Passenger
Reading Company Budd Rail Diesel Car (RDC), #9152 & 9162
Background & History
Written by Barry Hensel
Used with the permission of “The Reading Modeler” group
The Rail Diesel Car (RDC), built by the Edward G. Budd Company, was designed as a more cost effective alternative to the traditional locomotive-hauled passenger train. With the loss of Railway Express Agency and US Mail business in the early 1960’s, the Reading was forced to reduce the cost of its non-electrified passenger service outside of the Philadelphia commuting territory and the Budd RDC’s fit the bill. The Reading was already a Budd Customer, having turned to the company for construction of the famed “Crusader” trainset in the 1930’s. In some ways, the Readings use of the RDC’s was a throwback to earlier days , when the Reading has 15 self-propelled gas-electric “doodlebugs” in branch-line service in the first half of the century. The design of RDC was considered to be a significant technical improvement, as the powerplants (two 275 or 300 horsepower engines) location below the floor allowed maximum use of the car interior.
9152 at Temple, PA 1988
(Photo Courtesy of Charles Murphy, Jr., MP&RE Collection)
9162 at R&N’s Leesport Yard
(Photo Courtesy Tim Weidner)
The first twelve RDC’s numbered 9151 thru 9162 were assigned the Reading Class # RDB-13 (Rail Diesel, Budd, Multiple Unit, Cab Signals) and entered service in the later part of 1962. The units were serviced at Wayne Junction and Saucon Creek, which allowed the Reading to close the long operating Green Street engine facility. This first group of RDC’s were all “RDC-1 models, which were “full passenger” units. The Readings units were unique in that the end windows were enlarged for greater visibility in response to complaints from the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. Upon entry in to service, the RDC’s operated on the Bethlehem Branch and Main Line trains as well as some of the other Philadelphia commuter lines, where they operated both singly and multiple-unit configuration.
The operation of the initial group of RDC’s proved to be a success, as the reading went on the hunt for additional units a few years later, purchasing 4 additional cars – #9163 was acquired from the Lehigh Valley, while #9164 thru 9166 were obtained from the Boston and Maine. #9165 was a RDC-2 model which included a baggage section and #9166 was an RDC-3 model which had a baggage section and an RPO compartment. Since the baggage and RPO sections were not needed, the Reading converted them to snack bars and placed them into service on the Crusader and Wall Street trains. The RDC’s continued to serve the Reading until 1974, when all passenger service was transferred to SEPTA. SEPTA continued to run the RDC’s until 1981, when all non-electrified service ended.
Budd RDC-1 Phase II Specifications
(As Built)
Builder:
The Budd Company
Philadelphia, PA
Date Built:
December 1962
Builder’s #:
7012
Engine:
Model 6-110
Detroit 2-stroke diesel
6 cylinder
Horsepower:
2400
Top Speed:
70 mph
Weight:
?
Tractive Effort:
?
Length:
?
Fuel:
110 gallons
Water:
80 gallons
Aspiration:
Centrifugal blower
Bore x Stroke:
5 x 5.6″
People:
132
Displacement:
660 c.i.
Idle Speed:
?
Max Speed:
1500 rpm
Transmission:
Torque converters, shaft final drive
Brake System:
SA-26
Air