Budd Rail Diesel Car
Encyclopedia
- For other meanings of RDC, see RDC (disambiguation)RDC (disambiguation)RDC may refer to:* Residual dipolar coupling, a measurand in NMR-spectroscopy* Budd Rail Diesel Car* Railroad Development Corporation, an operator of railroads* Central African Democratic Rally...
.
The Budd Rail Diesel Car, RDC or Buddliner is a self-propelled diesel multiple unit
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
railcar
Railcar
A railcar, in British English and Australian English, is a self-propelled railway vehicle designed to transport passengers. The term "railcar" is usually used in reference to a train consisting of a single coach , with a driver's cab at one or both ends. Some railways, e.g., the Great Western...
. In the period 1949–62, 398 RDCs were built by the Budd Company
Budd Company
The Budd Company is a metal fabricator and major supplier of body components to the automobile industry, and was formerly a manufacturer of stainless steel passenger rail cars during the 20th century....
of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, United States. The cars were primarily adopted for passenger service in rural areas with low traffic density or in short-haul commuter service, and were less expensive to operate in this context than a traditional locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
-drawn train. The cars could be used singly or several coupled together in train sets and controlled from the cab of the front unit. The RDC was one of the few DMU trains to achieve commercial success in North America.
The basic car was adapted from a standard 85 ft (25.91 m) coach. They were powered by two Detroit Diesel
Detroit Diesel
As a corporation, Daimler Trucks North America has decided to rename the company "DETROIT".Detroit Diesel Corporation is an American-based diesel engine producer headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, USA...
(then a division of General Motors) Series 110
Detroit Diesel 110
The Detroit Diesel Series 110, with 110 cubic inches displacement per cylinder, was introduced in 1945 as more-powerful alternative to the existing Series 71 engines. It was used in a variety of applications, including construction equipment and power generation. The most popular use was in the...
diesel engine
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
s, each of which drives an axle through a hydraulic torque converter
Torque converter
In modern usage, a torque converter is generally a type of hydrodynamic fluid coupling that is used to transfer rotating power from a prime mover, such as an internal combustion engine or electric motor, to a rotating driven load...
, a technology adapted from military tanks of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. RDC trains were an early example of self-contained diesel multiple unit
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
s, an arrangement now in common use by railways all over the world.
Variants
Budd manufactured five basic variants of the RDC:- The RDC-1 — an 85 ft (25.9 m) all-passenger coach seating 90 passengers.
- The RDC-2 — an 85 ft (25.9 m) baggage and passenger coach configuration seating 70 passengers.
- The RDC-3 — an 85 ft (25.9 m) variant with a Railway Post Office, a baggage compartment and 49 passenger seats. Some had no R.P.O.
- The RDC-4 — a 72 ft (21.9 m) variant with only the Railway Post Office and baggage area. Some were all baggage/express; others were later modified to haul about a dozen passengers.
- The RDC-9 (also known as the RDC-5) — an 85 ft (25.9 m) passenger coach seating 94, a single engine and no control cab.
Over the years, various railroads cars had slightly differing capacity due seating types and in some cases replacement of seats with a snack counter or even a galley.
The RDC-1 was powered by two 6-cylinder Detroit Diesel
Detroit Diesel
As a corporation, Daimler Trucks North America has decided to rename the company "DETROIT".Detroit Diesel Corporation is an American-based diesel engine producer headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, USA...
Series 110
Detroit Diesel 110
The Detroit Diesel Series 110, with 110 cubic inches displacement per cylinder, was introduced in 1945 as more-powerful alternative to the existing Series 71 engines. It was used in a variety of applications, including construction equipment and power generation. The most popular use was in the...
engines, each of 275 hp.
Multiple unit
Near 1956, the New Haven Railroad ordered a custom-built, six-car RDC train set named the Roger WilliamsRoger Williams (train)
-See also:*Baldwin RP-210, a lightweight train locomotive built for the New Haven's Dan'l Webster train.*Fairbanks-Morse P-12-42, a lightweight train locomotive built for the New Haven's John Quincy Adams train....
. It consisted of 2-single-ended cab units, and four intermediate cars to make a complete train. The units were fitted with third-rail shoes, electric traction motors, and associated gear for operation into Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal —often incorrectly called Grand Central Station, or shortened to simply Grand Central—is a terminal station at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States...
