BLMA HO 4550 Remote Controlled Locomotive Antenna Stands (4 pieces)

The prototype was built by General Motors Diesel Ltd., a subsidiary of GM's Electro-Motive Division, the GMD-1 was designed for use on Canadian National's lightly built prairie branch lines. The London, Ont., plant started production in 1958, and when the last units rolled out the doors in 1960, 101 had been built. Northern Alberta Ry., jointly owned by CN and Canadian Pacific, had five engines built. They differed from the CN units in that they were designed to run short-hood forward, and had the control stands placed appropriately. In 1961, NAR purchased two GMD-1s from CN to add to its small fleet. These, numbered 311 and 312, were converted to run short hood forward like their stablemates.

All of the locomotives had 1,200 horsepower EMD 567C 12-cylinder engines. Some of the locomotives, including all of the NAR engines, rode on A1A Flexicoil trucks to reduce axle loadings on the light branchline tracks. The last 18 units ordered by CN had B-B Flexicoil trucks, and steam generators under the short hood with their attendant watertanks underneath the locomotive, next to the fuel tanks. These later locomotives, numbered 1900 to 1917 and intended to haul branchline passenger trains, wound up mostly hauling freight and doing switching chores because they were too heavy for the branch lines. Most of the branchline passenger service was gone by the mid-1960s, anyway.

The Rapido model is available in two versions: One with the A1A trucks and small fuel tank, and one with B-B trucks, a fuel tank and water tank, and a steam generator. Both models have cab interiors. The CN's is oriented to operate with the long hood forward, as per the prototype, and the NAR is set up for short-hood-forward operation.