Did RDCs Use Passenger Cars?

[kwalker421]

I know the RDC-5 was an additional carrier but did they ever use regular passenger cars? Like standard heavywieghts?

 

[bcp]

From:
http://www.budd-rdc.org/introduction.html


"The fifth and final design, the RDC-9 was basically an RDC-1 without the drivers stations or vestibules at either end of the car, increasing the number of seats to around one hundred. The RDC-9 had to be operated remotely from one of the other types of RDC in a multiple unit formation. The RDC-9 was introduced later than the other models after some railroads had caused problems by placing a passenger car between RDCs and thus over-stressing the gearbox and torque converter on the powered units."


Bruce

 

[UP2CSX]

As Bruce quoted, some railroads, notably the Western Pacific, did try using RDC's to pull standard passenger cars, although I never heard of any that tried this with a heavyweight car. The WP used RDC's pulling one lightweight combination RPO and coach for about a year from Reno to Salt Lake City. It turned out to be a disaster, since the RDC was never designed to pull anything but itself and torque converter was the weak link. The diesel engines were connected directly to the trucks through torque converters to the drive train rather powering electic traction motors like a typical diesel-electric engine. This torque converter would fail with no warning with too much load, and often did when the WP was trying the passenger car experiment. After that, they bought RDC-9's for multiple unit trains.

There were other self propelled rail cars like those produced by McKeen and Brill that used gas, distilate, or diesel engines but they all used electric traction motors and most were capable of pulling at least one passenger car. The Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad used a Brill motor car pulling a heavyweight Pullman sleeper during the 20's from Ludlow to Death Valley Junction to stimulate tourist traffic after the mines stated to play out. It was reasonably successful until the depression killed off business. The Brill performed well and saved about 50% compared to running a steam train.

 

[kwalker421]

thanks guys. oh well, my C&O RDC-2 will have to run solo then. no matter.

 

[John P]

You could always model it as the railroad trying to do what they'd be smarter not to do, and the RDC not having broken down yet.