, though this was short lived. In the New Haven's later years, the set was broken up, and used with regular New Haven RDCs, and by Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
into the 1980s.
SPV-2000
In 1978, Budd offered a new RDC model, called the SPV-2000 (self-propelled vehicle), based on AmfleetAmfleet
Amfleet is a series of intercity railroad passenger cars built for the operator Amtrak by the manufacturer Budd Company in two series during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Today, Amfleet cars are used extensively throughout the Amtrak system outside the western United States...
coach bodies, but only 24 of them were sold, as they proved unreliable and did not gain marketplace acceptance. The few remaining in service have long been converted to non-powered, locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
-drawn coaches.
Jet engines
In what was billed as an experiment toward high speed rail, the New York Central (NYC) fitted a pair of jet engines atop one of their RDCs and added a shovel nose front to its cab. This RDC, which NYC had numbered M497, set the United States speed record in 1966 when it traveled at just short of 184 mph (296 km/h) between Butler, IndianaButler, Indiana
Butler is a city in DeKalb County, Indiana, United States. The population was 2,684 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Butler is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
, and Stryker, Ohio
Stryker, Ohio
Stryker is a village in Williams County, Ohio, United States. The population was 1,406 at the 2000 census.-History:Stryker is the oldest settlement in Williams County...
. It was never intended that jet engines propel regular trains. With the news about high speed trains overseas, particularly the Japanese Shinkansen
Shinkansen
The , also known as THE BULLET TRAIN, is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan operated by four Japan Railways Group companies. Starting with the Tōkaidō Shinkansen in 1964, the network has expanded to currently consist of of lines with maximum speeds of , of Mini-shinkansen with a...
bullet trains, American railroads were under pressure to catch up. By strapping a pair of military surplus jet engines onto a Budd car, NYC found an inexpensive way to conduct research into how conventional rail technology behaves at very high speeds. Many people felt that it was nothing more than a publicity stunt
Publicity stunt
A publicity stunt is a planned event designed to attract the public's attention to the event's organizers or their cause. Publicity stunts can be professionally organized or set up by amateurs...
on the part of the NYC.
United States
The Boston and Maine RailroadBoston and Maine Railroad
The Boston and Maine Corporation , known as the Boston and Maine Railroad until 1964, was the dominant railroad of the northern New England region of the United States for a century...
owned by far the largest number of these units, but they were also very popular for commuter and short distance service with the passenger heavy railroads such as the New Haven Railroad, New York Central, Northwestern Pacific, Reading Railroad
Reading Company
The Reading Company , usually called the Reading Railroad, officially the Philadelphia and Reading Rail Road and then the Philadelphia and Reading Railway until 1924, operated in southeast Pennsylvania and neighboring states...
, Pennsylvania Reading Seashore Lines, Baltimore and Ohio, and Jersey Central
Central Railroad of New Jersey
The Central Railroad of New Jersey , commonly known as the Jersey Central Lines or CNJ, was a Class I railroad with origins in the 1830s, lasting until 1976 when it was absorbed into Conrail with the other bankrupt railroads of the Northeastern United States...
.
The Trinity Railway Express
Trinity Railway Express
The Trinity Railway Express is a commuter rail line in the Dallas – Fort Worth Metroplex. It was established by an interlocal agreement between Dallas Area Rapid Transit and the Fort Worth Transportation Authority . Each transit authority owns a 50% stake in the joint rail project and...
(TRE) service between Dallas, Texas and Fort Worth is using RDCs for commuter passenger service during off-peak hours, with connections available at various points to Amtrak and the DART system. Some of these are on loan to the Denton County Transportation Authority
Denton County Transportation Authority
The Denton County Transportation Authority is the transit authority that operates in Denton County, Texas, USA, which is northwest of Dallas County...
for the A-train
A-train (Denton County Transportation Authority)
The A-train is a commuter rail line in Denton County, Texas, United States that parallels Interstate 35E and acts as an extension with the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Green Line at Trinity Mills Station in Carrollton. It is operated by the Denton County Transportation Authority and serves Denton...
