I. History:
a. The Budd Rail Diesel Car (Buddliner):
The Budd Rail Diesel Car, (RDC) or Buddliner is a self-propelled diesel multiple unit railcar. RDC trains were an early example of self-contained diesel multiple unit trains, an arrangement now in common use by railways all over the world. Budd RDCs were sold to operators in North America, South America, Asia, and Australia. The Buddliner saw extensive use in the Northeast United States, both on branch lines and in commuter service.
In the early 1950s, many railroads were looking for alternate means of providing fast, more economical passenger service with the goal of gaining back some of the clientèle that had transferred to automobiles.
The Budd Company of Philadelphia designed the RDC (Rail Diesel Car aka Buddliner) as an economical alternative to the traditional locomotive-hauled passenger trains in suburban, commuter, branch line, interurban and supplementary mainline service at a time when the railroads were struggling to make such services profitable. RDCs proved much less costly to operate than regular consists and were well received by railroads throughout North America as well as some overseas lines. Priced at $127,000 to $130,000, an RDC cost approximately 50 percent less to operate than a conventional locomotive-hauled train. An RDC demonstrator unit toured a number of railroads in late 1949 and early 1950. A total of 398 units of various configurations were built between 1949 and 1962.
The Budd Company built Buddliners in its Red Lion plant in Philadelphia. In 1957, the Canadian Car & Foundry Company of Montreal was licensed to build RDCs in Canada for Canadian buyers. Subsequently, 16 unfinished body shells were supplied by the Budd Company and completed in the Lachine plant of Canadian Car & Foundry.
The Buddliner was visually attractive, easy to maintain, lightweight, flexible and powerful. The stainless-steel exterior was almost maintenance free. Operating controls were positioned at each end of the car to eliminate costly and time-consuming trips to turn the car at stub-ended terminals. The units could be used singly or in multi-car trains. The design incorporated developments by General Motors in engine and torque-converter transmissions developed for use in US Army M46 Patton tanks during the Korean War.
The RDCs had a high power/weight ratio providing fast pick-up. Twin compact six-cylinder diesel engines produced 550 horsepower enabling the car to accelerate to 44 mph in 60 seconds, 54 miles per hour in 90 seconds and 80 miles per hour in under four minutes. The RDC had a top speed of 83 mph on level track.
An engine was mounted on the underframe beside each truck and connected to the driving axle of the adjacent truck. The modular diesel engines and transmissions were located under the floor so that they could be easily slid out on a pair of rails for quick repairs or replacement. The two engines provided a greater degree of reliability than could have been obtained from a single power plant. Disc brakes enabled the car to decelerate at 2.8 mph per second. The engines were cooled by radiators on the roof of the car connected by piping to insulated water tanks beneath the floor. A blister on the center of the roof contained the cooling radiators, cooling fan motors, radiator fans, and engine exhaust pipes.
The RDC rode on a pair of four-wheel drop-equalizer trucks with a wheelbase of 8 foot 6 inches and 33-inch diameter wheels. Naturally, variations in arrangements of internal seating and cargo sections were made by the builder, or by the owning railways, to suit their operating requirements. Three chains were hung in each end doorway for safety when the end door was opened., the first unit saw service on the Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines and then in 1964, was sold to Canadian National as their number D-110 (later 6110). Rebuilt and updated during its service life, this demonstrator unit saw service for VIA Rail Canada for many years, outliving many of its successors.
b. The RDC-1 :
Budd manufactured five basic variants of the RDC. The RDC-1 was an 85 ft (25.91 m) all-passenger coach seating 90 passengers. It weighed 118,300 pounds (53,700k empty. Total Built 239, Propulsion plant 2 General Motors 300 H.P Detroit, Max speed 85-95 MPH. The RDC-1, was the most numerous version, was a self-propelled coach containing only passenger seating for 90 passengers. Because there was no space encroachment in the car body by the power plant, there was plenty of room for passenger seats. A vestibule with operator controls was at each end. A men’s room was at one end and a women’s restroom was at the opposite end. It was 85 feet long.
