Budd Rail Diesel Car Profile and Models

Budd Rail Diesel Car

CN 6206 at Melford, Saskatchewan, Canada in October 1971. ©Roger Puta

The Budd Rail Diesel Car, RDC, Budd car or Buddliner is a self-propelled diesel multiple unit (DMU) railcar. Between 1949 and 1962, 398 RDCs were built by the Budd Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The cars were primarily adopted for passenger service in rural areas with low traffic density or in short-haul commuter service, and were less expensive to operate in this context than a traditional diesel locomotive-drawn train with coaches. The cars could be used singly or coupled together in train sets and controlled from the cab of the front unit. The RDC was one of the few DMU trains to achieve commercial success in North America. RDC trains were an early example of self-contained diesel multiple unit trains, an arrangement now in common use by railways all over the world.

(Information provided via Wikipedia)

Type of Unit

Single-car DMU

Builder

Budd Company

Build Dates

1949 to 1962

Total Built

398

Power Output

RDC-1/2/3/4: 550hp
RDC-9: 300hp

Top Speed

85mph

Passenger Capacity

Between 70 and 94

Operated By

A-Train
AllEarth Rail
Amtrak
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad
BC Rail
Boston & Maine Railroad
Burlington Northern Railroad
Canadian National Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
Cape Cod Central Railroad
Cape May Seashore Lines
Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad
Central Railroad of New Jersey
Dominion Atlantic Railway
Great Northern Railway
Lehigh Valley
MARC
MBTA
Metro-North Railroad
New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad
New York, Susquehanna & Western Railway
Penn Central
Portland & Western Railroad
Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines
Reading Company
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad
Sierra Verde Express
Southern Pacific Railroad
Trinity Railway Express
Via Rail
WES Commuter Rail
(Also used by other US/ Canada operators, in Austrlia, Brazil, Cuba & Saudi Arabia)

Main Duties

Rural Passenger/ Commuter Services

In Service Until

Present

Surviving Examples

Many in service or preservation

 

OO Gauge (1:76 Scale)
trainModels Produced
format_paintLiveries Produced
View All Products Produced