service until its normal rolling stock of 11 third-generation Stadler GTW 2/6s
Stadler GTW
The Stadler GTW, sold by Stadler Rail of Switzerland, is an articulated railcar for local transport. GTW stands for Gelenktriebwagen .-Description:...
are delivered. The Alaska Railroad
Alaska Railroad
The Alaska Railroad is a Class II railroad which extends from Seward and Whittier, in the south of the state of Alaska, in the United States, to Fairbanks , and beyond to Eielson Air Force Base and Fort Wainwright in the interior of that state...
possessed five RDCs, four of which were kept in service and one for parts cannibalization. Three were from SEPTA, two were from the former New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968 which served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts...
, and one was from the Alaska Railroad
Alaska Railroad
The Alaska Railroad is a Class II railroad which extends from Seward and Whittier, in the south of the state of Alaska, in the United States, to Fairbanks , and beyond to Eielson Air Force Base and Fort Wainwright in the interior of that state...
. RDCs were typically coupled and used for the railroad's Hurricane Turn
Hurricane Turn
The Hurricane is a passenger train operated by the Alaska Railroad between Talkeetna and Hurricane Gulch in Alaska. This train is unique in that rather than making scheduled station stops, it is a flag stop train meaning that passengers between Talkeetna and Hurricane can wave a white cloth...
service and the annual Fair Train. Recently, however, the ARR sold the last of its operating RDCs to TriMet
TriMet
TriMet, more formally known as the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon, is a public agency that operates mass transit in a region that spans most of the Portland metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Oregon...
in Oregon where the cars will be used as back-ups for its WES DMUs. RDCs are still used in tourist train service by the Cape May Seashore Lines
Cape May Seashore Lines
Cape May Seashore Lines is a short line railroad in southern New Jersey. It offers two excursion services; a 30-mile round trip between Richland and Tuckahoe, and a 14-mile round trip between Rio Grande, Cold Spring Village, and Cape May City. The track is owned by New Jersey Transit and leased to...
, the Newport Dinner Train
Newport Dinner Train
The Newport Dinner Train is a heritage railroad operating in Newport, Rhode Island in conjunction with the Old Colony and Newport Scenic Railway....
, the North Shore Scenic Railroad
North Shore Scenic Railroad
The North Shore Scenic Railroad is a heritage railroad that operates between Duluth, Minnesota and Two Harbors, Minnesota, USA.The railroad is owned by the Lake Superior Railroad Museum and offers several different types of passenger excursion trains between May 28 and October 15 each year...
, and the Wallowa-Union Railroad Authority's Eagle Cap Train.
Canada
CanadianCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
railways used RDCs including Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
, British Columbia Railway (where they were known as Dayliners) and Canadian National Railway
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
(known as Railiners). Both employed RDCs on less-populated routes, though CP also made extensive use of them on commuter trains around Montreal and Toronto. When Canadian Pacific and Canadian National passenger service was consolidated into Via Rail
VIA Rail
Via Rail Canada is an independent crown corporation offering intercity passenger rail services in Canada. It is headquartered near Montreal Central Station at 3 Place Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec....
, Via Rail inherited these units and continues to use RDCs for scheduled services on the Victoria – Courtenay train on Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
and the Sudbury – White River train in Ontario.
On March 29, 2010, Via Rail signed a contract with Industrial Rail Services for $12.6 million Canadian to refurbish and upgrade six of the RDCs built in the 1950s. The upgraded units would include new seating, wheelchair accessible washrooms, LED interior lighting, controls, wiring, heating, air conditioning systems, braking systems and rebuilt engines that meet Euro II standards.
BC Rail (originally called Pacific Great Eastern Railway) operated passenger rail service between North Vancouver
North Vancouver railway station
North Vancouver railway station in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada is a railway station which is used by the Rocky Mountaineer train service. The station is used on the Whistler Sea-to-Sky Climb route that links Whistler to North Vancouver...
and Prince George
Prince George railway station
The Prince George railway station is on the Canadian National Railway mainline in Prince George, British Columbia. Via Rail's Jasper – Prince Rupert train service overnights at the Prince George station between Prince Rupert and Jasper.- External links :*...
using RDCs until October 31, 2002, when the service was discontinued.
The Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
Air Rail Link connecting Union Station
Union Station (Toronto)
Union Station is the major inter-city rail station and a major commuter rail hub in Toronto, located on Front Street West and occupying the south side of the block bounded by Bay Street and York Street in the central business district. The station building is owned by the City of Toronto, while the...
to Pearson International Airport
Toronto Pearson International Airport
Toronto Pearson International Airport is an international airport serving Toronto, Ontario, Canada; its metropolitan area; and the Golden Horseshoe, an urban agglomeration that is home to 8.1 million people – approximately 25% of Canada's population...
was originally proposed to be operated by SNC-Lavalin
SNC-Lavalin
SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. is a large Canadian engineering firm. It is one of the ten largest engineering firms in the world and is based in Montreal, Quebec. It formed in 1991 from the merger of SNC and the failing Lavalin, another Quebec based engineering firm....
using refurbished RDCs. However, the project has since been transferred to Metrolinx, who instead purchased 12 new Nippon-Sharyo Diesel Multiple Units for use on the line.
Australia
Three RDC-1s were exported to Australia to operate with the Commonwealth RailwaysCommonwealth Railways
The Commonwealth Railways were established in 1912, as part of a government department, currently called the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, by the Government of Australia to construct the missing link in the east-west transcontinental railway and...
. These cars were transported to Australia by Budd engineer Joseph F. Grosser. The cars arrived by ship in 1950 to great acclaim and expectation by the citizens of the country. These cars ran between Port Pirie and various locations, and later by Australian National
Australian National Railways Commission
The Australian National Railways Commission was a government owned railway operator in Australia. ANRC was also known as Australian National Railways in its early years and was later rebranded as Australian National .-History:...
from Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
to Whyalla, Port Augusta
Port Augusta, South Australia
-Electricity generation:Electricity is generated at the Playford B and Northern power stations from brown coal mined at Leigh Creek, 250 km to the north...
and Broken Hill.
Five cars were built under license in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
by Commonwealth Engineering
Commonwealth Engineering
The Commonwealth Engineering Company Limited is the brand name of a former Australian Engineering Company that designed Locomotives, Electrical Multiple Units , Diesel Multiple Units and Trams.-History:...
for the New South Wales Government Railways
New South Wales Government Railways
The New South Wales Government Railways was the government department that operated the New South Wales Government's railways until the establishment of the Public Transport Commission in 1972. Although later known officially as the Department of Railways, New South Wales, it was still generally...
. They were smaller than the standard RDC in all dimensions. One car was built with a buffet/snack bar accommodation in one end. The five-car set operated the South Coast Daylight Express between Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and Nowra.
The buffet car built by Commonwealth Engineering
Commonwealth Engineering
The Commonwealth Engineering Company Limited is the brand name of a former Australian Engineering Company that designed Locomotives, Electrical Multiple Units , Diesel Multiple Units and Trams.-History:...
for the New South Wales Government Railways
New South Wales Government Railways
The New South Wales Government Railways was the government department that operated the New South Wales Government's railways until the establishment of the Public Transport Commission in 1972. Although later known officially as the Department of Railways, New South Wales, it was still generally...
was the only non-powered version of these carriages.
Brazil
MafersaMafersa
Mafersa S.A. was a Brazilian manufacturer of passenger rail cars, buses and trolleybuses, and related components. It was founded in 1944 and was located in the city of São Paulo. At the end of 1997 it became a subsidiary of Alstom....
built some self-propelled cars under licence from Budd. They are called "litorinas" in Brazil (given that Italian slang for those trains is "littorina", which is itself inherited from the city name of Littoria). Mafersa also built unpowered passenger cars following the Budd style.
The Litorina RDCs were mostly popular in Southern part of the country, replacing the mixed freight/passenger trains in passenger service. The tariffs were cheaper than a bus ticket and the service could adapt just-in-time to the demand, by running a duplex, triplex or quadruplex train of RDCs. The service was suppressed in 1991. It still had a reasonable demand but the RDCs were in the end of useful life and the state-owned railroad company had begun to prepare for privatization as a freight-only model.
