The “Black Beetle” returns!

All Facets of O-Gauge, 3-Rail, Model Railroading
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webenda
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Location: Columbia

The “Black Beetle” returns!

Postby webenda » Wed Dec 03, 2025 1:02 pm

https://www.lionelstore.com/New-York-Ce ... -RDC-LC2.0
Image
I wonder if it will go 183 scale miles per hour?

WARNING: This product is known in the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm.
----Wayne----

Back when I was growing up, if you didn't start someth'n, there wouldn't be noth'n.
--Merle Haggard

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healey36
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Re: The “Black Beetle” returns!

Postby healey36 » Wed Dec 03, 2025 2:28 pm

What's that red/white probe-looking thing sticking out of the front...an air-speed detector?

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webenda
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Joined: Sun Jan 09, 2005 4:05 pm
Location: Columbia

Re: The “Black Beetle” returns!

Postby webenda » Thu Dec 04, 2025 1:55 am

Yes.

The Budd RDC-3 used for the experiment had a speedometer that read 85 miles per hour maximum. Not knowing how fast the Black Beetle would go, powered by the jet engines from a surplus B-36 bomber, the engineers wisely installed a pitot tube speedometer. The internet sources I looked at do not specify the exact aircraft model from which the surplus pitot tube speedometer itself was taken.

The Black Beetle was officially timed over a specific, measured distance by a team of engineers from the New York Central Railroad (not Penn Central). The engineer had been asked to run around 180 mph, but as he approached the speed trap, he saw 196 mph on the pitot tube speedometer, so he reduced power. The speed trap timed the Black Beetle's average speed over the measured distance at 183.68 mph.

I think Acela trains are the fastest in the Americas today, reaching 150–160 mph.
----Wayne----

Back when I was growing up, if you didn't start someth'n, there wouldn't be noth'n.
--Merle Haggard


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