# RDC Consist Running in the Snow



## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

After painting the nose pieces on the RDC-1 silver and converting it battery power controlled with the REVOLUTION receiver, pulling the steel plates out the each of them for less weight, installing a Phoenix P8 sound and adding passengers to the RDC-3's, I put them to the test this afternoon with a run in the snow. The RDC-1 is powering itself and the 2 RDC-3's using an 18.5 volt 5200 Li-ion battery from Cordless Renovations. It's a very sweet running consist.



Still image


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

Nice job Stan..........


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Stan, you pulled the metal frames to reduce weight? I thought it was to make more room. 

Greg 

p.s. I thought it was hot in Arizona!


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## Henson (Jan 2, 2008)

Stan, a calendar picture for sure.


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Greg Elmassian on 01 Jan 2011 07:17 PM 
Stan, you pulled the metal frames to reduce weight? I thought it was to make more room. 

Greg 

p.s. I thought it was hot in Arizona! 

Greg... It is hot in AZ...... But we just took a sidestep for a few days. 31 below, yes, MINUS 31 degrees F at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon this morning. That's just a bit chilly. It's almost like Alaska, eh, Ron?????

Thanks for the nice comments, guys.


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## Dick413 (Jan 7, 2008)

real nice


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Stan Cedarleaf on 01 Jan 2011 07:33 PM 
Posted By Greg Elmassian on 01 Jan 2011 07:17 PM 
Stan, you pulled the metal frames to reduce weight? I thought it was to make more room. 

Greg 

p.s. I thought it was hot in Arizona! 

Greg... It is hot in AZ...... But we just took a sidestep for a few days. 31 below, yes, MINUS 31 degrees F at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon this morning. That's just a bit chilly. It's almost like Alaska, eh, Ron?????

Thanks for the nice comments, guys. 

Stan, I find that difficult to believe . . .


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By blackburn49 on 01 Jan 2011 08:22 PM 
Stan, I find that difficult to believe . . . Yes, it it difficult to understand. It was 2 degrees officially at Love Field in Prescott this morning. We were 10 at our place when I woke up at 6.... Prescott is 5500 ft, we're at 4800.

And a quote from the Arizona Republic.... "The National Weather Service reports a record low for the date of minus-19 degrees at Pulliam Airport (Flagstaff), 30 below at Bellemont (+/-15 miles west of Flagstaff) and 28 below in Fort Valley."
Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/news/ar...mOPF41


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## livesteam53 (Jan 4, 2008)

Looks great Stan......Wonderful job as always.


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## Mike Reilley (Jan 2, 2008)

Stan...beautiful photo...really beautiful. One of the best ever.


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## Fred Mills (Nov 24, 2008)

Stan; 
As much as I appreciate your "Fun in the snow"; I have been transported in RDC cars many times on Canadian Pacific, in Ottawa, and on Via Rail on Vancouver Island. My experiences dictate that the noise levels on your vidio are MUCH too high....cut them by at least a half, to sound anywhere authentic.... Even three Bud Cars are NOT as loud as yours seem, taking the distance of the camera from the cars into account.... Your vidios give the impression of large Diesel engines, while in fact the 'Buds" had small "Pancake engines" driving small transmissions to the one axle in each truck..... 
Happy New Year, young fellow....


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## Jim Agnew (Jan 2, 2008)

Very nice. Stan, any particular reason for the 18.5 volt battery vs. a 14.8 volt?


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Fred.... that's what I've heard about the 1:1 RDC's. They were noisey. I've ridden in an RDC type commuter car in the UK and it, too was noisy. I turned up the sound on this consist to make it more prototypical..









Jim.... I'm running 6 power trucks in the consist. The 18.5 just gives me a bit more to work with over the 14.8's. The 14.8's would work just fine though.


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## takevin (Apr 25, 2010)

That looks sharp Stan!


