I have some Proto 1000 RDCs on my road to run between US and Canada via Niagara Falls on the old TH&B line and I notice that the seats face the same direction in RDC 1,2,3 but as the RDC had a cab at each end were they turned at the end of each tripespecially the 2&3 with the baggage sections did the baggage sections always lead?
Probably not in my opinion. As I recall the RDC seats were walkovers which means you could make them face either direction by just pulling the back to the other side of the seat. Turning one would negate one of the advantages. Even on regular locomotive hauled trains they were often hauled backward from a branch line that didn’t have turning at the end. It is probably safe but not totaly accurate to say that only end of the line major cities had a balloon track, wyes or other means to turn trains.
Do you mean the seats or the RDC?
The seats probably were “flopover” seats that could be changed to face either direction (except the seats against a bulkhead). I can still remember the “ca-Chunk, ca-Chunk” of the conductor walking down the aisle flipping the seats at the end of the line on equipment equipped with those seats.
The RDC’s generally weren’t turned because that was part of the attraction, they were double ended. The RDG ran a Philadelphia to New York RDC run where the baggage compartment was replaced with a food counter that served coffee and donuts in the morning and snacks in the afternoon, they didn’t turn it at either end. The “cafe” led northbound and trailed southbound.
Dave H.
interesting web sites
http://www.sisterbetty.org/rdc/index.htm
As was noted, seats swiveled or flopped
I dimly recall from my one trip on a CNJ RDC that it had walkover seat backs. So did most day coaches. Chair cars had rotating seats. Passenger equipment was seldom turned, with two notable exceptions:
- Boat-tail observation cars.
- RPO and express cars with one blind end (i.e., no door in the end.)
In both cases the difficulty was the lack of a way to pass into the next car forward or to the rear - unacceptable when the conductor and passenger brakeman(men) were moving through the train to check tickets or deal with glitches. This deficiency, and the PITA factor of having to turn them at any station not built on a wye, is why a substantial percentage of round-end observation cars were rebuilt with square ends and end doors.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
I think you’ll also find that dome cars had to be turned–I don’t think their seats were re-positionable.
Ed
Generally dome cars will be in long haul trains beginning and ending at major cities where turning the entire train is possible. In discussion with an ex towerman at Union station in Chicago the PRR turned trains on the wye formed by the Burlington tracks to keep the most roomettes on the right side away from opposing traffic noise. Those long distance trains were the important ones and got the best srevice inclduing seat and room direction.
It looks as if your question has been answered regarding the seats. The train that you’re referring to, however, crossed to Buffalo through Fort Erie, I believe. The CNR ran RDCs, on the Grimsby Sub, to Niagara Falls, but I don’t think that they actually crossed into the U.S.
Wayne
I suppose it would depend on the railroad and the type of RDC…the DM&IR had an RDC-3 (Baggage / RPO / Coach) that they used between Duluth, Two Harbors and the Range. I’ve only seen pics of it going ‘forward’ (with the Baggage and RPO part in front) so I assume the cars were turned at each end of their journey.