New York Central RDC Budd Car Set w/Proto-Sound 30-2182-1
Serviced, tested and cleaned. Like New with original box and packaging. BCR installed to ensure reliable functions.See pictures and Video for details. The MTH 30-2182-1 Budd RDC set stands out because of its unique real-world prototype history and its classic model railroading features. The Real-World Prototype (The Black Beetle)The motorized lead car in this set, #M497, is a replica of the famous New York Central "Black Beetle." In July 1966, the New York Central Railroad added a pair of surplus General Electric J47 jet engines to the roof of a standard Budd RDC passenger car. Stripped of its internal diesel engine and streamlined with a custom nosecone, the car hit a staggering speed of 183.68 mph on a stretch of track between Indiana and Ohio, setting a US rail speed record that still stands today. Shell Construction: Intricately detailed, durable ABS plastic bodies painted in prototypical New York Central silver, complete with dark lettering. Illumination: Full constant-voltage overhead interior lighting in both cars, making the detailed interior seating and silhouettes highly visible on a dark layout. Chassis & Hardware: Fitted with smooth-rolling fast-angle metal wheels, solid metal axles, and robust die-cast 4-wheel trucks. Couplers: Equipped with operating die-cast metal couplers on both ends for easy breakdown or addition of add-on cars.Detailed Undercarriage: Features molded under-car details representing the battery boxes, auxiliary tanks, and mechanical framework found on real Budd Rail Diesel Cars. The Proto-Sound 1.0 (PS1) system onboard provides digital sound effects and operational controls using standard AC transformer power. It includes: Passenger Station Proto-Effects: Authentic ambient station sounds, click-clack track audio, and conductor announcements.Squealing Brakes: Activated automatically when you sharply drop the throttle voltage on your transformer. Squeak & Clatter: Built-in randomized yard sounds that activate when the train stops. Remote Uncoupling: Operates via a specific voltage pulse from a standard whistle/horn controller button, allowing you to uncouple the cars anywhere on the layout without uncoupling tracks.