Mafersa RDCs for metre gauge
Metre gauge
Metre gauge refers to narrow gauge railways and tramways with a track gauge of . In some African, American and Asian countries it is the main gauge. In Europe it has been used for local railways in France, Germany, and Belgium, most of which were closed down in mid 20th century. Only in Switzerland...
are much shorter than the original ones. The windows have more round corners. On the other hand, RDCs made for broad gauge
Irish gauge
Irish gauge railways use a track gauge of . It is used in* Ireland * Australia where it is also known as Victorian Broad Gauge* Brazil where it is also known as Bitola larga no Brasil....
tracks follow more closely the original Budd design.
Serra Verde Express (Green Mountain Express) is a tourism business that keeps a passenger train service between Curitiba and Paranaguá at Southern Brazil. The Mafersa/Budd RDCs are still active in this route as a "premium" options with air conditioner and catering service, while the regular passenger train is cheaper and simpler. The RDC go downhill by themselves and are towed by the passenger train uphill, probably due to the steep climb at this railway (3.3% maximum) and to avoid stressing the RDCs which are very old. Also, most of the tourist passenger demand is downhill only.
Original owners
| Railroad | Model | Quantity | Road Numbers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arabian American Oil Company / Saudi Government Railroad | RDC-2 | 4 | |
| Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859... |
RDC-1 | 2 | DC-191, DC-192 |
| Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Baltimore and Ohio Railroad The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which... |
RDC-1 | 12 | 1900–1911 |
| Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Baltimore and Ohio Railroad The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which... |
RDC-2 | 4 | 1950–1951, 1960–1961 |
| Boston and Maine Railroad Boston and Maine Railroad The Boston and Maine Corporation , known as the Boston and Maine Railroad until 1964, was the dominant railroad of the northern New England region of the United States for a century... |
RDC-1 | 57 | 6100–6156 |
| Boston and Maine Railroad Boston and Maine Railroad The Boston and Maine Corporation , known as the Boston and Maine Railroad until 1964, was the dominant railroad of the northern New England region of the United States for a century... |
RDC-2 | 15 | 6200–6214 |
| Boston and Maine Railroad Boston and Maine Railroad The Boston and Maine Corporation , known as the Boston and Maine Railroad until 1964, was the dominant railroad of the northern New England region of the United States for a century... |
RDC-3 | 7 | 6300–6306 |
| Boston and Maine Railroad Boston and Maine Railroad The Boston and Maine Corporation , known as the Boston and Maine Railroad until 1964, was the dominant railroad of the northern New England region of the United States for a century... |
RDC-9 | 30 | 6900–6929 |
| Budd Budd Company The Budd Company is a metal fabricator and major supplier of body components to the automobile industry, and was formerly a manufacturer of stainless steel passenger rail cars during the 20th century.... (prototype/demonstrator) |
RDC-1 | 1 | 2960 |
| Canadian National Railways | RDC-1 | 9 | D-200, D-201, D-102 – D-108 |
| Canadian National Railways | RDC-2 | 6 | D-250, D-201 – D-205 |
| Canadian National Railways | RDC-3 | 7 | D-101, D-102, D-301 – D-303, D-351, D-352 |
| Canadian National Railways | RDC-4 | 6 | D-150, D-151, D-401, D-402, D-451, D-452 |
| Canadian Pacific Railway Canadian Pacific Railway The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001... |
RDC-3 | 5 | 9020–9024 |
| Canadian Pacific Railway Canadian Pacific Railway The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001... |
RDC-1 | 23 | 9050–9072 |
| Canadian Pacific Railway Canadian Pacific Railway The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001... |
RDC-2 | 22 | 9100–9115, 9194–9199 |
| Canadian Pacific Railway Canadian Pacific Railway The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001... |
RDC-4 | 3 | 9200, 9250–9251 |
| Central Railroad of New Jersey Central Railroad of New Jersey The Central Railroad of New Jersey , commonly known as the Jersey Central Lines or CNJ, was a Class I railroad with origins in the 1830s, lasting until 1976 when it was absorbed into Conrail with the other bankrupt railroads of the Northeastern United States... |
RDC-1 | 7 | 551–557 |
| Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad The Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad was a Class I railroad that linked Chicago to southern Illinois, St. Louis, and Evansville. Founded in 1877, it grew aggressively and stayed relatively strong throughout the Great Depression and two World Wars before being purchased by the Missouri Pacific... |
RDC-1 | 1 | 1 |
