RDC's in a Pennsylvania Autumn
by Steve Ember
Title
RDC's in a Pennsylvania Autumn
Artist
Steve Ember
Medium
Photograph - Photograph
Description
While the lovingly restored and maintained T-1 Class 4-8-4 "Northern" steam locomotive was the undisputed star and glamor gal on this last Saturday in October, one must admire the Reading and Northern Railroad for also keeping alive and well these worthy icons of North American railroading, the Budd RDC's.
RDC stands for Rail Diesel Car, and these sturdy old gals, also known as "Budd Cars," were a boon to many a railroad on less heavily trafficked or shorter routes, as well as in commuter service, as they were less costly to operate than conventional locomotive-pulled trains.
RDC's could be run singly or in M-U's (Multiple Unit) operation, and in as long a train as passenger loads required. They were diesel powered, but not diesel-electric; rather the two diesel engines beneath the floor would drive each truck (wheel set) through a hydraulic coupling.
Here, a two-car RDC set has just crossed a trestle over the Schuylkill River and is arriving at Port Clinton on its way back from an Autumn Foliage trip to the mountain village of Jim Thorpe. Like the steam train that will follow in about a half-hour, the RDC train will make a stop in Port Clinton to disembark passengers who boarded here; but, instead of continuing on to Reading Outer Station, it will pull a bit beyond the station and reverse direction, following the line curving left to follow the Schuylkill to its own origination point, Pottsville.
©2022 Steve Ember
Uploaded
November 21st, 2022
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