MBTA RDCs

[paulrail]

I know the MBTA "inherited" a fleet of B&M Buddliners and, I think, some Boston & Albany [NYC] and New Haven RR units (?).

Does anyone know how many different paint schemes these units sported, and what they were?

I've seen a few different versions (purple letterboard, etc.) and often wondered about this topic.

Paul

[Stephen]

paulrail,

The attached website does not have paint schemes, but it does give the heritage and disposition of all of the MBTA RDCs.

This page is actually a list of ALL retired MBTA equipment, so you will have to scroll nearly to the bottom to get to the Commuter Rail equipment.
http://members.aol.com/rtspcc/roster/al ... l%20modes)

The above page is located on this website: http://members.aol.com/netransit/

- Stephen

[Stephen]

Here's a summary of what it says:
This includes units purchased for parts.

B&M - 87 (B&M-86, C&O-1)
PC - 8 (NH-7, NYC-1)
SEPTA - 10
NJT - 9
CP - 4 (or 8?)
MARC - 1

33 of the B&M Budds were rebuilt as un-motored coaches in 80 & 82. Of these, 31 were sold to the VRE in 91 & 93. Of these, 10-14 (I think it was 12) were sold to CalTrain in the late 90s and ___ (no idea) have recently been sold to the CDOT.

-Stephen

[DutchRailnut]

The cars VRE sold to CDOT are not ex RDC's but Mafersa cars built in Brasil.

[Stephen]

DutchRailnut
The cars VRE sold to CDOT are not ex RDC's but Mafersa cars built in Brasil.

Thanks for the clarification.
-Stephen

[glennk419]

I believe the Septa cars retained their "as-delivered" appearance which was a combination of Reading Company and SEPTA lettering, and simply had a "T" logo and Boston birdcages applied to the cab ends. Two of those cars, 9152 and 9162, are back on home rails (sort of) at Temple, PA. They were acquired by the RCTHS a couple of years ago. I believe five or six additional ex-RDG cars now reside on the Hobo railroad.

[Tadman]

Why do most trains in boston have the 'boston birdcage'? I don't notice them in any other big cities like Chicago, etc...

[glennk419]

My understanding is that they were installed due to repeated instances of rocks being thrown at trains. They are obviously there to protect the engineer in such an instance.

[Xplorer2000]

My understanding is that they were installed due to repeated instances of rocks being thrown at trains. They are obviously there to protect the engineer in such an instance.

Correct, although this is by no means a phenomenon limited to the Boston area......most Amtrak equipment in the NorthEast U.S. sported a set of "ghetto-grills"......