SEPTA's RDCs

Hello all. Can anyone recall any memories of riding in SEPTA's RDCs from the 60s to January 1983?

Looking for anything. Pictures, memories, problems, condition, etc. Reading, Pottsville, Jersey City, Quakertown, Bethlehem, Allentown, Newtown. Anything relating to the Newtown line is a plus.

Huntingdon Valley on the Newtown Line - April 1982


Thanx, all.

Here's one I took in Pottsville from the summer of '78, though I never rode them.



Apparently, the Reading & Northern has a few on hand today, but not in operating condition. I did a Google search and found this photo from 2002:

Fantastic picture! Those poor, shoddy RDCs. They took such awful care of them. If memory serves correctly, the station and tracks are now gone, yes?

Southampton, December 16, 1981

Pacobell73 wrote:Fantastic picture! Those poor, shoddy RDCs. They took such awful care of them. If memory serves correctly, the station and tracks are now gone, yes?

Southampton, December 16, 1981

The rails have been cut and/or paved over at all of the grade crossings but are generally intact along the Newtown branch, albeit severely overgrown and in deplorable condition. The Southampton station building is still standing and has a "Friends of the Southampton Station" group as it current watchdogs. I believe the building has been somewhat stabilized but has a long way to go for full renovation.

BTW, I shot the picture of the RDC's in the snow at Huntingdon Valley at the top of this thread.

glennk419 wrote:

Pacobell73 wrote:Fantastic picture! Those poor, shoddy RDCs. They took such awful care of them. If memory serves correctly, the station and tracks are now gone, yes?

The rails have been cut and/or paved over at all of the grade crossings but are generally intact along the Newtown branch, albeit severely overgrown and in deplorable condition. The Southampton station building is still standing and has a "Friends of the Southampton Station" group as it current watchdogs. I believe the building has been somewhat stabilized but has a long way to go for full renovation.

BTW, I shot the picture of the RDC's in the snow at Huntingdon Valley at the top of this thread.

Hi Glenn - yes, I am all too familiar with the condition of the Newtown Branch. It has been given quite a bit of publicity in recent months due to PA-TEC's efforts.http://www.newtownline.pa-tec.org/
My question about station and tracks being gone was in reference to the Pottsville photo.


Also, you snapped the picture at Huntingdon Valley in the snow? When exactly was that taken? Do you have any other photos of the line that can be posted here?

Thanx!

Gotcha. Your wording along with the picture of Southampton threw me off.

Yes, that is my picture and I have a couple others which I believe may be posted somewhere on the old "No Hope For Newtown" thread. The date on the slides is Feb 82 but pictures were probably taken in late 1981, prior to the Southampton accident. I believe at least one of my other shots from Bryn Athyn found its' way onto the PA-Tec website at one point.

As far as Pottsville, I believe some of the tracks were actually relaid in anticipation of a possible transload facility that I don't believe has come to fruition.

here is a shot at reading,pa.

I never rode a SEPTA RDC on SEPTA track, but the MBTA leased some in the late 1980s and used them as coaches in push-pull service. I seem to recall low back seats which were not comfortable at all.

Apparently, some RDC's have just gone back into service in Texas, the A-Train of the Denton County Transit Authority is using them for commuter service. Not to be off topic, but this would be something to see for 2011. They have been heavily refurbished, and I believe will be used for 18 months until the new cars (like the NJT River Line cars) are received.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK7eL8NuIcI

http://www.mya-train.com/about-the-a-train/vehicles

While on Navy shore duty in Philadelphia, from summer 1980 through spring 1982, I did ride some miles on SEPTA RDCs:

Reading Terminal to Pottsville and return, one Saturday or Sunday.

NJ DOT & SEPTA joint service, either the Wall Street or Crusader, one way From Newark Penn Station to Philadelphia Reading Terminal, one Friday night.

I remember them as pleasant trips. I do not recall if I took any photos; if I did, it was probably the Pottsville trip and they are Kodachrome slides in a box that has not seen daylight in many years.