The Southern Pacific used similar tenders that were known as whaleback tenders. However, the fuel bunkers had the same profile as the water tanks.
It did go through the CRP ending up in blue and white and renumbered to 4424. The RI didn't chop the noses during the CRP. Rather the 1275/4424 lost it's nose because of a wreck, a crossing accident if I remember right. After the RI it worked on the CRANDIC for a few years as their 97. There was one other geep that got a low nose due to a wreck repair. In both cases I believe they bought new nose and cab assemblies from EMD.
The "whale back" or loaf of bread tenders were originally regular vanderbilt tenders. Due to fatigue issues and to increase water supply, the tenders were rebuilt to that configuration.
Speaking of the Golden State, here it is having arrived in Tucumcari, New Mexico on May 14, 1964. It is waiting to change out power for a set of Southern Pacific Black Widow F7s before departing for El Paso. Steve Patterson photo.
In about 1967, the Rock Island converted three RDC cars to RPO-coaches, numbered 902, 903 and 904. Here is one of them being used as a rider coach on a joint RI-SP mail train, (#22) in Amarillo, running on the Choctaw Route to Memphis. August 6, 1967. Murrel E. Hogue, Jr. photo.
Was the prime mover pulled out when they did this, or could it still roll on it's own? Rock Island was pretty resourceful, like the Milw.
They were referred to as "former RDCs" so I would assume they had the prime mover and traction motors removed.
Having experienced freight car slack run-out in a B&M crummy, ain't no way that would have been a fun ride. Best of days, the crummy would be jerked from dead stop to 5 MPH when slack all ran out. Usually it was nearly 10 MPH.
Torque converters. Most or all of those cars should have had tightlock couplers, which likely helped. Some.
OOF. Slack action for sure, would have played a part in the ride. Reminds me of a photo I saw a while back of CGW coaches being pulled behind a number of coal hopper cars (in Minnesota, I think). That could not have been comfortable. Does anyone have ridership numbers for these particular trains?
I know it varied. Just the Rock's portion of this run from Tucumcari to Memphis was long enough. No doubt more rode on the stretches covered by daylight. Employees deadheading were expected to use trains like this. People rode them from stations the Choctaw Rocket didn't stop at to stations where it did. It looks to me like it seats about forty. I doubt it ran full often if ever by that late date.
RDC's had two 275 HP GM diesels coupled to Allison torque convertors driving one geared axle on each truck. No electricity involved. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budd_Rail_Diesel_Car
