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VentureForth

Engineer
Joined
Jan 23, 2007
Messages
6,430
Location
West Melbourne, FL
Wow. Just got through blazing through Seaboard 92's photo journal of their trip through the Pacific NW here: https://discuss.amtraktrains.com/threads/crossing-the-line.76229/

One part of the journey that particularly caught my attention was the portion through Beaverton. I love RDC's. Love them bunches. Was a huge proponent of the Colorado Diesel Car and didn't know that any other than a couple of units in FL and on the Alaka Rail cruise line coaches that any were actually delivered to customers. Glad to see the old Budd RDCs utilized from Dallas' Trinity Railway Express. Been on those. Loved them.

So here's the big question. After CDC went under and they became Rader, is ANYONE actually delivering these new CDC's? How are the ones in Oregon holding up?
 
No one to my knowledge is delivering any. And from talk with the crews they claim they are fairly unreliable. They prefer the Budd RDC’s because they are more reliable. Trimet actually has acquired three more RDCs. So they could either increase service or out right replace the CRC
 
VIA Rail has had a few Budd's rebuilt somewhat recently. A couple are used on the isolated CP route in Northern Ontario and there was discussion of restoring some to other routes that were traditionally served by them. Haven't heard anything further.
 
I think the DMU CDC trains are pretty much dead, with no new ones being made. If someone wants the a similar train, they're going to order one of the European ones, like the FLIRT.

However I do know that the Swiss manufacturer, Stadler, is making new CDC cars for the Rocky Mountaineer.

peter
 
All interesting stuff. That's saying something when you replace 10 year old stock with 70 year old stock if that is indeed the case in Oregon. I know that the TRE did some significant mods to the RDC I's when they acquired them. I intentionally did what I could to ride three-car RDC's in Dallas while they were available. Missed them when they were on the Denton A Line. I actually rode for 4 hours on the Malahat on Vancouver Island on VIA Rail from Victoria to Courtenay for my honeymoon 20 years ago. Still would love to see that revived.

I see some are being used in NH and Mass, but they seem to be running as powerless coaches than self contained RDCs. The new service in Vermont - initially bought most of the Dallas RDCs, but they've been selling them off. :(
 
All interesting stuff. That's saying something when you replace 10 year old stock with 70 year old stock if that is indeed the case in Oregon. I know that the TRE did some significant mods to the RDC I's when they acquired them. I intentionally did what I could to ride three-car RDC's in Dallas while they were available. Missed them when they were on the Denton A Line. I actually rode for 4 hours on the Malahat on Vancouver Island on VIA Rail from Victoria to Courtenay for my honeymoon 20 years ago. Still would love to see that revived.

I see some are being used in NH and Mass, but they seem to be running as powerless coaches than self contained RDCs. The new service in Vermont - initially bought most of the Dallas RDCs, but they've been selling them off. :(
I wish they'd bring back the Malahat too ( I lived in Vancouver for a year) and have used the TRE many times when they still ran the RDCs.
 
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What’s unique about the RDC’s Trimet currently operates is both are RDC-2s. Boarding is accomplished by using the baggage door. And it’s manually operated by the conductor with its original hardware.
 
Love them, but you could probably guess that, knowing my screen name...

My longest ride was on Reading’s “Wall Streeter”, which ran all the way from Newark to Philadelphia Reading Terminal, and then reversed direction and continued on to Pottsville under a different train number. But you could stay aboard the whole way.
It featured a bar, selling drinks and snacks in the evening, or coffee and rolls in the morning...:)
 
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