Budds alive and well on TRE

[Rockingham Racer]

I was up in Dallas recently. Happened to spot a Trinity Rail Express midday train with RDCs in MU operation.

[electricron]

Some recent YouTube videos of the TRE's RDCs in action
In Irving December 2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeuxTSQWVFI
In Irving December 2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YlLTmzE4hs
Riding a RDC from Irving to Dallas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-eBJdU223Q
At Dallas' Union Station
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4737QZK5doo

[electricron]

Most of the TRE's RDCs (I believe 10 of the 13) will be leased by DCTA until they get their Stadler GTWs into service. DCTA is already testing their new track and signals using RDCs.
Here's a video taken 5/26/2011 of RDC test trains in DCTA livery at speed in Lewisville.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK7eL8NuIcI
DCTA plans to start train service on 6/20/2011, less than a month away.

I suggest RDC railfans start watching the DCTA tracks instead of TRE tracks for the RDCS for the immediate future....

[Tim Mullins]

After watching some of the videos, I can't believe how good those Budd Cars look and to think,some are Ex. B&M!!
I don't know why the MBTA just didn't have them rebuilt instead of running empty coach trains around all day.

[electricron]

After watching some of the videos, I can't believe how good those Budd Cars look and to think,some are Ex. B&M!!
I don't know why the MBTA just didn't have them rebuilt instead of running empty coach trains around all day.

They look so good because they were completely refurbished from their shells back in the 90s.
From http://www.trinityrailwayexpress.org/trerollingstock.html
DART purchased 13 RDCs from VIA Rail Canada in 1993. The Budd Company in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania originally built the RDCs in the 1950’s. They were used by VIA Rail throughout Canada in intercity service.

The RDCs were completely stripped down to their stainless steel shell and remanufactured by GEC Alsthom Transport, Inc. at their Montreal facility. All new interiors were provided, including new seats, floors, ceilings, walls, windows, and lighting. The makeover took 20 months. Upon completion, the RDCs were shipped as part of a freight train to Dallas. Once the RDCs arrived in Dallas, each car had its interior installation completed including major components mounted, wired and plumbed, and then were tested for 3-5 days prior to being put into service.

Vehicle Cost: $1.8 Million each (cost includes engineering, shipment, etc.)
Today that would cost slightly more per vehicle. Possibly significantly more if you must meet the EPA's new Tier 4 emissions requirements. The TRE is presently upgrading all the F59 locomotives to Tier 2. I don't think there are any plans to update the RDCs, therefore their future lifespan for commuter service might be limited.....

[FCM2829]

Are they back operating on the TRE? Or are they operating in Denton County?

[electricron]

Are they back operating on the TRE? Or are they operating in Denton County?

The RDCs are no longer operating in Denton County since they have received and placed all their Stadler GTWs into service. DART wasn't leasing them to DCTA cheaply.
The RDCs are available for service for the TRE, although I'm not sure if the TRE actually uses them regularly.

[wigwagfan]

The RDCs are available for service for the TRE, although I'm not sure if the TRE actually uses them regularly.

TriMet (operator of WES Commuter Rail in Oregon) is looking to buy two of TRE's RDCs.

I'm not sure why.

[electricron]

The RDCs are available for service for the TRE, although I'm not sure if the TRE actually uses them regularly.

TriMet (operator of WES Commuter Rail in Oregon) is looking to buy two of TRE's RDCs.
I'm not sure why.

The TRE is presently trying to sell 11 of the 13 RDCs it owns, and isn't planning on using any of them in the future. Reasons stated are difficulties finding spare parts and lack of space in the cabs to install PTC equipment racks.
So they are available for sale.

TriMet uses Colorado Railcar DMUs and a few ex-Alaska RR RDCs in standby. There are maybe fewer spare parts available for the Colorado DMUs than for RDCs. The RDC's in WES service have baggage areas where PTC equipment racks can be installed, at least have room to do so. So having a few more RDCs on hand gives them more options for extending the life of this train service at the lowest costs, even if the TRE RDCs are just used as spare parts sources.
Just a year or so ago TriMet was looking at buying Nippon Sharyo DMUs, even got approval from SMART to use a few of their options, but that order never was completed for whatever reason. So TriMet has been looking at purchasing more rolling stock, maybe the idle TRE RDCs are the only equipment they can afford.

[wigwagfan]

The "official" reason TriMet is buying two more RDCs is because of "capacity". Which is an utter Bull---- answer. TriMet refuses to buy larger buses even though they routinely have buses so full they skip stops, but they consider a WES train "full" when there is one body per pair of seats. (Yes, I know this - I live right off the WES tracks and see them. Never, and I mean NEVER, is there ever a "crush load" situation on a WES train where there is no room even to stand. But this happens routinely on various bus routes.)

TriMet was going to join up with SMART (since Colorado Railcar is defunct), but Nippon Sharyo basically laughed when TriMet thought they'd get the exact same deal. Nippon Sharyo said they'd sell to TriMet but at a much higher price. TriMet sulked away.

So TriMet is going back to RDCs. Ironically...TriMet plead up and down, left and right, all over, that they absolutely, positively, under NO circumstance, could ever use an RDC due to FRA regulations, and they HAD to buy from Colorado Railcar, no ifs, ands or buts.

Meanwhile, I know of at least EIGHT RDCs sitting in Oregon, or just across the state line in Idaho, that could be had for a bargain basement price, but TriMet won't buy them. Two of which are sitting right off of the WES route in Tigard. Granted, five of them would require some rehab work, but sounds like that's a job opportunity...

[electricron]

Earlier this month, DART sold 12 of its 13 RDCs that had been used by the TRE to AllEarth Rail LLC based in Burlington, Vt. Leaving one for display purposes at TRE. Before the month had lapsed, AllEarth Rail LLC sold 2 of its 12 recently purchased RDCs to TriMet for WES service leaving 10 for Vermont.

Whether AllEarth Rail ever enters any RDCs into service in Vermont, or sells them away to other operators has yet to be answered. Vermont is interested in establishing commuter rail services between Burlington, St. Albans, and Montpelier-Barre. How that will be accomplished and what rolling stock will be used have been under continuing studies for over a decade. There will be at least 10 RDCs available for use soon. The TRE RDCs are capable of running in multiples of three, and each has a seating capacity around 96, and we're fully refurbished during the 1990s. They should allow an accelerated and cheaper startup if Vermont ever decided to initiate a small market commuter rail service.

TriMet plans to spend an additional half million in total upgrading the two TRE sourced RDCs, upgrades for Postive Train Contol, radios, wifi, etc. will be needed before they can enter WES service. Their total expenditure to buy, transport, and refurbish these two RDCs should be less than $1.5 million, less than $750 thousand each. A great buy!

[dowlingm]

It seems AllEarth outbid VIA Rail for the RDCs.
http://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/column ... -do-better