Skip to main content

Replies sorted oldest to newest

For some reason the New Haven never really caught my fancy until the last 6 months or so.   I saw a number of NH rolling stock that really looked nice.  The cars that I saw that got my attention were all weathered NH and they just looked great and made me a fan. So my wish list has been updated putting some New Haven in the top spot.

Thanks,

Ed

I have been a NH fan as far back as i can remember. I grew up just outside the small yard in Putnam back in the waning days of the NH . my grandfather and my next door neighbor worked on the track crew in the steam era. A favorite passtime was walking along the tracks  with them,listening to the stories they would tell about the good ole days when just about everything came by train and every little village had its own station.

Brian,

This is a great subject. Thanks for starting it.

As a resident of Connecticut for 37 years, the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad has become a subject of considerable study, great interest, and the focus of my O-gauge model railroading. My under-construction 10-by-5 layout is just an oval but represents a New England branch line and operates almost exclusively with New Haven power and rolling stock. I believe that I have purchased every scale-sized O-gauge New Haven locomotive and piece of rolling stock that has been produced during the past twenty years. Photos of a few below.

MELGAR

MELGAR_NH_Y3_080_3400_02

Attachments

Images (11)
  • MELGAR_NHRR_FL9_2043_02
  • MELGAR_NHRR_FL9_2043_08
  • MELGAR_NH_Y3_080_3400_02
  • MELGAR_NHRR_BUDD_RDC_21_03
  • MELGAR_GE_44TON_5
  • MELGAR_NHRR_RS3_01
  • MELGAR_ALCO_S2_2
  • NHRR_EMD_SW1200_649_01
  • MELGAR_NEW_HAVEN_LOCOMOTIVES_003_EP5_371
  • MELGAR_NEW_HAVEN_LOCOMOTIVES_034_ALCO_S2_RS1
  • MELGAR_NEW_HAVEN_LOCOMOTIVES_036_FM_CPA245
Last edited by MELGAR

Funny. I am not a "New Haven fan", or a diesel guy, or one who likes bright colors usually, but I think that the NH had the most attractive and elegant and strange diesel and electric paint schemes of any RR. I live nowhere near that part of the US, have never been to New England (to Manhattan a couple of times - the closest to it), but whoever was in charge of that for the NH must have had a lot of masking tape and a lot of paint in inventory.

The "strange" scheme would have to be the McGinnis, of course - but I like it anyway.

I have one of MTH's big streamlined EP-3 (or EP-4; I forget the number) units in the dark-ish green with the almost 19th Century-looking striping in Dulux gold.

The locos with the thin horizontal pin stripe scheme are my favorites, especially the DL-109's.

Even the NH switchers were entertaining to see.

Last edited by D500
MELGAR posted:

Brian,

This is a great subject. Thanks for starting it.

As a resident of Connecticut for 37 years, the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad has become a subject of considerable study, great interest, and the focus of my O-gauge model railroading. My under-construction 10-by-5 layout is just an oval but represents a New England branch line and operates almost exclusively with New Haven power and rolling stock. I believe that I have purchased every scale-sized O-gauge New Haven locomotive and piece of rolling stock that has been produced during the past twenty years. Photos of a few below.

MELGAR

MELGAR_NH_Y3_080_3400_02

Love the layout and the NH pics!

Peter

The NYNH&H RR is one of the four railroads that make up my Not-So-Great Eastern RR. The attached photos are of my "Merchants Ltd." which is pulled by a single RK Alco PA. It's only a short 6 car train. In my "to do" drawer i hope to build an EP3 on a Kline GG1 chassis - time will tell. Meanwhile i should probably sell the RK dummy PA.

P1000341DSC00003DSC00006DSC00010

Attachments

Images (4)
  • P1000341: Still needs mail pick up hooks.
  • DSC00003
  • DSC00006
  • DSC00010

I reckon I'm a periodic New Haven fan.  I'll have New Haven weeks on my layout every couple of months and will also pull out a New Haven video and several NH books to kind of add to the mood.

Growing up in PA I had minimal exposure to the New Haven.  My only memories of the railroad are all associated with trips to my aunt and uncle's house in Buzzards Bay, MA.

Curt

I had a nice uncle in NYC I visited from time to time. I took the PRR clocker up to Penn station,  while getting off one day I noticed the GG1 that was pulling the train I was on uncoupled from the train and took off....hhmmmm.. I asked one of the RR guys why was the engine taken off and he said, we change motors with the NH. I said when will the other engine come for the train which he replied any minute.

