# Multiple RDCs in prototype



## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

Something I'd like to do, but I don't know where I'd find out exactly what the prototype railroads would do in this situation:
- two RDCs, operated as one train
- each RDC has a horn on both ends
- to signal that the train is leaving, engineer blows horn

A - Will two horns blow, or only the forward-most? (Will the forward horn of the second car also blow?)
B - If the train must back up, will only the rear-most horn blow, or the rear horns of both cars?


Why, you ask? Because I seem to think my railroad doesn't have a thousand more important projects I should attend to.


I just picked up a new RDC-3 on eBay for a really good price. I already have an RDC-1 into which I have placed the QSI Titan plug 'n play sound card.(I love the horn. It sounds so....uh....funny. It's definitely correct, but I find there's something funny about it.) I think I want to install four speakers - one in each end of both units. I don't think I'll need especially large speakers because extreme low notes don't seem to be an issue here. With the Titan powering the RDC-1, I can run the RDC-3 with an NCE 408 card I have on hand. The Titan's stereo feature can be used to direct the horn sound to front speaker(s) or rear speaker(s).
I will apply Ohm's Law to get proper speakers, of course, but what is prototype procedure? Is it possible the two inside horns are never used in a two RDC lash-up? Or do all horns blow every time, regardless of direction?

JackM


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## Bob Pero (Jan 13, 2008)

The horn only blows over the cab where the engineer is seated. Horn was activated by pulling a cord by the engineers control station.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Not a question you asked but you can set up the decoders in a consist under dcc so the horn will switch to the lead unit with changes in direction


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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

Greg - Yup, that's what I was thinking. Bob's answer means that I'll only need two speakers - one at each end of the total train - not four. Should be fun to do. 

As I recall each RDC is about 32" long, so the distance between horns on each end will be noteable for anyone standing in a wide area. I hope the CCRR engineers won't mind having to walk the length of the train every time they change directions. (Our main station is on a stub track.) And I won't have to spring for a second sound card to do it! 

Thanks, Bob. 

JackM


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

If you are using Titans, you could put a second speaker in the "cab end" of each RDC, and have the horn and bell come from that speaker, let the motor sounds come from the stock speaker... that would really sound great. 

I'm doing this same thing an RS-3. 

Greg


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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

Greg - I suspect you'll beat me to it. I have an inch or two of snow on my layout today and I've got a lot to do before trains are running (granddaughter keeps asking when) and I can get to this project, which I really want to do. Please let us know how it goes. 

JackM 

Has anyone noticed the topics in this forum aren't in chronological order?


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

The RS-3 just got a second speaker last night... cut a large hole in the short nose side of the cab and put a small Phoenix speaker there. Then cut out some of the cab windows. 

Will let you know, since this is the prototype for the RDC installation. 

Greg


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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

I didn't want to start a whole new thread, but here's another question to which I can't find the answer (to) anywhere. 

If a real railroad runs an RDC-1 and an RDC-3 as one train, is there any normal or preferred way the RDC-3 would be placed? That is to say, would the passenger end be hooked closest to the RDC-1 in order to keep all or most of the passengers together (perhaps all entering and exiting by the same door? I'm guessing that the end with the baggage section and the last few seats would be stationed away from the RDC-1. 

Which end of this two RDC lash-up would be considered the head end? 

In the RDC-3 by A/C, if the engineer is normally stationed in the "baggage" end, the passengers are seated facing forward. If the RDC-1 is the head end, the A/C RDC-3's passengers will face backward, which most folks don't like. 

And, I realize I'm getting way tooooo picky here, do you RDC owners have any preferences about the size of people who ride in them? I have people whose feet just barely toch the floor, but the seat backs are way low. My smaller people's feet don't come close to the floor, but their backs fit the seat better. Anybody feel that bigger or smaller is better? Either way, I need to buy some more people and see if A/C will sell me that cheap but clever bunch of seats so I can put them in my standing-room-only RDC-1. 

All input and opinions will be appreciated. 

JackM 

So hard to do any real testing with a new three inches of snow on the tracks.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)




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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

Thanks, Greg, for the all-time best example of "a picture is worth", etc. Let's see: pasenger end to RDC-1. The operator of the RDC-3 is certainly at the painted end and thus the "baggage" end is obviously the front end of the two-car train. 

I'll presume the passengers' feet touch the floor. 

JackM 

Talk about having just the perfect photo handy!


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## Dick413 (Jan 7, 2008)

just another


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## Dick413 (Jan 7, 2008)

looks to me liked they raised the seats up to put the people in the windows right, usa people fit well . the seat backs are right.
Dick


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## Reg Stocking (Sep 29, 2010)

Take a close look at the Santa Fe photo. The RDC-3 was built as an RDC-1. The pair were run between Los Angeles and San Diego until one terrible evening when the engineer failed to slow down to 20 mph for the sharp curve leading to a bridge across the Los Angeles River. The two cars went onto their sides. The windows that scraped along the ground broke, and the passengers were thrown down on the holes and met terrible deaths. And three television news crews rushed to the scene and broadcast live coverage. That was the end of the Budds in LA-SD service. They were reconditioned and one given a baggage compartment; note the blanked windows. Maybe somebody can tell where they ended up; I believe it was in Kansas. And they were run in both directions without being turned on a wye; note the red paint on the far end of the second car.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

*M191* - Budd RDC-1, Santa Fe rebuilt it and called it a RDC-2.
On January 22, 1956,M-191 & M192 had a wreck at Redondo junction. The RDC cars were held in Los Angeles for several months and then quietly moved because of the bad publicity, to Topeka for rebuilding. In mid-1957, the cars emerged from the Topeka Shops like new. DC 192, which was the leading car in the accident, was rebuilt with a baggage section. DC 191 was kept as it was delivered. These cars now ran between Newton and Dodge City. In this area, there were few crossings that had heavy traffic and the cars could now do local work. Later they were assigned to the El Paso -- Albuquerque run in 1965 and were retired in 1968. Here is a link to an accounting of a wreck between M191 and M192: *[url]http://www.lafire.com/famous_fires/560122_SantaFeTrainWreck/012256_SantaFeTrainWreck.htm*[/url] *[url]http://www.lafire.com/famous_fires/1956-0122_SantaFeTrainWreck/1956-0122_SantaFeTrainWreck.htm*[/url]


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