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

In case you guys are interested There is a artical in TRAINS MAGAZINE this issue about how Canada is modernizing the RDC cars.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I think we often run locos louder than prototype so we get to hear all the sounds.

Recently "Loco Lee" recorded a real RDC at New Haven, and I have the recording in my RDC's

It's not as loud or pronounced as Stan's, but to each his own.

To resolve the controversy, here is a video of REAL RDC's so each person can make their own judgement.





Regards, Greg


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## pfdx (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg, 

I'm going to nit-pick for a minute. All of the "RDC's" in the video are not running, including the Roger Williams cab car. The two car set moving under it's own power is a Budd "SPV-2000", an experimental design from the late 1970's that was basically an upgraded RDC built on a Amfleet/Metroliner platform. The body is the the round profile vs. the traditional straight sided of the 1950's RDC and the truck are a modification of the Pioneer III that uses a coil/airbag combination instead of the traditional American drop equalizer/ swing-hanger design. 

The RDC's used 2 Detroit 6-71 which were screamers at full power the SPV's had the option of 1 or 2 power-plants or unpowered trailer. To combat the slippery nature of the RDC's all four axles were powered using additional drive shafts and gear boxes. 

They only appear in the 1980 Car and Locomotive Cyclopedia. I believe they were converted to Amfleet or Metroliner trailers after testing as they were too complicated to maintain compared to the all electric versions. 

Neat video of the them though. 

Paul


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yep, I agree Paul, although aren't the motors in the Budd cars similar to the "original ones?" 

Interesting that they were made with one motor, but since the original ones seemed to have plenty of power (as evidenced by the famous Santa Fe accident), I guess trying out one motor makes sense. 

I'll look for more videos, that's what I found in 20 seconds. Also, while I don't doubt the cars were noisy inside, outside is different, relative to other locos. 

Greg


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

I dont even know why we are having this conversation.









Volume of locos is to each there own, not for anyone else to decide rite or wrong.

I myself like the volume all the way up, just sounds better to me.

Greg that video was awsome, i book marked that one thanks.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Stan Cedarleaf on 01 Jan 2011 07:10 PM 
After painting the nose pieces on the RDC-1 silver and converting it battery power controlled with the REVOLUTION receiver, pulling the steel plates out the each of them for less weight, installing a Phoenix P8 sound and adding passengers to the RDC-3's, I put them to the test this afternoon with a run in the snow. The RDC-1 is powering itself and the 2 RDC-3's using an 18.5 volt 5200 Li-ion battery from Cordless Renovations. It's a very sweet running consist.












That's definitely a great-looking consist you have there Stan.


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Stan,

I have to agree with the previous comments about your photo. Definitely calendar quality! Beautiful.


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

Yeah, Ron, when I first saw that photo, I thought Stan was running that consist on your railroad in Copper Center!!!! Then I realized it was his railroad all buried in snow!









Ed


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By eheading on 02 Jan 2011 01:38 PM 
Yeah, Ron, when I first saw that photo, I thought Stan was running that consist on your railroad in Copper Center!!!! Then I realized it was his railroad all buried in snow!









Ed
_
Sure looks like an *Alaskan* layout to me ! _


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## up9018 (Jan 4, 2008)

Stan, 

You will have to forward me that photo as a candidate for next year's calender. Very Nice!!!! 

Chris


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Nice video Stan, Welcome to the real world of cold and snow







Later RJD


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## Bighurt (Sep 15, 2009)

Posted By Greg Elmassian on 02 Jan 2011 09:37 AM 
I think we often run locos louder than prototype so we get to hear all the sounds.

Recently "Loco Lee" recorded a real RDC at New Haven, and I have the recording in my RDC's

It's not as loud or pronounced as Stan's, but to each his own.

To resolve the controversy, here is a video of REAL RDC's so each person can make their own judgement.





Regards, Greg 


Cool video Greg. Only 3 years before the GG1 was retired. 48 years of faithful service with only one major incident...


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