After a few minutes I was rewarded to see a New Haven EP-5 Jet back up and couple to the train. wow how great is this. yet another reason to go see my uncle and catch a ball game.

I have asked the guys from Lionel about doing a legacy EP-5. I has never been done in legacy. And with Lionel now producing the Hancock air whistle, it could be done right. K-Line made them with TMCC about 10 years ago. The could even do the Penn Central black with they were made into freight motors..I can't be the only one who wants a Jet in legacy!!

I am a fan of the New Haven, but not exclusively. There are way too many New Haven trains in the McGinis paint scheme. My preference is for pre-McGinis livery. On my wish list of locomotives are an EP1, EP2 or EP3 Electric and an I-5 Hudson, but they must be Rail King with PS2 or PS3. I guess I am in for a long long wait for MTH to offer these locomotives.

DSCN2240DSCN1865DSCN2269

Attachments

Images (3)
  • DSCN2240
  • DSCN1865
  • DSCN2269

My grandparents lived in Fairfield, CT.  I was fortunate to spend many summers with them.  They took me to ball games, plays, etc., to New York on the New Haven trains.  The NH became my favorite railroad although I live in CA.  Here are a few photos of a NH pumpkin express on the G&O taken during the club's halloween show.  The NH colors are perfect for halloween trains.  NH Joe

DSCN7350DSCN7354DSCN7358DSCN7359DSCN7364

Attachments

Images (5)
  • DSCN7350
  • DSCN7354
  • DSCN7358
  • DSCN7359
  • DSCN7364

I grew up in New Jersey and livery from the PRR and CNJ literally ran across the back yards of the houses across the street from ours (along New York and Long Branch RR trackage).  I didn't visit New England until I went to college there.

Even when I was a kid, however, the sight of a Lionel EP-5 in New Haven colors, and the 6464 NH cars would get my juices flowing every time -- and they still do.  Either of the postwar blue and yellow Virginians have the same effect.

Now that I have moved to New England, I research the history of the NH line and collect photos, just as if I had grown up here.  

When my layout is finished, I'll treat myself to a NH EP-5, a few choice cars for the consist, and I'll be in heaven.  Photos to come...

Steven J. Serenska

Putnam Division posted:
Love the layout and the NH pics!

Peter

Peter,

Thanks for your appreciation of the layout. Small as it is, it has been my avocation since retiring three years ago. Now about 80% complete.

Below is a picture of my MTH Premier New Haven ALCO DL-109 #0722, "The Cranberry," which ran on Cape Cod during the early 1950s. During the steam-to-diesel transition years, New Haven prefixed their diesel locomotive numbers with "zero," which signified that the locomotive was "other than steam."

MELGAR

MTH_NEW_HAVEN_DL109_CRANBERRY_4

Attachments

Images (1)
  • MTH_NEW_HAVEN_DL109_CRANBERRY_4
Tom McGriel posted:

No railroad in America had the mystique or romance of the Shore Line in its heyday. 

Tom,

I couldn't agree more.

The New Haven served New York, the nation's biggest city and business capital - and Boston, one of the country's oldest cities. Passenger service on the shore line was unmatched and frequent, even compared to New York to Washington, DC. There were many famous named trains: The Merchants Limited; The Yankee Clipper; The Federal; The Gilt Edge; The Knickerbocker; The Owl; The Bay State; The Bostonian; The Forty-Second Street; The Hell Gate Express; The Murray Hill; The New Yorker; The Shoreliner; and many others. The New Haven pioneered long distance electrified operation between New York City and Stamford in 1907 and extended it to New Haven in 1914. And, there were extensive commuter operations in the New York City and Boston areas. It was a small railroad but an important one. Riding Metro-North today, one still sees much that was built by the New Haven

MELGAR

MELGAR posted:
Tom McGriel posted:

No railroad in America had the mystique or romance of the Shore Line in its heyday. 

Riding Metro-North today, one still sees much that was built by the New Haven

MELGAR

The last 7 years I was working, I regularly took the Metro-North Harlem line from Goldens Bridge into Manhattan and loved it when I saw or rode behind one of these. Interestingly enough, the one Metro-North line this engine didn't run on was the New Haven line since that needed pantograph power. MNR also did up a few older diesels in the McGinnis livery.

IMG_0509

Attachments

Images (1)
  • IMG_0509
MELGAR posted:

The New Haven pioneered long distance electrified operation between New York City and Stamford in 1907 and extended it to New Haven in 1914. And, there were extensive commuter operations in the New York City and Boston areas. It was a small railroad but an important one. Riding Metro-North today, one still sees much that was built by the New Haven

MELGAR

MELGAR:

Not to put too fine a point on this, but not only can you still see much that was built by the New Haven, you can still see what was actually built by the New Haven.