Products awaiting categorisation

Scale Brand Image Construction Type DCC Capability Product Code Product Title Livery
N Gauge Con-Cor 0001-004460 Budd RDC-1 railcar - undecorated RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled Not set 0001-004460
View
Budd RDC-1 railcar - undecorated Awaiting Categorisation
N Gauge Con-Cor No image available RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled Not set 0001-0044600
View
Budd RDC-1 railcar - undecorated Awaiting Categorisation
N Gauge Con-Cor 0001-004487 Budd RDC Diesel Railcar Baltimore & Ohio RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled Not set 0001-004487
View
Budd RDC Diesel Railcar Baltimore & Ohio Awaiting Categorisation
N Gauge Con-Cor No image available RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled Not set 0001-004508
View
Budd RDC Diesel Railcar Amtrak Awaiting Categorisation
N Gauge Con-Cor 0001-004529 Budd RDC-3 Rail Diesel Car of the Canadian National Railroad RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled Not set 0001-004529
View
Budd RDC-3 Rail Diesel Car of the Canadian National Railroad Awaiting Categorisation
N Gauge Con-Cor 0001-04467 Budd RDC-1 of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (unpowered dummy car) RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled Not set 0001-04467
View
Budd RDC-1 of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (unpowered dummy car) Awaiting Categorisation
N Gauge Con-Cor 0001-04508 Budd RDC-2 #35 in Amtrak Livery (unpowered dummy car) RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled Not set 0001-04508
View
Budd RDC-2 #35 in Amtrak Livery (unpowered dummy car) Awaiting Categorisation
N Gauge Kato No image available RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled Not set 106-3005
View
Budd RDC 2-Car Railcar set of the Canadian Pacific Railroad Awaiting Categorisation
N Gauge Kato 106-3012 Rail Diesel Cars - Northern Pacific - B-31, B-42 RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled Not set 106-3012
View
Rail Diesel Cars - Northern Pacific - B-31, B-42 Awaiting Categorisation
N Gauge Kato No image available RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled Not set 106-3015
View
Budd Diesel Railcar RDC-2 #711 & #712 of the Alaska Railroad Awaiting Categorisation
N Gauge Kato No image available RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled Not set 166-001
View
Budd RDC Rail Diesel Car (powered, unlettered) Awaiting Categorisation
N Gauge Kato 166-0100 Budd RDC-2 Railcar with Baggage Compartment (unlettered) RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled Not set 166-0100
View
Budd RDC-2 Railcar with Baggage Compartment (unlettered) Awaiting Categorisation
N Gauge Kato 166-0111 Budd RDC-2 #712 of the Alaska Railroad RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled Not set 166-0111
View
Budd RDC-2 #712 of the Alaska Railroad Awaiting Categorisation
N Gauge Kato 166-0206 Budd RDC M-499 of the New York Central Railroad RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled Not set 166-0206
View
Budd RDC M-499 of the New York Central Railroad Awaiting Categorisation
N Gauge Kato 166-0209 Budd RDC Diesel Railcar 9003 of the Rock Island Line RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled Not set 166-0209
View
Budd RDC Diesel Railcar 9003 of the Rock Island Line Awaiting Categorisation
N Gauge Kato No image available RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled Not set 166-0300
View
Budd RDC-4 Railcar (unlettered) Awaiting Categorisation
N Gauge Kato 166-0303 Budd RDC-4 137 of the New Haven Railroad RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled Not set 166-0303
View
Budd RDC-4 137 of the New Haven Railroad New Haven
N Gauge Kato No image available RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled Not set 176-0111
View
Diesel Rail Car #2 Alaskan Rail Road Awaiting Categorisation
N Gauge Kato No image available RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled Not set 176-0202
View
Diesel Rail Car #3 Canadian National Awaiting Categorisation
N Gauge Kato No image available RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled Not set 176-0301
View
Diesel Rail Car #4 Canadian Pacific Awaiting Categorisation
HO Gauge (1:87 Scale) Athearn 2075 Budd RDC-3 - undecorated (unpowered dummy) Requires assembly Not set 2075
View
Budd RDC-3 - undecorated (unpowered dummy) Awaiting Categorisation
HO Gauge (1:87 Scale) Athearn No image available RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled Not set 2076
View
Budd RDC-3 of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad Awaiting Categorisation
HO Gauge (1:87 Scale) Athearn No image available Requires assembly Not set 2077
View
Budd RDC-1 of the New Haven Railroad (unpowered dummy) Awaiting Categorisation
HO Gauge (1:87 Scale) Athearn 2170 RDC-1 Budd railcar - Undecorated RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled Unpowered 2170
View
RDC-1 Budd railcar - Undecorated Awaiting Categorisation
HO Gauge (1:87 Scale) Athearn 2171 RDC-1 railcar 'Santa Fe' Not set Unpowered 2171
View
RDC-1 railcar 'Santa Fe'
HO Gauge (1:87 Scale) Athearn No image available RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled Unpowered 2176
