 30-45 days before your preorder item lands at the warehouse. This interactive invoice will allow you to select your preferred shipping method, and pay the balance of your order, right online!
We'll ship you your preorder once your item arrives at our warehouse. Preorder fulfillments are queued in the order in which they were paid for.
Recently, our suppliers have made a major policy change and are no longer accepting product returns for non-paying end customers. After much consideration, we unfortunately must also change our policies to align with the realities our suppliers have created.
As our preorder offerings have grown, we’ve found that a large percentage of preorder reservations are canceled or left unpaid without notice. We pay our suppliers for every preorder item that arrives at our warehouse, so when a customer does not pay for their item, we are left no choice but to absorb that cost. We have tried our best to cope with the effects of this change; however, after more than a year of trying, we have found we cannot continue to do so.
We understand that this is an unwelcome change, and no one wants to pay earlier than necessary. However, this is unavoidable in order for us to be able to continue to offer the wide variety of preorder options you’re used to getting from Factory Direct Hobbies. We must now ask that customers pay a 10% good-faith down payment toward the price of their item. This non-refundable good-faith payment is applied to the price of the product, and the balance (plus shipping and any applicable taxes) will be invoiced approximately 30-45 days before the item is slated to arrive at our warehouse.
We thank you for your patience and understanding. If you have questions or would like further clarification, feel free to contact us through the gold chat bubble.
The good-faith down payment is not refundable if you choose to cancel your preorder or do not pay your invoice.
However, if a manufacturer cancels a project for which you have made a down payment, you will receive a refund for your down payment.
Yes. We know that paying ahead of time can be unnerving when delivery dates are distant, and not every project makes it to the production line. Rest assured that, in the event the manufacturer cancels your preorder project, you will be refunded your 10% down payment.
Hobbies should be fun, not stressful!
The manufacturing process involves many different moving parts, and this complexity often renders production timelines unpredictable. Therefore, some level of unpredictability in timing is inherent to preordering hobby products. Down payments are not refundable in cases of routine manufacturing, delivery, or other short-term delays.
However, we know it can be frustrating when a project gets delayed for many months. In the event a project is delayed more than 6 months beyond the delivery window originally estimated by the manufacturer, we will handle refunds of down payments on a case-by-case basis.
Friendly Reminder: Should you choose to cancel a preorder, it will no longer be reserved for you; in the event the item becomes available on our website, all customers will have equal access to purchase the item.
Nope! The policy is not retroactive: if you already made a preorder reservation before this policy update, you do not owe a down payment for that reservation. However, any future preorders you make will require the 10% good-faith down payment.
We make every effort to keep our website updated with information that reflects manufacturers' current estimated delivery schedules. To find the estimated delivery month of an item, you can visit our Preorder Section and use the filters to narrow down your selection.
However, we encourage you to directly visit the manufacturer's site for the most current delivery dates.
Approximately 30-45 days before your preorder items land at the warehouse, we'll email your invoice to you to pay in full. At this point, you'll be able to provide your shipping address and select your preferred shipping method.
Your item will be reserved for 7 days, beginning when your invoice is sent. After 7 days, your preorder will be canceled.
Recently, our suppliers have made a major policy change and are no longer accepting product returns for non-paying end customers. We have tried our best to absorb the effects of this change; however, after more than a year of trying, we have found we cannot continue to do so. After much consideration, we unfortunately must also change our policies to align with the realities our suppliers have created.
As a result, we must now ask that customers pay in full prior to the supplier finalizing shipment to FDH, about 30-45 days ahead of product arrival. This gives us the time we need to cancel with our suppliers any unpaid orders prior to shipment.
We understand that this is an unwelcome change and no one wants to pay earlier than necessary. However, this is unavoidable in order for us to be able to continue to offer the wide variety of preorder options you’re used to getting from Factory Direct Hobbies.
One silver lining is that this change will result in preorder items getting to your door even faster, as all payment processing will be well out of the way and the usual several day wait after product has arrived will be eliminated. We thank you for your patience and understanding. If you have questions or would like further clarification, feel free to contact us through the gold chat bubble.
Manufacturing schedules can sometimes be unpredictable. In the event your preorder item does not arrive at our warehouse within 60 days of your invoice payment, then you will have the option to cancel your preorder and receive a refund OR you may elect to continue waiting for the item.
Friendly Reminder: Should you choose to cancel a preorder, it will no longer be reserved for you; in the event the item becomes available on our website, all customers will have equal access to purchase the item.
We know life happens, and missing out on a great item can be a drag!
We're here to help; just contact us via the gold chat bubble and we'll do all we can to work with you!
If you have an account with factorydirecthobbies.com, you can view all your preorders, as well as your active orders. Login to your account, and select the “My orders” option. All your preorders and active orders will be listed along with the current status of each order. If you have further questions about your order, please feel free to reach out to us through the gold chat bubble.
Although we try to keep our preorder arrival estimates as accurate as possible, we encourage you to visit each manufacturer’s website to find the most up-to-date delivery information.
For instance, with Athearn and Walthers, you can enter the part number into their websites and navigate to the item. Most of the time, the delivery date will be listed there. Broadway Limited has a published delivery schedule, as does Rapido.
Rewards and Preorders
Yes. Rewards can be used on both your 10% good-faith down payment and on the balance of your preorder at invoicing time.
Yes! Preorders are awarded reward dollars at the same 5% rate. You'll receive your reward within several days of paying the balance of your preorder invoice.
Still more questions?
If we still haven't answered your question, please click the gold messaging bubble in the bottom right of our site, and we'll help in any way we can!
