"Flight of the Black Beetle" (a/k/a NYC jet RDC test)

J3a-614 · **Posted:** Fri Apr 15, 2011 11:46 pm

I have also been following the high speed debate, and interestingly, there is this "report" on the site of the Midwest High Speed Rail Association. I'll let you decide if this experiment, performed rather cheaply and perhaps something of a dead end, is still of interest:

http://www.midwesthsr.org/sites/default ... /M-497.pdf

HudsonL · **Joined:** Mon May 24, 2010 10:22 am **Posts:** 548

HudsonL · **Joined:** Mon May 24, 2010 10:22 am **Posts:** 548

HudsonL · **Joined:** Mon May 24, 2010 10:22 am **Posts:** 548

HudsonL · **Joined:** Mon May 24, 2010 10:22 am **Posts:** 548

HudsonL · **Joined:** Mon May 24, 2010 10:22 am **Posts:** 548

HudsonL · **Joined:** Mon May 24, 2010 10:22 am **Posts:** 548

boblenon · **Joined:** Thu Sep 02, 2010 12:40 pm **Posts:** 44

That PDF has been turned into a book -

http://www.lulu.com/browse/search.php?f ... arch=m-497

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Sun Apr 17, 2011 11:22 am

The M-497 "Jet Budd" tests have as much relevance to the modern high-speed rail debate as rocket car tests on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah have to do with the discussions about the imposition, or subsequent rejection thereof, of the 55 mph speed limit, or a "world' longest banana split" has to do with national nutritional standards.

Cool to look at, gets you in some records book, and ultimately meaningless with regards to the other subject.

Charlie · **Posted:** Sun Apr 17, 2011 1:59 pm

Are there any videos available of that run?

J3a-614 · **Posted:** Sun Apr 17, 2011 6:01 pm

There is a short video clip on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uK0UzjBzV30

Green Frog has a couple of NYC tapes available; the clip above is from the tail end of the second of two links below, at 2:40.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ol5q7JXK2E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFSiOfzWWCg

It's my understanding that the Green Frog tape above has more footage of this test, which apparently generated a fair amount of information in regard to things like spring rates and wheel behavior at that speed. It did turn out to be something of a waste, mostly because the subject--passenger trains--died.

Charlie · **Posted:** Sun Apr 17, 2011 11:54 pm

Thanks for the links. That last one is great! It may have been a wasted effort, but dang, what a spectacular wasted effort!!!

JimBoylan · **Posted:** Mon Apr 18, 2011 1:31 pm

The test did prove that it was possible to run at high speed, under those circumstances, on well maintained, unwelded rails. And, the test was made before wasting money on a practical train that could run that fast. Such a train still has not been manufactured in America.

J3a-614 · **Posted:** Mon Apr 18, 2011 10:36 pm

Thanks for the compliments, Charlie, and

Thanks also for the additional photos, Hudson L.--just sorry I didn't get back to say so sooner. . .

Richard Glueck · **Posted:** Tue Apr 19, 2011 2:38 pm

Does that "Darth Vader" Budd car still exist?

"Flight of the Black Beetle" (a/k/a NYC jet RDC test)

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