| Chicago and North Western Railway Chicago and North Western Railway The Chicago and North Western Transportation Company was a Class I railroad in the Midwest United States. It was also known as the North Western. The railroad operated more than of track as of the turn of the 20th century, and over of track in seven states before retrenchment in the late 1970s... |
RDC-1 | 2 | 9933–9934 |
| Chicago and North Western Railway Chicago and North Western Railway The Chicago and North Western Transportation Company was a Class I railroad in the Midwest United States. It was also known as the North Western. The railroad operated more than of track as of the turn of the 20th century, and over of track in seven states before retrenchment in the late 1970s... |
RDC-2 | 1 | 9935 |
| Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad was a Class I railroad in the United States. It was also known as the Rock Island Line, or, in its final years, The Rock.-Incorporation:... |
RDC-3 | 5 | 9000–9004 |
| Commonwealth Railways Commonwealth Railways The Commonwealth Railways were established in 1912, as part of a government department, currently called the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, by the Government of Australia to construct the missing link in the east-west transcontinental railway and... (Australia) |
RDC-1 | 3 | CB-1 – CB-3 |
| Consolidated Railways of Cuba | RDC-1, RDC-2 | 16 | |
| Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway The Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway is a railroad operating in northern Minnesota and Wisconsin that hauls iron ore and later taconite to the Great Lakes ports of Duluth and Two Harbors, Minnesota... |
RDC-3 | 1 | 1 |
| Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railway Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railway The Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railway was an American railroad serving the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and the Lake Superior shoreline of Wisconsin. It provided service from Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, and St. Ignace, Michigan, westward through Marquette, Michigan to Superior, Wisconsin,... |
RDC-1 | 1 | 500 |
| Great Northern Railway | RDC-3 | 1 | 2350 |
| Lehigh Valley Railroad Lehigh Valley Railroad The Lehigh Valley Railroad was one of a number of railroads built in the northeastern United States primarily to haul anthracite coal.It was authorized April 21, 1846 in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and incorporated September 20, 1847 as the Delaware, Lehigh, Schuylkill and Susquehanna Railroad... |
RDC-1 | 1 | 40 |
| Lehigh Valley Railroad Lehigh Valley Railroad The Lehigh Valley Railroad was one of a number of railroads built in the northeastern United States primarily to haul anthracite coal.It was authorized April 21, 1846 in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and incorporated September 20, 1847 as the Delaware, Lehigh, Schuylkill and Susquehanna Railroad... |
RDC-2 | 1 | 41 |
| Long Island Rail Road Long Island Rail Road The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US... |
RDC-1 | 1 | 3101 |
| Long Island Rail Road Long Island Rail Road The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US... |
RDC-2 | 1 | 3121 |
| Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway The Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway was an American Class I railroad that built and operated lines radiating south and west from Minneapolis, Minnesota which existed for 90 years from 1870 to 1960.... |
RDC-4 | 2 | 32–33 |
| Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad The Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad was incorporated May 23, 1870. In its earliest days the MKT was commonly referred to as "the K-T", which was its stock exchange symbol; this common designation soon evolved into "the Katy".... |
RDC-3 | 1 | 20 |
| New York Central Railroad New York Central Railroad The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States... |
RDC-1 | 16 | M-450 – M-465 |
| New York Central Railroad New York Central Railroad The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States... |
RDC-2 | 1 | M-480 |
| New York Central Railroad New York Central Railroad The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States... |
RDC-3 | 3 | M-497 – M-499 |
| New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968 which served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts... |
RDC-1 | 29 | 20–48 |
| New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968 which served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts... |
RDC-2 | 2 | 120–121 |
| New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968 which served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts... |
RDC-3 | 6 | 125–130 |
| New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968 which served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts... |
RDC-4 | 3 | 135–137 |
| New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968 which served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts... |
RDC-A | 2 | 140–141 |
