Budd RDC were problematic fresh out the factory. Completely amazing people are still trying to use them.
The problem or weakness was the transmission. Think an automobile standard transmission but harder to operate. If you missed a gear you would have to complete stop it to put it back in gear and start rolling again. Downshift for hills require, upshifting required for higher speeds. A lot of work. Unlike a truck when you can recover and float into gear. You match the rpm to the trucks speed to your gear input. A Budd RDC twin engine and twin transmission with or without additional RDC could not recover and had to stop to get it back in gear.
Surprised someone who truly wants to use these railcars, just has not gone to a traction motors with generators set up.
It was a bad design choice by Budd. So much potential but hard to operate, and high maintenance cost.
The problem or weakness was the transmission. Think an automobile standard transmission but harder to operate. If you missed a gear you would have to complete stop it to put it back in gear and start rolling again. Downshift for hills require, upshifting required for higher speeds. A lot of work. Unlike a truck when you can recover and float into gear. You match the rpm to the trucks speed to your gear input. A Budd RDC twin engine and twin transmission with or without additional RDC could not recover and had to stop to get it back in gear.
Surprised someone who truly wants to use these railcars, just has not gone to a traction motors with generators set up.
It was a bad design choice by Budd. So much potential but hard to operate, and high maintenance cost.
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