Old Budd RDC's and their future

I've explored North Billerica and Iron Horse quite a bit over the last couple of years and I've never seen any RDC's anywhere around.

theseaandalifesaver wrote:I can see them on google maps. I was there 10 yo and got some shots....

I can see them on google maps. I was there approx 5-8 yo and got some shots...

madcrow wrote:

MBTA3247 wrote:I wonder why they'd want to film inside a pair of derelict RDCs?

[wishful thinking mode]Maybe the film is set in an era when RDCs were still running and they're restoring them to use a props[/wishful thinking mode]

the town is set in boston, so they were probably using them for the commuter scene

Having not been used in The Town, the RDCs are kind of back to where they started...sitting on the tracks north of North Station.

I did not see covered in this thread the question of who owns them (MBTA...or somebody who's still depreciating them?) and how much they'd sell for versus how much could be recovered by scrapping them?

The MBTA owns them now. They were sold for scrap but never removed from the property or scrapped. So they reclaimed them and brought them to Boston.

So does the MBTA plan to do with them....Overhaul might be out the question to do!!

Since other restored cars exist, I'd say restoration is probably out of the question. Anyone interested in a restored car could purchase or use cars that have already been restored. I also know of at least one Ex-B&M RDC that's still in passenger service!

The railfan in me clinging to the last drop of hope which may or may not exist, probably not: If someone (The T, MassDOT, the feds, etc.) were to restore them, my guess is they'd be sent to the Hobo for the work. I don't see the T footing that bill, however.

What I'd like to see happen, is a spruce up of the exterior, which wouldn't require much in the scheme of things. Gut out and remodel the insides, and replace the office trailers on track 12 with them. It would be of some cost, but it could provide a greatly improved crew room and station operations office. Plus, to have two old Budd cars sitting at the far end of the station as though they're berthed would be classy!

Realistically, my guess is that they're in limbo, where they'll remain until someone gets the idea that something needs to happen with them, and they'll likely get moved to wherever they will be scrapped. The one nice thing about them being there, though, is that they are no longer out of sight/out of mind. They've spent the better part of a decade out in the open and in the public view, so the chances of something happening with them are far greater than they were when the cars were sitting in Billerica.

I'd have to disagree about them being there. I hate riding by their decaying carcases every morning and night. They are graffiti covered and an eyesore. I'd much rather them be out of sight somewhere. It's getting rather late for them to be saved now anyhow.

I would very much like to see them restored either operationally (ideally) or just visually, but I agree that while they are in a state of distress, that it probably is best if they are not displayed. It's sort of a dignity thing with historic equipment that represented a thought change in railroads away from traditional consists. I don't like the idea of anything that will have them remaining dormant, such as a crew lounge or offices, etc. I can see them getting worn looking very quickly that way. Ideally, they would be set up to run, and run on a limited basis. I think that the railroad community at large finally realizes that a lot of their heritage has gone to Japan for Toyotas and that perhaps we better hold onto and preserve what little we have left. (I hope !) Even if there was a re-hab as a restaurant or bar, perhaps for North and South Stations, it would be nice to see a RR touch which saluted the cars that were. As restaurants, they would be cleaned and maintained regularly so they would not get that flop house look fast. How about using a combine and a coach as a once per week bar train - a booze cruise on rails ! Sign me up ! Being owned by the T, how about one painted up for B&M at North Station with the other sporting some NH logos on their front ends for South Station ? I'd like to say "meet me at The Budd at 8 for a high-ball". No muss, no fuss, once it's refinished, little upkeep. A money maker and most importantly, done correctly, a classy historical touch.

CRail wrote: one Ex-B&M RDC that's still in passenger service

where's this?

Ron, the Trinity Railway Express runs RDCs in their off peak service between Fort Worth and Dallas, Texas. One of those cars is from the B&M.

Paul, while I'm with you in that I prefer restorations to operating condition, I really don't see how it would be practical for this to be done to those cars. If anyone wanted running examples of B&M RDC's the place to turn would be the Hobo, or perhaps the Conway Scenic. If they were the last two, or were of some other historical value I'd be more apt to think that a complete restoration was feasible but I don't see it happening. In lieu of what is ideal, saving the cars to serve other purposes is a major improvement from the purpose they're serving today, which doesn't exist.

As far as what they look like, they undoubtedly are quite humble. To hate to see them is pretty foul. It saddens me to see their condition but it's warming to me that they are still in fact before us. I'm a lot more analytical than that, and find great pleasure with the mentality that derelict cars are still better off than scrapped cars. And being where they are, they most certainly have a better shot at having something done to them than their sisters in Billerica. The fact that we're talking about them now is evidence of that, because if they were still rotting away in a remote yard with trees growing around and through them, they'd remain forgotten about.

As for the two RDCs sitting outside BET, are there parts for them (motors, trucks, etc) stored somewhere, or are they lost/gone forever?

The bearings on the trucks for the cars were frozen after years of sitting. So the trucks were left in Billerica. RDCs do not have motors. The cars have 2 engines, both of which would be need to be replaced, even if they were still in place. Plus the asbestos will need to be removed. Plus controls and brake valves would need to be located. It would not be a cheap restoration to make them run again. Not saying it's not possible.

While it would be nice to have them running again, I'd settle for a nice static display like the one at Bedford Depot.

why not run them as BTCs in sets??