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Roger Williams (train)
Encyclopedia
The Roger Williams was a streamlined, six car, lightweight, DMU
passenger train, built by the Budd Company
in 1956 for the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
. The train was based on Budd's successful RDC
DMU cars. The end two cars were equipped with streamlined locomotive style cabs and noses, resembling those on the Fairbanks-Morse
P-12-42
Diesel locomotives. The four intermediate cars lacked operating controls and cabs.
For operation into Grand Central Terminal
, the cars were each equipped with third-rail
shoes, and small traction motor
s, allowing them to operate into the terminal under electric power, with their engines shut down.
After a short period of time in high speed service, the train was split up, and the cars were used in service with the New Haven's other RDC's. They worked for the New Haven, Penn Central, and Amtrak
, until the last cars were retired in the 1980's.
The 2 end cars, and one intermediate car, are preserved in operating condition,by a private owner, at the Hobo Railroad
in Lincoln, New Hampshire
.
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
passenger train, built by the Budd Company
Budd Company
The Budd Company is a metal fabricator and major supplier of body components to the automobile industry, and was formerly a manufacturer of stainless steel passenger rail cars during the 20th century....
in 1956 for the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968 which served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts...
. The train was based on Budd's successful RDC
Budd Rail Diesel Car
The Budd Rail Diesel Car, RDC or Buddliner is a self-propelled diesel multiple unit railcar. In the period 1949–62, 398 RDCs were built by the Budd Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States...
DMU cars. The end two cars were equipped with streamlined locomotive style cabs and noses, resembling those on the Fairbanks-Morse
Fairbanks-Morse
Fairbanks Morse and Company was a manufacturing company in the late 19th and early 20th century. Originally a weighing scale manufacturer, it later diversified into pumps, engines, windmills, locomotives and industrial supplies until it was merged in 1958...
P-12-42
FM P-12-42
The P-12-42, also known as the Speed Merchant, was a streamlined, locomotive built between 1957–1958 by Fairbanks-Morse, specifically to operate on each end of the Talgo train produced by American Car and Foundry...
Diesel locomotives. The four intermediate cars lacked operating controls and cabs.
For operation into Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal —often incorrectly called Grand Central Station, or shortened to simply Grand Central—is a terminal station at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States...
, the cars were each equipped with third-rail
Third rail
A third rail is a method of providing electric power to a railway train, through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a railway track. It is used typically in a mass transit or rapid transit system, which has alignments in its own corridors, fully or almost...
shoes, and small traction motor
Traction motor
Traction motor refers to an electric motor providing the primary rotational torque of a machine, usually for conversion into linear motion ....
s, allowing them to operate into the terminal under electric power, with their engines shut down.
After a short period of time in high speed service, the train was split up, and the cars were used in service with the New Haven's other RDC's. They worked for the New Haven, Penn Central, and Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
, until the last cars were retired in the 1980's.
The 2 end cars, and one intermediate car, are preserved in operating condition,by a private owner, at the Hobo Railroad
Hobo Railroad
The Hobo Railroad consists of two heritage railroads in central New Hampshire, in the United States.One, in Lincoln, offers passenger excursion trains through the White Mountains...
in Lincoln, New Hampshire
Lincoln, New Hampshire
Lincoln is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. It is the second-largest town by area in New Hampshire. The population was 1,662 at the 2010 census. The town is home to the New Hampshire Highland Games and to a portion of Franconia Notch State Park. Set in the White Mountains,...
.
See also
- Baldwin RP-210Baldwin RP-210The RP-210 was a streamlined, locomotive built in 1956 by Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton, specifically to operate with the lightweight, all aluminum, Train-X train produced by Pullman Car Company...
, a lightweight train locomotive built for the New Haven's Dan'l Webster train. - Fairbanks-Morse P-12-42FM P-12-42The P-12-42, also known as the Speed Merchant, was a streamlined, locomotive built between 1957–1958 by Fairbanks-Morse, specifically to operate on each end of the Talgo train produced by American Car and Foundry...
, a lightweight train locomotive built for the New Haven's John Quincy Adams train. - EMD LWT12EMD LWT12The EMD LWT12 was an experimental diesel locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between 1956 and 1958, and designed to pull light high-speed passenger trains...
, a lightweight train locomotive built for GMGeneral MotorsGeneral Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
's AerotrainAerotrain (GM)The Aerotrain was a streamlined trainset introduced by General Motors Electro-Motive Division in the mid-1950s. Like all of GM's body designs of this mid-century era, this train was first brought to life in GM's Styling Section. Chuck Jordan was in charge of designing the Aerotrain as Chief...
, and the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific RailroadChicago, Rock Island and Pacific RailroadThe Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad was a Class I railroad in the United States. It was also known as the Rock Island Line, or, in its final years, The Rock.-Incorporation:...
's TalgoTalgoTalgo is a Spanish manufacturer of railway vehicles. It is best known for a design of articulated railway passenger cars in which the wheels are mounted in pairs, but not joined by an axle, and being between rather than underneath the individual coaches...
Jet Rocket train.