| New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968 which served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts... |
RDC-B | 4 | 160–163 |
| New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway The New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway , also known as the Susie-Q, or simply the Susquehanna, is a Class II American freight railway operating over 500 miles of track in the northeastern states of New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. It was formed in 1881 from the merger of several... |
RDC-1 | 4 | M-1 – M-4 |
| Northern Pacific Railway Northern Pacific Railway The Northern Pacific Railway was a railway that operated in the west along the Canadian border of the United States. Construction began in 1870 and the main line opened all the way from the Great Lakes to the Pacific when former president Ulysses S. Grant drove in the final "golden spike" in... |
RDC-2 | 1 | B-30 |
| Northern Pacific Railway Northern Pacific Railway The Northern Pacific Railway was a railway that operated in the west along the Canadian border of the United States. Construction began in 1870 and the main line opened all the way from the Great Lakes to the Pacific when former president Ulysses S. Grant drove in the final "golden spike" in... |
RDC-3 | 2 | B-40, B-41 |
| Pacific Great Eastern Railway | RDC-1 | 3 | BC-10 – BC-12 |
| Pacific Great Eastern Railway | RDC-3 | 4 | BC-30 – BC-33 |
| Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines was a railroad that operated in southern New Jersey in the 20th century. It was created as a joint venture of the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Reading Company .- History :... |
RDC-1 | 12 | M-402 – M-413 |
| Reading Company Reading Company The Reading Company , usually called the Reading Railroad, officially the Philadelphia and Reading Rail Road and then the Philadelphia and Reading Railway until 1924, operated in southeast Pennsylvania and neighboring states... |
RDC-1 | 12 | 9151–9162 |
| RFFSA RFFSA The Rede Ferroviária Federal, Sociedade Anônima was the state-owned national railway company of Brazil. It was created in 1957, and dissolved between 1999–2007.-Constituent Railways:... (Brazil) |
RDC-1, RDC-2 | 29 | |
| Southern Pacific Railroad Southern Pacific Railroad The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad.... |
RDC-1 | 1 | 10 |
| Western Pacific Railroad Western Pacific Railroad The Western Pacific Railroad was a Class I railroad in the United States. It was formed in 1903 as an attempt to break the near-monopoly the Southern Pacific Railroad had on rail service into northern California... |
RDC-2 | 2 | 375–376 |
| Western Railroad of Cuba | RDC-1, RDC-3 | 10 |
Preservation
Several RDCs survive, both on tourist lines and in revenue service:- Two cab units and one intermediate car from the New Haven Railroad's multiple unit are fully restored and operational, and are receiving mechanical work at the Hobo RailroadHobo RailroadThe Hobo Railroad consists of two heritage railroads in central New Hampshire, in the United States.One, in Lincoln, offers passenger excursion trains through the White Mountains...
in New HampshireNew HampshireNew Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
. There have been efforts over the past decade to find a place to operate the three, but as of 2011, there has been no operational home found for the RDC set. - Former Santa Fe RDC DC-191 is owned by Pacific Railroad Society in Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. - The Reading, Blue Mountain and Northern operates two RDCs for tourist operations:
- RDC-3 6819
- SEPTA (former Reading CompanyReading CompanyThe Reading Company , usually called the Reading Railroad, officially the Philadelphia and Reading Rail Road and then the Philadelphia and Reading Railway until 1924, operated in southeast Pennsylvania and neighboring states...
9166/former Boston and Maine Corporation 6305) - RDC-1 5110
- PennDOT 9168 (former BM&R 9168)
- MdDOT 99 (former Jones Prop 99/Penn Central 99/New York Central RailroadNew York Central RailroadThe New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...
M499).
- The Alberta Central Railway MuseumAlberta Central Railway MuseumThe Alberta Central Railway Museum is a railroad museum located southeast of the City of Wetaskiwin, in Central Alberta, Canada. The main building was designed as a scaled-down version of the City's 1907 Canadian Pacific Railway depot. The depot includes a waiting room, baggage room and telegraph...
operates former Canadian Pacific RailwayCanadian Pacific RailwayThe Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
RDC-2 (number CP 9108) on a short stretch of track for visitors. - An RDC operates on the North Shore Scenic RailroadNorth Shore Scenic RailroadThe North Shore Scenic Railroad is a heritage railroad that operates between Duluth, Minnesota and Two Harbors, Minnesota, USA.The railroad is owned by the Lake Superior Railroad Museum and offers several different types of passenger excursion trains between May 28 and October 15 each year...
