Both attributes in the title are the very reason why RDC cars remain popular with model railroaders and the rail-inclined alike. Budd Company blazed the trail with many new technological innovations that shaped passenger train services in the US between 1934 and 1970. The Rail Diesel Car – RDC – satisfied two voids in passenger train technology in the post-World War II era: the need to replace older, gas-electric and oil-electric, self-propelled coaches 25 or more years in age and – most importantly – to tap new passenger potential.
Budd chose the high road first when they took a serious look and the popular European intercity motor trains that were modern and offered passengers fast, daylight service on shorter routes. Budd envisioned a self-propelled, diesel-powered coach that could be coupled in multiple units. The stainless-steel cars themselves featured the Budd-patented shot-welding process with interiors that were modern in every way with newer materials to reduce maintenance. As such, Budd anticipated that US railroads would seriously consider the potential in replacing costly and frequently-underutilized, locomotive-hauled trains of older passenger coaches with more attractive and efficient RDC train sets. Budd argued that the purchase price would be recouped with savings rapidly translating rapidly into profits.
The pioneering Baltimore & Ohio was quick to embrace that intercity potential when they purchased two, three-car train sets and replaced two underutilized daylight train of older, standard steel passenger cars. The new B&O trains, dubbed Speed Liners, entered service between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh and offered passengers a convenient daylight schedule that fully showcased the beautiful scenery along their historic route as well. The B&O trains were unique in that they featured the only versions of RDC units with dining service. Unfortunately, most US railroads failed to fully deploy the RDC cars to the degree B&O did and most RDC’s were marginalized to replace the older gas-electric cars, or to provide branch line connecting services, or replace aging commuter train equipment.
Budd offered five versions of RDC’s: RDC-1 was a full-coach, RDC-2 a coach-combination baggage car, RDC-3 a coach-baggage car with a small railway post office section, RDC-4 was a combination baggage-RPO car and RDC-9, a full coach of similar design. The “9” could not be operated as a single unit – unlike the others – and instead had to be mated with one of the other types that had controls. The RDC-9 were purchased for commuter service by the Boston & Maine.
Problems aside, by October 1956 Budd could claim sales of 329 RDC’s to a total of 29 railroads. At that time the price tag for the RDC-1 was $179,800. By 1962 that total rose to 398 with sales internationally. Fast forward to 1971 and the renewed interest in upgrading US passenger train technology. That interest was sparked by the creation of Amtrak followed by activism across the US for belatedly developing a balanced transportation network – beyond the highways and airways. Budd created a new version of the RDC with a car body that was adapted from the Budd-built Metroliner cars that were built in 1966-1968 for PRR–Penn Central. Ironically the new car – known as the SPV-2000 – received tepid interest from Amtrak as well as the publicly-funded transit systems that assumed responsibility for commuter services and only 30 were sold.
This story has a happy ending for the RDC and model railroaders as well. The outstanding durability, reliability and adaptability of the RDC design prolonged the life of many of those cars that were eventually sold to railroads far and wide. That long history has kept interest in RDC’s live and we currently feature the newest versions of RDC’s by Rapido with more on the way in the near future. Please check our current feature and inventory. Our rewards program and hold and consolidate option are additional incentive to add several RDC’s to your roster.
Frank Wrabel
modeltrainstuff.com