My lady friend who is very good about indulging my foaming-at-the-mouth-bordering-on-Aspbergers fanaticism for trains, was interested to join my pastime of identifying the original 1907 stanchions that support the catenary between Stamford and NYC and contrasting them to those that have been replaced.  I'd say anecdotally that 33% of the originals remain ... 110 years later.  We do this every time we take the train down to NYC for business or pleasure.

One of life's simple pleasures to sit on the water side of the first NYC-bound train of the morning train and watch the sun rise up over the water between Westerly, Rhode Island and Stonington, Mystic, and Niantic Connecticut.

Steven J. Serenska

Serenska posted:
MELGAR posted:

The New Haven pioneered long distance electrified operation between New York City and Stamford in 1907 and extended it to New Haven in 1914. And, there were extensive commuter operations in the New York City and Boston areas. It was a small railroad but an important one. Riding Metro-North today, one still sees much that was built by the New Haven

MELGAR

MELGAR:

Not to put too fine a point on this, but not only can you still see much that was built by the New Haven, you can still see what was actually built by the New Haven.

My lady friend who is very good about indulging my foaming-at-the-mouth-bordering-on-Aspbergers fanaticism for trains, was interested to join my pastime of identifying the original 1907 stanchions that support the catenary between Stamford and NYC and contrasting them to those that have been replaced.  I'd say anecdotally that 33% of the originals remain ... 110 years later.  We do this every time we take the train down to NYC for business or pleasure.

One of life's simple pleasures to sit on the water side of the first NYC-bound train of the morning train and watch the sun rise up over the water between Westerly, Rhode Island and Stonington, Mystic, and Niantic Connecticut.

Steven J. Serenska

Steven,

On the Metro-North New Haven Division, one can still see original New Haven "signal stations" (control towers), station buildings, catenary towers. stone abutments and railroad bridges. Large movable bridges cross the Connecticut River (at Old Saybrook, built 1907), the Housatonic River (at Stratford), the Pequonnock River (at Bridgeport), the Saugatuck River (at Westport), the Norwalk River (at Norwalk), and the Mianus River (at Cos Cob), to name just a few of the larger ones - and there are many smaller ones.

And, the shoreline route through the entire state of Connecticut (from Stonington to Greenwich) is very scenic.

MELGAR

New Haven SS71 - Devon Junction.

MELGAR_23_SS71_DEVON

Waterbury, CT Station.

MELGAR_WATERBURY_STATION_4

 

Attachments

Images (2)
  • MELGAR_23_SS71_DEVON
  • MELGAR_WATERBURY_STATION_4

Here are some more photos taken at the 2009 NMRA convention in Hartford, CT during layout tours.

One fellow had what amounted to a NH museum in his basement.  I believe that he worked for the NH and rescued much of his collection from the trash.

This is NH dinning car china and silverware.  I believe that the table and seat are also from the NH.

DSCN3844

DSCN3853

The 379 front and headlight are from an EP-5.  The Merchants Limited sign is the actual sign used on the train.

DSCN3848

The is the actual Westport interlocking.

DSCN3862

I also visited the Stamford Model Railroad Club.  This is one of the oldest O gauge 2-rail club's in the country.  It is located in the basement of a church in downtown Stamford.  (I have forgotten the church's name.)  I highly recommend that all NH fans visit this club if possible.

Here is a freight passing through Stamford.

DSCN3922

DSCN3928

DSCN3923

The layout was controlled from a central panel in 2009.  It was built long before DCC.  It is probably still straight DC with block control.

DSCN3931

This is the main town.  I believe it was called Van Ness.

DSCN3934

DSCN3935

DSCN3937

A GG-1 powered train arrives at Stamford.

DSCN3939

DSCN3940

 

Attachments

Images (13)
  • DSCN3844
  • DSCN3848
  • DSCN3853
  • DSCN3862
  • DSCN3922
  • DSCN3923
  • DSCN3928
  • DSCN3931
  • DSCN3934
  • DSCN3935
  • DSCN3937
  • DSCN3939
  • DSCN3940

Although I am more of a Pennsylvania and NYC fan, I do like some of the colorful McGinnis scheme.

From the PW era...

IMG_0766

IMG_0767

IMG_0768

The 2350 and 6464-425 I inherited from my Aunt (they allegedly belonged to my cousin!!!). The 6468-25 was my brother's - he is the Gomez Addams of the family, so I took it for safekeeping.

