Community Museum Train History

Buffalo Creek & Gauley (BCG) Railroad Engine #14

Engine #14 on the train tracks while it was operable

The Buffalo Creek & Gauley (BCG) Railroad engine #14 was built by Alco-Schenectady in 1918. Originally designed as a mill switcher, it moved coal from the mine to the B&O interchange and was built as an 0-8-0 engine, meaning it had no front or rear wheels and eight powered driving wheels on four axles. Mill switchers didn’t necessarily require the added stability of front or rear wheels or the same amount of power. Engine #14 also had a narrower coal bunker, providing greater visibility for the engineer, as it wasn’t intended for long-distance hauls or carrying large amounts of coal.

However, early in its life, before being acquired by Kelly’s Creek and Northwestern, #14 was refitted as a 2-8-0, with two unpowered front wheels added to improve stability. BCG acquired #14 in 1950 to transport coal from the Rich Run Mine in Widen, WV, to the B&O Railroad interchange at Dundon, long after this conversion was completed.

Side view of Engine #14, photograph taken in 1956

These two photos above, from 1956, show details on both sides of #14. Notice that, as it began life as an 0-8-0 switcher, it is fitted with two sand domes. The small size of the drivers is also evident. Additionally, the handrails lack the same visual character as the rest of the locomotive, especially noticeable where the railing is not parallel to the steps.

The Great Wreck of 1956

Engine #14 was severely damaged in the infamous wreck of September 1956. As recounted by Bobby Caruthers, the engineer of #14, on this particular day there were enough empty hoppers to be taken to Widen that a double-header was used for the eastbound trip. It was decided that two trains would return to Dundon with loaded cars. Upon arrival, the first train stopped on the BC&G main line to prepare for setouts on the B&O, but no marker lights were placed on the end of the train, nor were lanterns or flares used to signal its location.

Caruthers, firing on #14 as it led the second train, suddenly saw the rear of the first train come into view as they rounded a curve approaching Dundon—with no time or space to stop. The crew of #14 quickly jumped from the train before the collision. Miraculously, no one was seriously injured. However, #14 remained in the shop for an extended period before returning to service.

Following the accident, a new policy required all trains to use rear markers.

Engine #14 repaired, photograph taken by Howard Ameling, in October 1962

Engine #14 abandoned in the Dudon rail shops around 1968, with vegetation growing on it.

Final Days

After repairs, #14 returned to operation, but her working life was brief. When the Rich Run Mine closed in late 1963, #14 was left abandoned at the railroad yard in Dundon. Fortunately, in 1990, she was relocated to the Gaithersburg Community Museum, where she has since been restored and is proudly displayed between the historic 1884 Baldwin-designed Train Station and Freight House.

Rail Diesel Cars

Click the tabs below to explore background information about Rail Diesel Cars.

Development of the RDC

Rail Diesel Cars, commonly known as RDCs or Budd Cars, hold a nostalgic place in American transportation history. In 1949, the Budd Company, owned by Edward G. Budd, introduced the first RDC prototype at Union Station in Chicago. RDCs offered a fast and affordable way to travel, commute, and transport U.S. Postal Service mail. Unique for their time, RDCs were self-propelled, each equipped with two diesel engines and exhaust pipes centrally located on the car.

From 1949 to 1962, a total of 398 units were built and used on rail lines worldwide. With commuting by train declining after World War II and railroads struggling to retain passengers, RDCs presented a more economical alternative to traditional passenger cars. The Budd Company developed four primary models (RDC-1, RDC-2, RDC-3, and RDC-4), plus a less common RDC-9 variant. The RDC-1, -2, and -3 models measured 85 feet in length and offered various combinations of passenger, baggage, and mail capacity. The RDC-4, at 73 feet, was designed exclusively for mail and baggage, while the RDC-9, an 85-foot model with a single engine, was not independently operable.

Each RDC had operator vestibules at both ends (except the RDC-9) with connecting doors, allowing for easy operation back and forth or linking multiple cars together. Stairs enabled boarding from both low-level rural platforms and high urban platforms. Lighter than traditional passenger cars, RDCs could be operated by a two-person crew.

Facts

interior of an RDC-2 Rail Diesel Car #624 at the Bedford Freight House, Bedford, Massachusetts

RDC-1 — passengers only, 90 seats
RDC-2 — passengers and baggage, 70 seats (pictured right)
RDC-3 — passengers, baggage, and a dinette, 49 seats
RDC-4 — used only for Rail Post Office and baggage
Truck Design — Each RDC sits on two twin-axle trucks
Engine Placement — Diesel engines are located underneath and drive the inner axle of each truck via a drive shaft
Power Generation — One engine drives a generator that provides light, heating, and air conditioning
Cooling System — Radiators for exhaust and cooling are housed in a roof enclosure
Redundancy — Engines operate independently so if one fails, the other can still propel the car
Service Accessibility — Engine placement allows for easy access for service and repair

Baltimore & Ohio Railroad and the RDC

Following World War II, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O), like other commuter rail lines, faced a steep drop in local ridership. To maintain and attract riders, B&O invested in new equipment, including the purchase of its first eight RDCs in 1949. These cars primarily served the Washington-Baltimore routes and the Brunswick line, which passes through Gaithersburg.

Rail Diesel Car #1951 when it was B&O #9932, used in local commuter service in the metro area at Union Station, in Washington, DC, photograph taken June 1976, photograph by Mike Robbins

RDC #1951, previously known as B&O #9932, in local commuter service at Union Station, Washington, D.C., June 1976.

B&O #1951

The RDC-2 on display in the Gaithersburg Community Museum’s outdoor Rolling Stock Exhibit is a passenger/baggage car built in 1953 with seating for 70. Designated as #1951, this car has had several other designations over its lifetime: B&O 6551, B&O 9932, B&O 9822, and MARC 3.

Purchased by the B&O in 1956, it served until 1970. In 1980, it was sold to the Maryland Department of Transportation, and the following year it was rebuilt with a handicap entrance and restroom. Operating as part of MARC, #1951 ran on the Brunswick Line, stopping in Gaithersburg until it was retired in 1989. During its time with MARC, #1951 experienced a fire caused by excess carbon buildup in the exhaust pipes from larger fuel injectors installed by MARC.

After retirement, it was sent to the B&O Museum’s restoration facility in Baltimore, restored by Exhibit Hues, and delivered to the Gaithersburg Community Museum on January 13, 2012.

Rail Diesel Car #1951 when it was MARC 9822 at Union Station, in Washington, DC, on June 26, 1984, photograph taken by Ralph L Phillips

MARC #9822 at Union Station, Washington, D.C., June 26, 1984.

Caboose 904152

Type: C&O/Chessie Class C-27A
Date Built: 1980
Builder: Fruit Growers Express

Caboose 904152 was donated to Maryland’s Operation Lifesaver program in August 1994, where it was repainted by B&O Railroad Museum personnel in the Operation Lifesaver livery. It was used across Maryland to promote grade crossing safety. Today, it resides at the Gaithersburg Community Museum.

Caboose #904152 being delivered to Gaithersburg Community Museum in 1998

Caboose 904152 being delivered to the Gaithersburg Community Museum in 1998.

Gaithersburg, MD

How Do I ?

How Do I...

Popular Searches