When North American railroads started caring a bit less about luxury and speed and were more focused on costs and efficiency, the BUDD company turned it's efforts away from making lightweight, speedy streamlined passenger coaches to a form of rail diesel car, or RDC. Railroads in the US were required to maintain passenger service even on unprofitable lines. The RDC was the perfect solution, and they were well received by both passengers and railway managers. Many exist on preservation lines hauling tourists, but several still see revenue service. I believe VIA still operate around 8 of them on smaller branch lines in Canada. TriMet in Portland bought a few from Alaska after the original DMU supplier for their WES line went bankrupt in the middle of filling the order. They featured cabs at both ends, some were powered trailers without cabs to be sandwiched between two standard RDC units, they came as coach units, baggage/combine, baggage/RPO and so forth. Most were 85 feet long, while the baggage/RPO cars were 71 feet long to compensate for the extra weight when loaded. Here we see ex-Alaska RR 702 and 711 departing Beaverton, OR 702 in Anchorage, 1997 B&O (ex-Santa Fe) RDC-1 #1913 in Baltimore, 1970 Canadian National RDC-3 #6350 at Niagara Falls on track 2, 1970. That's Flying Scotsman on Track 1.
Golden Age of Railroading has a few freeware Budds available, these include... -Alaska -Boston & Maine -Great Northern -New Haven -Penn Central -Western Pacific http://www.golden-age-rails.com/rwroll.html
I also wont complain if one gets released along with a little branchline route somewhere in Canada/Alaska where it would be right at home.
Gonna bring this topic back up for a Unique RDC. The New Haven Roger Williams This unique trainset was a 6 car DMU based on the Budd RDC, with the 2 end cars adding streamlined cabs, while the intermediate cars did not have any controls. The early configuration of these cars also added 3rd Rail shoes to operate into Grand Central Station, but were later removed. Eventually the set was split up, but continued to operate as part of the New Haven, then Penn Central, and Amtrak till retirement in the 1980's, both end cars and a intermediate car are preserved under private ownership This could be an interesting DLC to add to either the New York New Haven Route or the Springfield Line.
Oh the Roger Williams would a fun one, just like the Aerotrain. Eventually a Dan'l Webster as well, which could work for NH-Springfield I guess.
Resurrection post… Would like to see an RDC or two developed for TSW for sure. Though not sure where it could be implemented unless a new pre Amtrack / VIA Rail national route or a regional route is designed.
You know what? Making a comment about something interesting isn’t a crime. Sorry to upset your special little world. Not the first time I’ve been scolded for interacting in your platform on something I’ve found interesting in comparison to mine. Real friendly bunch you are here. Suggestion: request that dovetail separate you guys and your overly sensitive souls out of the forum results so you don’t have to be interrupted and threatened by the unwanted TSW players. Peace. Out.
That is why there are forums for TS Classic, this one and for TSW the other one. We don't post on your site unless its a TSW issue that's because we can read.
Let's keep this civil please, folks. There are two train sims in the Dovetail stable and it's inevitable that conversation will occasionally cross over between the two. No need to go on the warpath when this happens, as it does so incredibly rarely.
