Ditch Lights - Rapido Trains FP9A Product Manualline

rear of the unit, which would have looked extremely silly once you took the diaphragms
off. If you are displaying your FP9A locomotives or you have 96" radius curves, you
can attach the diaphragms with white glue or CA.
Also please note that we have tooled up several different nose variations of the FP9A.
The noses differed according to the delivery date and over the lives of the units. The CP
and CN noses also have considerable spotting differences. For a master class on the
differences from locomotive to locomotive, please visit our web site and go to the FP9A
pages.
To give you an idea of some of the variations we have tooled for this project: five different
winterization hatches; six different noses; five different roof-mounted cooling coils; two
different horns; two different headlight housings; three different ditch light styles; two dif-
ferent steam generator vents; two different pilots; and even two different styles of rerailer!

DITCH LIGHTS

You do NOT need to remove the shell to install the ditch lights.
Every FP9A model comes equipped with working ditch lights from the factory, but they
are hidden inside the nose so you can't see them! This is because not every FP9A had
ditch lights installed. Initially, CN used ditch lights travelling west of Jasper through the
mountains. Starting in late 1955, the ditch lights were mounted onto a metal bracket
and attached to the front of the locomotive above the buffer. From 1964, CN began
to retrofit all of its FP9As with ditch light brackets, and two separate ditch lights were
installed when needed. If you would like ditch lights on your CN FP9A, the appropriate
style (or styles) is included in the box.
CP only started installing ditch lights on its FP9A locomotives in the mid-1970s, well after
the introduction of the Action Red paint scheme (with 5" nose and end stripes). CP went
with a high-end luxury approach and mounted the ditch lights permanently. If you have
an Action Red model with 5" stripes and you want working ditch lights, the ditch light
castings are included in the box.
Did we mention? You do NOT need to remove the shell to install the ditch lights.
To install the ditch lights on your CN model, use the supplied drilling template (the plastic
thing in the box with six holes in it). Of the centre four holes, the lower holes (closer
together) are for the early style ditch lights and the upper holes (farther apart) are for the
later style ditch lights. The outer two holes are for CP. Rest the drilling template on the
front buffer, and make sure it is straight. Using a small diameter drill bit (such as a #78)
in pin vise, drill a pilot hole in each of the two holes for your chosen ditch light style.
Then remove the template and complete the holes with the correct size drill bit. For the
early style ditch lights use a #52 drill bit and for the late style ditch lights use a #60 drill
bit. Dip the end of each ditch light casting in white glue, wipe off the excess, and shove
it into the hole. That's it – you now have working ditch lights.
7