Well, my son and I went to our usual Friday night lay out op session. However there was more construction than operating that night, with one exception. The new Proto RDC's had arrived (Vancouver, British Columbia) and many had gone out and bought one (or two...or three...lol). I don't know if this is true, but apparently the paint on the Canadian RDC's is better than the silver paint on the American RDC's. Slow speed performance was very good, I found them to be slightly too loud, but certainly not objectionable. They look great, they run great, and the crowd was clearly into them, with lots of tests, photo op, rail fanning locations on the layout, etc. I haven't seen this excitement since the release of the Proto C Liners. I have seen a number of brass RDC's and these hold up very well, and for the price, I consider them a bargain. My son is lamenting that BC Rail had only one RDC 2 - which by the way, was blown up in the famous X Files autopsy episode. BCR now regrets selling it to X Files and wish they had restored it instead (traffic to the ski resort Whistler and Blackcomb has picked up traffic). We wish we could buy another but BCR had only one RDC 2, so will have to wait in the hopes that Life Like comes out with other models of RDC. We have replaced the horn with a BC Rail style 5 horn chime.
<font color="336633">I intend to get 2 or 3 of the Proto RDC's for my Montana Central for use on the very limited commuter and postal service, at least i can get away with useing them being freelance </font> ------------------ Matthew wheres all the C636's???? stickymonk.com Matts Photo gallery
My son and I rail fan BC Rail (British Columbia Rairlroad). They run RDC's daily. The smallest number they run are two together, they usually run three or four. I think two or three running together look best. By the way, RDC's couldn't (and still can't with a larger finning motor - BC Rail improvement) pull freight worth diddly squat so don't go pulling any freight with it....lol.
BC Rail still uses the cars daily to Lillooet, and back to NV, and from Lillooet to PG 2 times each way weekly. They have 8 cars, and run an excursion train, the "Whistler Explorer" with them in the summer between Whistler and Kelly Lake. (although with the new NORTH WIND train, it is starting to look like this service will be cut) Any way, all I really had to say is that they were repowered with Cumming motors as the ones they were built with really sucked the big one. Dane
And about the not being able to pull a car thing, here is a very short story In 1998 Train #4, the Cariboo Prospector was arriving with 2 cars from Prince George to meet with Train #2 (3 cars) in Lillooet to run to N.Van. They did this the same old way as every week and were the standard 15 minutes late. Then, the train started to back out of Lillooet to get on the main line back down to N. Van. Now, once they were half way through the 'yard' (all 5 tracks) there was 1 5 foot bax car. Now, with 5 cars, all in working order, all with stronger cummins motors stsill couldn't shove this car out of the way. LOL! They had to wait 2 hours for the Lillooet local to return to move the car for it. Needless to say, there were some very happy people on the train Happy Railroading! Dane N.
<font color="336633">nice to see you back again Dane </font> ------------------ Matthew wheres all the C636's???? stickymonk.com Matts Photo gallery TrainBoard member #257
