Hi all,
I am thinking of buying a pair of HO scale P1K Budd RDC’s. MB Klein has them on sale for $35.00 apiece - this seems like a good price, but I suspect these are from an earlier LifeLike production run because Walthers doesn’t have the roadname (Amtrak) listed on their website.
Does anybody have this [pre-Walthers] model, and if so, are there any serious issues with it?
Thanx in advance…
I have an RDC-3 that is probably from the first run of them, it’s certainly pre-Walthers Life-Like. I think it’s good, I think I paid $50 for mine (undec) at a trainshow. It’s a little noisy at highspeeds but nothing too bad. Since there was plenty of room inside, I added a Soundtraxx ‘generic’ LC sound decoder and a 1" speaker.
Noise doesn’t bother me, I have a few Athearn BB’s that will probably drown them out .
Did it come with Kadee-compatible couplers, or did you have buy them separately and install them yourself?
I have a “pre-Walthers” New Haven RDC and it is a sweet unit! I bought it a few years ago. I like it very much and have zero complaints about it. It’s heavy (don’t drop it on your foot!), and runs very smoothly. Has the plastic KD compatible couplers. Though you can hear the drive, it’s not noisy like a typical Athearn Blue Box loco. It has a nice interior molded in a dark tan color. The body dimensions are on the mark. With some minor detailing it can look as good as a brass model. There’s no comparison between it and the old Athearn RDC. I plan on getting another one.
Yes if memory serves it did come with kadee-compatible couplers. I got it about five years ago so I could be wrong - but if it didn’t, it wasn’t any trouble to convert to kadees.
I found the noise - a bit of ‘whining’ and gear noise - only came at full speed, maybe 60-70MPH. I usually only run my passenger trains at 30-35MPH and at that speed it was pretty quiet. Good smooth runner. Passenger compartment needed some passengers as it you can see inside to the empty seats pretty well. I did have to do a little jerry-rigging to put an engineer in, as the front section is basically just empty where the crew would be, no seats or anything.
Antonio and Stix,
Thanks for the feedback - I’m heading down to Klein’s right away and getting a pair!
Glad it was helpful.
One more thing I forgot to mention.
In case you’re considering sound, there are no decoders available with the proper prime mover sounds. The prototype RDCs used pairs of Detroit 6V-110 series Detroit Diesel engines, so basically they sounded like GMC transit buses with a slightly deeper “growl”.
A route to take would be to use an “uploadable” sound decoder with an edited quality recording of a prototype RDC. From what an expert has told me, it does take a bit of work to properly edit sound bytes before uploading them to a decoder. But for an RDC it seems like it would be worth the effort.
Check out this website: http://www.bevteccom.co.uk/Rail/DCC/P1k_RDC.html
One way to cut down on the noise is to remove the drive parts from one of them. One is probably a little noiser anyway.
I have one powered unit pulling 2 unpowered units and they even climb a 2% grade. I installed a tranisiorized lighting circuit in the last unit so it can operate as the lead when the direction is reversed. I also installed interior lighting in all 3 units.
If you have an RDC-1, there is one more reason to remove the motor and drive. You can install a full interior and replace the “smoked” windows…
got one a while ago and it is very nice. very smooth and goodlooking, at $35 a piece thats a no brainer.
BTW if you’re going to decorate them yourself (as I did with mine) - I used Testor’s chrome in the spraycan. Worked quite nicely, very shiny metallic finish like stainless steel.
WOW msowsum, that RDC1 closeup looks like I can just step right into it![bow] (I used to commute on them regularly when MARC was running them between Baltimore and WashDC.)
Well I bought them online, I’ll be picking them up tomorrow. They still have 4 left at that price if anybody’s interested.
Trainworld has been offering the RDCs for even better prices - this is from their website:
#30582 PROTO 1000 BUDD RDC-1 ASSORTED ROADS 29.99
#23972 PROTO 1000 BUDD RDC-2 ASSORTED ROADS 19.99
I’ve bought several from them over the years, can’t beat the price!
I’d check with them first, as their website isn’t always up to date.
Hey Ken
I’ve got 4 and they are very nice units indeed no issues and no problems.
Smooth runners which are easily converted to DCC
Fergie
Hi Fergie, I thought I might be hearing from you! (I remember when those Budd cars were the ONLY diesels on the MESS)
Bob I agree, Trainworld is a bit cheaper - but I’m impatient ! I was able to pick these babies up this morning, here they are:
…and they really are sweet![^] Lightyears ahead of the Athearn ones I had in my past life…
Actuallyh RDC3’s are down to 10$ on trainworld!
Announced in their newsletter not long ago.
Digitrax has an RDC sound package on their website for the SFX.
David B
Finally someone has one! Thanks for the news David. I haven’t been checking the DCC vendor websites as I often as I used to. I hope the recording is of a 1950s-60 RDC and not a re-engined or updated unit. But then again…beggers can’t be choosers.
David: Are prototype Budd RDCs still running in Canada?
A few…there is a pair on Vancouver Island that run between Victoria and Courtney on the tressel-infested [:D] E and N mainline.
David B
True, a coupled set runs daily 7/365 between Victoria, the capital of BC, on Vancouver Island and a smaller town of about 25K called Courtenay some four hours running to the north. Owned and maintained by CPR/VIA, but managed and operated by The Island Corridor Foundation, a consortium of interested parties, the mojor being an aboriginal band. I don’t know that it makes a buck, but it seems to run, day after day. My wife and I took it one day last summer, and enjoyed the ride immensely. The right of way on the old E&N Ry is not in great shape, but much of the issue rests with rotten ties and too much scrub near or between the rails. This summer, for the first time in many years, there was money freed up to spray the right of way with herbicide, replace a couple hundred of the worst ties, and to steam the weeds closest to rivers and streams since all the ones in BC are spawing one for BC salmon…don’t want herbicides in amongst them little hatchlings.
If you are interested, I can attach a rather nice image I got of the unit to an email.