in Duluth, MinnesotaDuluth, MinnesotaDuluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
. - On March 29, 2010, Industrial Rail Services was awarded a contract to refurbish six RDCs for use by Via RailVIA RailVia Rail Canada is an independent crown corporation offering intercity passenger rail services in Canada. It is headquartered near Montreal Central Station at 3 Place Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec....
in Ontario and British Columbia. IRSI currently owns over 25 RDCs. - The Cape May Seashore LinesCape May Seashore LinesCape May Seashore Lines is a short line railroad in southern New Jersey. It offers two excursion services; a 30-mile round trip between Richland and Tuckahoe, and a 14-mile round trip between Rio Grande, Cold Spring Village, and Cape May City. The track is owned by New Jersey Transit and leased to...
operates several restored and operational RDCs between Cape May Court HouseCape May Court House, New JerseyCape May Court House is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Middle Township, in Cape May County, New Jersey. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the United States 2000 Census, the CDP population was 4,704...
and Cape May, New JerseyCape May, New JerseyCape May is a city at the southern tip of Cape May Peninsula in Cape May County, New Jersey, where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean and is one of the country's oldest vacation resort destinations. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 United States...
. - The Orford Express is a tourist train operating two RDCs between Sherbrooke and Eastman in the Eastern townships (Cantons de l'est).
- Former Boston & Maine RDC 6211 is cosmetically restored and on display at Bedford Depot Park in Bedford, MassachusettsBedford, MassachusettsBedford is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is within the Greater Boston area, north-west of the city of Boston. The population of Bedford was 13,320 at the 2010 census.- History :...
. - The Wallula Union Railroad operates three former Oregon DOT, former BC Rail RDCs (two RDC-1s and one RDC-3) on its rail line in northeastern Oregon.
- The Pacific Northwest Chapter of the National Railway Historical SocietyNational Railway Historical SocietyThe National Railway Historical Society is a non-profit organization established in 1935 in the United States to promote interest in, and appreciation for, the historical development of railroads. It is headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and organized into 16 regions and...
owns two former Boston & Maine/MBTA RDC-9 trailer coaches. - TriMetTriMetTriMet, more formally known as the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon, is a public agency that operates mass transit in a region that spans most of the Portland metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Oregon...
, the Portland area transit agency, owns two former Alaska Railroad RDCs and has refurbished them for backup service on its Westside Express Service (WES) commuter rail line between Beaverton and Wilsonville, Oregon. - The Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad in Tillamook, OregonTillamook, OregonThe city of Tillamook is the county seat of Tillamook County, Oregon, United States. The city is located on the southeast end of Tillamook Bay on the Pacific Ocean. The population was 4,352 at the 2000 census...
has two former Central of New Jersey/New Jersey TransitNew Jersey TransitThe New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...
RDC-1s. - Via Rail Canada operates five RDC-2's in regular passenger service (see Canada section). It also uses the only remaining operational RDC-4.
- Conway Scenic RailroadConway Scenic RailroadThe Conway Scenic Railroad is a heritage railway in North Conway, New Hampshire. The railroad operates over two historic railway routes: a line from North Conway to Conway that was formerly part of the Conway Branch of the Boston and Maine Railroad, and a line from North Conway through Crawford...
(North Conway, New HampshireNorth Conway, New HampshireNorth Conway is a census-designated place in eastern Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,349 at the 2010 census. A year-round resort area, North Conway is the largest village within the town of Conway, which is bounded on the east by the Maine state line. The White...
) operates an RDC-1 which was built for the New Haven Railroad in 1954 as their #23. It became Penn Central #68, then Amtrak #18, then Metro North #18 and was then sold to the New York Susquehanna & Western Railway where it was numbered M-5. As is the Conway Scenic tradition, the car reverted to its original number and became CSRR #23. The unit is used mid-week during shoulder seasons and for extra trips to Conway at peak times during the summer. - The Bellefonte Historical Railroad owns former RDG #9153 (BHRS #9153) and former NYNH&H #40 (BHRS #9167) at Bellefonte, PA on the NBER in operating condition with 9153 awaiting FRA upgrades to be completed.