Budd RDC cars (and its echo, the SPV?)

[daveklepper]

Some photos of the original applicaton, from Nov. 1949, on the Boston and Albany:

 

[MidlandMike]

I like the picture of the RDC under the water spout.

[daveklepper]

Note what the building to the right of Worcester Union Station is

[Overmod]

daveklepper

Note what the building to the right of Worcester Union Station is

Hard to read, but I expect fine railcars were made there!  I like the 'city pride' signage.

[daveklepper]

For somecreason, my reading the Budd RDC article in the Summer (correction, Winter, page 53)  2022  issue got delayed untilo yesterday evening.

 

It states thast the two GM diesel engibnes are roof-mounted.  Sure, the exhaust comes from the  roof blister, but that blister's function is primarily cooling.  The engines are underfloor-mounted, and one is bring inspected in my photograph above, taken very soon afterthe first revenue operation of Budd RDC, Autumn 1949, Boston-Worcester-Springfield, above at Worcester.  If I recall correctly, each pancake sideways diesel is just toward the car's center from each truck (bogie), with a longitudinal camshaft, power-transfer shaft, and Spicer gearing to the neaerest axle.

Possibly a very compact hydraulic transmission interruping the  drive-shaft.

 

[rcdrye]

RDCs were originally set up with two Detroit Diesel 6-110 engines.  The engines were mounted on slide racks, so they could be easily changed out with just a forklift.  The Allison (also GM) transmission was adapted from one developed for the US Army. A standard "cardan shaft" driveshaft went between the transmission and the Spicer unit. The Spicer units bolted on to the inside axle (RDCs are 1a-a1 in wheel arrangement).  All of the stuff in the hump is for A/C and engine cooling, with car heat generated from the engines, like an automobile.  RDC-9s (B&M, later CN) had only a single engine and no controls, and a reputation for being cold.

RDC's had a five-notch throttle.  The B&M's mechanical department figured out how to build an MU jumper so that RDCs could be controlled from GP7s, and vice-versa, allowing for push-pull MU operation.

[MidlandMike]

My recollection is that the exhaust stack also went thru the roof blister.

[daveklepper]

1.  Yes, Mike, and thecexhaust misled the artivcle's uthor as to the location of the diesels.

2.  Winter 2022 issue, not Summer.  Winter, page 53 for the error.  Nothing like the fog in the memory of someone to be 92 by the secular calendar a week from today, to turn Winter into  Summer.