| Boston & Maine Railroad RDC3 6306 at North Station, Boston, Massachusetts on July 17, 1976, Kodachrome by J. H. Nixon, Chuck Zeiler collection. Number 6306 was built by Budd, completed February 27, 1958 (c/n 6820), becoming MBTA 6306 in 1975, rebuilt by Morrison - Knudsen to MBTA Control Car 430 in 1982. The Boise Budds (as the rebuilt cars were known) were unpopular with passengers, as the rebuilders had removed the sound- deadening rubber pads from the trucks, leaving the cars noisy and rough-riding. In the early 1990s, they were sold to Virginia Rail Express for service out of Washington, DC. When VRE bought new equipment, the ex-RDCs moved further. Some now serve Dallas Area Rapid Transit, some the Grand Canyon Railroad. The B&M RDC3 units were in 6300 - 6306 number series, Numbers 6303 - 6306 were built without a baggage section, and the baggage door was sealed. The entire forward section was devoted to the Railway Post Office. |