The Budd Rail Diesel Car (RDC): Photos

ORDoT RDC-3 #ORRX-31 at Portland OR - July '04

Photos of The Oregon Department of Transport's Lewis And Clark Bi-Centenary project was to re-open the rail line between Portland, Oregon and Astoria, Oregon for passenger service. To operate the service, they purchased three Budd RDCs from BCRail after the termination of BCRail's passenger operations in September 2002. These were Budd RDC-1s BC-10 and BC-11, and Budd RDC-3 BC-31. The service has operated each summer since 2003, but this year (2005) will be the final year. The Budd RDCs are due to be auctioned off in October after the service has ended. It is my hope that at least one, if not all three, can be returned to British Columbia and the West Coast Rail Association based on their old route at Squamish BC. In particular, the Budd RDC-1s which were operated on the Vancouver to Prince George route since purchased new from Budd in the 1950s should be returned to their old homes.
All Photos: © Copyright Bevis R W King 2004 - All Rights Reserved.

VIA Rail Canada RDC-4 #6250 at Sudbury ON - May '03

Photos of VIA Rail Canada's Budd RDCs that form "The Lake Superior" flag train from Sudbury ON through the Canadian Shield wilderness to White River ON. Sudbury, Ontario is a nickel-mining town almost due north of Lake Huron; White River Ontario is a small town, a significant waypoint on the bleak Trans Canada Highway, notable for being the coldest place in North America and being the original hometown of Winnie The Pooh (who was a) real, b) black, and c) Female!).
These pictures are stills from camcorder footage taken on the evening of Wednesday 21st May 2003 in Sudbury ON station. RDC-4 #6250 is believed to be the last remaining operational member of it's class, and still operating on the Canadian Pacific mainline at that. Here is it is paired with RDC-2 #6205. Second RDC-2 is also assigned to this service.
All Photos: © Copyright Bevis R W King 2003 - All Rights Reserved.

New Haven RDC-1 NH#41 at Danbury Railway Museum - June '04

Photos of Danbury Railway Museum's New Haven railroad Budd RDC-1 NH#41 in the yard. The Danbury Railway Museum is home to five Budd RDCs; three RDC-1s formerly with the New Haven railroad, and the cab-cars from the New Haven's Budd-built RDC-based Roger Williams Express trainset. One of the operational Budd RDC-1s is used for train rides around the Museum site on weekdays in the summer season.
All Photos: © Copyright Bevis R W King 2004 - All Rights Reserved.

ARR #711 leads a Whittier-bound train near Portage Glacier

Alaska Railroad RDC-2 #711 Emerges From A Tunnel En Route To Whittier - May '04

Photos of Alaska Railroad's Grandview/Whittier-Anchorage service. Here Budd RDC-2 #711 leads GM EMD GP38-2 #2002, on a Whittier-bound service as the train emerges from a tunnel near Portage Glacier. The Alaska Railroad has four operational Budd RDCs and uses them on the Hurricane Turn flag train, and on the Whittier and Spencer Glacier/Grandview services.
All Photos: © Copyright Bevis R W King 2004 - All Rights Reserved.

Alaska Railroad RDC-3 #701 and RDC-2 #712 at Talkeetna - May '04

Photos of Alaska Railroad's Hurricane Turn Flag Train service. Here Budd RDC-3 #701 leads Budd RDC-2 #712, ready to depart from the downtown Talkeetna station with the first Hurricane Turn service of the year on Thursday 20th May 2004. The Hurricane Turn service serves a 55 mile stretch of wilderness between Talkeetna and the edge of the Denali National Park. It turns around on the middle of Hurricane Gulch bridge. The Alaska Railroad has four operational Budd RDCs and uses them on the Hurricane Turn flag train, and on the Whittier and Spencer Glacier/Grandview services.
All Photos: © Copyright Bevis R W King 2004 - All Rights Reserved.

RDC-1 #BC-15 at Wilton Scenic Railroad - Sep '03

Photos of Wilton Scenic Railroads'RDC-1 #BC-15 returning with the first service of the day to Wilton on Saturday September 13th 2003. It was a pleasant day with the fall colours just beginning to show. If this RDC-1 looks familar, it is, it's former BCRail RDC-1 BC-15 also featured elsewhere in this section. It and former running mate, RDC-3 BC-30 were sold to the Wilton Scenic Railroad after the termination of BCRail's Cariboo Prospector service in 2002. The 2003 was the first season of operation for the Wilton Scenic Railroad.
All Photos: © Copyright Bevis R W King 2003 - All Rights Reserved.

RDC-1 #407 at Cape May Seashore Lines - Nov '02

Photos of Cape May Seashore Lines'RDC-1 #M-407 operating the first service of the day from 4-H Fairground to Cape May City and return on Saturday November 9th 2002. I was very fortunate to have a lovely fall day with the colors still at their height. The Cape May Seashore Lines runs between the picturesque Victorian seaside town of Cape May and the 4-H Fairground site; the trackbed remains north to Tuckahoe NJ where there is a connection to the Atlantic City - Camden line. The company is working to rebuild the connection.
All Photos: © Copyright Bevis R W King 2002 - All Rights Reserved.

RDC-1 #BC-15 at BC Rail, Williams Lake BC - Sep '02

Photos of BC Rail's now discontinued Cariboo Prospector passenger service between North Vancouver and Prince George. For nearly fifty years, this was a mainstay of the Budd RDCs, operating daily from North Vancouver, along the Howe Sound, through Whistler, and up to Lilooet in the magnificent Fraser River Canyon. Three times a week the service continued north up the precipitous side of the Fraser River Canyon, then along the Cariboo Trail, scene of BC's Gold Rush, through to the heart of BC's north at Prince George. The service which left North Vancouver at 7am, would not reach Prince George until after 10pm at night, having travelled a total of 468 miles. The following morning the Cariboo Prospector would return south from Prince George, meeting the daily return service at Lilooet. At Prince George, the route connected with VIA Canada's Skeena service between Jasper and Prince Rupert on the Pacific coast.
All Photos: © Copyright Bevis R W King 2002 - All Rights Reserved.

RDC-3 #BC-31 at BC Rail, North Vancouver BC - Apr '02

Photos of BC Rail's now discontinued Cariboo Prospector passenger service which ran between daily North Vancouver and Lilooet. For nearly fifty years, this was a mainstay of the Budd RDCs, operating daily from North Vancouver, along the Howe Sound, through Whistler, and up to Lilooet in the magnificent Fraser River Canyon. These photos were taken on a wet April morning in 2002, about six months before BC Rail closed it's passenger services.

Last updated on Thursday, July 1, 2020

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