View
Budd RDC-3 railcar 'Santa Fe'
HO Gauge (1:87 Scale) Life-Like 30386 RDC-2 Diesel Electric Rail Car M499 RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled Not set 30386
View
RDC-2 Diesel Electric Rail Car M499 Awaiting Categorisation
HO Gauge (1:87 Scale) MTS Imports Inc. RDC3-MTS Budd RDC-3 PhIb (undecorated) RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled Not set RDC3-MTS
View
Budd RDC-3 PhIb (undecorated) Awaiting Categorisation
HO Gauge (1:87 Scale) Proto 1000 23972 Budd RDC-2 railcar #8550 of the Baltimore & Ohio Not set Not set 23972
View
Budd RDC-2 railcar #8550 of the Baltimore & Ohio
HO Gauge (1:87 Scale) Proto 1000 239735 Budd RDC #6222 in Via Rail Livery RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled Not set 239735
View
Budd RDC #6222 in Via Rail Livery Awaiting Categorisation
HO Gauge (1:87 Scale) Proto 1000 23981 Budd RDC Railcar B-31 of the Northern Pacific Railroad RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled Not set 23981
View
Budd RDC Railcar B-31 of the Northern Pacific Railroad Awaiting Categorisation
HO Gauge (1:87 Scale) Proto 1000 No image available Not set Not set 30385
View
Budd RDC M497 New York Central Awaiting Categorisation
HO Gauge (1:87 Scale) Proto 1000 No image available RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled Not set 31249PROTO
View
Budd RDC Railcar of the Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines Awaiting Categorisation
HO Gauge (1:87 Scale) Rapido Trains North America No image available RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled Not set 16017
View
Budd RDC-1 #9063 of the Canadian Pacific Railroad Awaiting Categorisation
HO Gauge (1:87 Scale) Rapido Trains North America No image available Not set Not set 16131
View
RDC-1 passenger car #40 of the Lehigh Valley
HO Gauge (1:87 Scale) Rapido Trains North America 16503 RDC-1 Budd Diesel Railcar #6114 in VIA Rail Livery (DCC Sound onboard) RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled Not set 16503
View
RDC-1 Budd Diesel Railcar #6114 in VIA Rail Livery (DCC Sound onboard) Awaiting Categorisation
HO Gauge (1:87 Scale) Rapido Trains North America 16517 Budd RDC-1 #9063 of the Canadian Pacific Railroad (DCC sound fitted) RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled Not set 16517
View
Budd RDC-1 #9063 of the Canadian Pacific Railroad (DCC sound fitted) Awaiting Categorisation
HO Gauge (1:87 Scale) Rapido Trains North America No image available Not set DCC fitted, with sound 16555
View
Budd RDC-1 #554 Central New Jersey (DCC sound fitted)
HO Gauge (1:87 Scale) Rapido Trains North America 16603Rapido RDC-1 - RDC-2m #DC-191 & #DC-192 of the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad with DCC Sound RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled Not set 16603Rapido
View
RDC-1 - RDC-2m #DC-191 & #DC-192 of the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad with DCC Sound Awaiting Categorisation
HO Gauge (1:87 Scale) Rapido Trains North America 16657 Budd RDC-2 #375 'Western Zephyrette' of the Western Pacific Railroad (DCC sound fitted) RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled Not set 16657
View
Budd RDC-2 #375 'Western Zephyrette' of the Western Pacific Railroad (DCC sound fitted) Awaiting Categorisation
HO Gauge (1:87 Scale) Rapido Trains North America No image available RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled DCC fitted, with sound 16716
View
Budd Rail Diesel Car RDC-1 6136 of Via Rail Awaiting Categorisation
HO Gauge (1:87 Scale) Rapido Trains North America No image available RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled DCC fitted, with sound 16727
View
Budd Rail Diesel Car RDC-2 D204 of the Canadian National Railroad Awaiting Categorisation
HO Gauge (1:87 Scale) Rapido Trains North America No image available RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled DCC fitted, with sound 16730
View
Budd Rail Diesel Car RDC-2 6205 of the Canadian National Railroad Awaiting Categorisation
HO Gauge (1:87 Scale) Rapido Trains North America No image available RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled DCC fitted, with sound 16734
View
Budd Rail Diesel Car RDC-2 6219 of Via Rail Awaiting Categorisation
HO Gauge (1:87 Scale) Rapido Trains North America No image available RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled DCC fitted, with sound 16736
View
Budd Rail Diesel Car RDC-3 9020 of the Canadian Pacific Railroad Awaiting Categorisation
HO Gauge (1:87 Scale) Rapido Trains North America No image available RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled DCC fitted, with sound 16746
View
Budd Rail Diesel Car RDC-3 6352 of the Canadian National Railroad Awaiting Categorisation
HO Gauge (1:87 Scale) Walthers 920-35264 Budd RDC railcar #10 of the Southern Pacific Railroad RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled Not set 920-35264
View
Budd RDC railcar #10 of the Southern Pacific Railroad Awaiting Categorisation
HO Gauge (1:87 Scale) Walthers 920-35303 Budd RDC-2 #120 of the New Haven Railroad RTR/RTUse/Pre-assembled Not set 920-35303
View
Budd RDC-2 #120 of the New Haven Railroad Awaiting Categorisation