c. Amtrak Buddliner:
Amtrak acquired its 21 RDCs second-hand in 1971 primarily from the Penn-Central and Burlington Northern and used on various routes operated by other carriers.. Amtrak numbered its RDCs between 10 and 43. The Amtrak units were painted with red, white and blue ends and window bands. Amtrak equipped most of these units with diaphragms and roof-top headlights. All units were disposed of by 1986.
d. The Walthers Proto Company 100 -2000 Series:
Life-Like Trains was well known and highly regarded by hobbyists for its Proto 1000 and Proto 2000 line. These locomotives and freight cars were the best detailed for their price point, and even older, used units are in high demand by hobbyists.
The Proto 1000 line originally was created to compete with Athearn products at a lower price point. Lifoam Industries, LLC (parent of Life-Like Trains) sold their model train product line in 2005 to W.K. Walther’s. But the line included the smooth Proto 2000 drive, and the models would run as well as their better detailed, more expensive Proto 2000 line. It is my understanding the lifetime warranty is still honored by Walther’s but check if warranty work is required in the future.
II. For Sale:
PROTO 1000 Rail Diesel Car BUDD RDC-1 Powered #20. In Phase I Amtrak scheme Stainless steel body, Light Gray underbody, and striping consisting of Amtrak® Red above Amtrak® Heritage Blue with white pinstripes on top, between and below. Cab ends feature vertical columns of red, white and blue.
This is an out of production rare RDC-1 Car that is highly detailed. This Buddliner will fit in any tri-state layout from the 1950's up into the '80s adding three dummy RDC's as listed above will give the full "Day Light Speedliner". This offers the Modeler a low cost passenger train
Features:
Flywheel Equipped
Authentically Contoured Radiator With Realistic Fan
RP-25 Metal Wheels
Proto MAX(TM) Metal Knuckle Couplers.
Detailed interior.
DCC compatible. Soldering requiered no 8 pin plug in. Experienced modleing skills requiered.
Directional Lighting
Drawbar pull: 1.4 ounces
Weight: 22 ounces
Minimum radius: 18"
Note on Images: some images were from prvious sale of the #35. All are virtialy identical with the excption of the car Number.
III: Converting from DC to DCC:
Modelers wishing to convert the Proto 1000 RDC-1 from DC to DCC can do so with TCM Corporations T1 Decoder SKU: 1021 MSRP $31.00 (not included) other makes such as NCE, LokSound, SoundTraxx, and QSI will also work just fine.
a. TCM Corporations T1 Decoder:
The T1 is a multi-purpose HO-scale decoder. This decoder may be hard-wired or plugged directly into any locomotive with a 9-pin JST plug. This decoder is also available with adapter harnesses with 8-pin NMRA plugs installed. See the "Variants" page for more options at TCM website along with detailed step by step instructions.
b. Advanced modelers:
There are three places on the circuit board where there are traces that need to be cut. Make two cuts, one on each side of the X. You then remove the foil material to make sure that there is no path for current to sneak pass the cut. You then mount the decoder using a small piece of double stick tape. This model is an RDC-1 no Baggage/RPO end, be sure that the decoder is not visible through the windows. After the decoder is mounted, trim your wires to length. Leaving a little extra, just in case when you strip the wire it breaks off . Strip, tin and solder in place. There is only one more thing to do to make your install complete. To make the lamps brighter solder a 330 ohm resistor across the resistor (in parallel) on the circuit board. Full step by step instructions with color photos for installation for this unit are available online at the TCS website.
IV. Box:
Factory New minimal shelf wear.
V. Warranty:
To my knowledge Walthers still honors the Warranty.
VI. Shipping:
Free Local Pick up available Seattle WA area. Domestic: Free USPS Mail. International: use eBay International shipping program.