From the modern era...

a Lionel C-420 (6-28507):

IMG_0771

a Lionel Alco PA A-A Set (6-14596):

IMG_0773

and finally, one of my few MTH pieces, a Metro North Genesis:

IMG_0776

While I was going through my Aunt's trains, most still in their boxes from the 50's, I saw this on a few of the boxes... didn't have to worry about shipping schedules in those days   

IMG_0769

Attachments

Images (7)
  • IMG_0766
  • IMG_0767
  • IMG_0768
  • IMG_0771
  • IMG_0773
  • IMG_0776
  • IMG_0769

Great pictures..

Its about all I collect now.. not as much high end as the pictures and most of its in boxes now. But the BPT stands for Bridgeport. When I was a kid my dad would bring me to softball games at "Went" field, four or five nights a week, next to  elevated wall   when they ran a lot of freight through the area.I would count cars...

I wish I could find a good digital picture of the Old BPT station.

bptbill 

Apples55 posted:

Although I am more of a Pennsylvania and NYC fan, I do like some of the colorful McGinnis scheme.

From the PW era...

IMG_0766

IMG_0767

IMG_0768

The 2350 and 6464-425 I inherited from my Aunt (they allegedly belonged to my cousin!!!). The 6468-25 was my brother's - he is the Gomez Addams of the family, so I took it for safekeeping.

From the modern era...

a Lionel C-420 (6-28507):

IMG_0771

a Lionel Alco PA A-A Set (6-14596):

IMG_0773

and finally, one of my few MTH pieces, a Metro North Genesis:

IMG_0776

While I was going through my Aunt's trains, most still in their boxes from the 50's, I saw this on a few of the boxes... didn't have to worry about shipping schedules in those days   

IMG_0769

Great collection of New Haven equipment!

Great stuff in this thread from PUTNAM_DIVISION, BPTBILL, JOHNACTON, NEW_HAVEN_JOE, TOM_MCGRIEL, SERENSKA and all the rest. Thanks.

I regularly hang out at the new Bridgeport station which now serves Metro-North Railroad. The classic old station, built by the New Haven Railroad when the tracks were elevated through Bridgeport in 1905, was destroyed in a suspicious fire on March 20, 1979.

Attached are pictures of my two favorite model locomotives - MTH New Haven EP3 #353 and Weaver Brass ALCO I-4 Pacific #1389. If I had to sell my entire model collection, these are the two locomotives that I would keep!

MELGAR

MELGAR_NEW_HAVEN_LOCOMOTIVES_082_EP3_353MELGAR_NEW_HAVEN_LOCOMOTIVES_062_I4_1389

 

Attachments

Images (6)
  • MELGAR_NEW_HAVEN_LOCOMOTIVES_081_EP3_353
  • MELGAR_NEW_HAVEN_LOCOMOTIVES_082_EP3_353
  • MELGAR_NEW_HAVEN_LOCOMOTIVES_083_EP3_353
  • MELGAR_NEW_HAVEN_LOCOMOTIVES_084_EP3_353
  • MELGAR_NEW_HAVEN_LOCOMOTIVES_085_EP3_353
  • MELGAR_NEW_HAVEN_LOCOMOTIVES_062_I4_1389
Last edited by MELGAR

On an unrelated -- but somehow quite related -- note, a person made a comment on another trains forum that I check in on that if MARC (the Maryland area commuter line) would only extend its reach another 35 miles up to Wilmington, Delaware, it would be possible to ride commuter trains from New London to Washington, DC and beyond.

The trip would be:

  • Shoreline East from New London to New Haven
  • Metro North from New Haven to Grand Central Terminal, NYC
  • Subway from to GCT to Penn Station, NYC
  • NJ Transit from Penn Station, NYC to Trenton, NJ
  • SEPTA from to Trenton, NJ to Philadelphia, PA
  • SEPTA from Philadelphia, PA to Wilmington, DE
  • (if they would just build it, ) MARC from Wilmington, DE to all other MARC points, including DC.


I thought it was a fun observation.

Steven J. Serenska

Last edited by Serenska

Dominic, that is the one and only I-5 Hudson.    Good comment.  Always fun to throw in a bit of humor.  This engine was the last run Weaver with all the toys.   It had a fan driven smoke unit (single element) that I converted to a dual element unit.  The engine has sprung drivers and tender pickups.  These were used before for the sound in the tender.  I coupled these with the engine rollers and power loss will never happen.  This is my only brass engine and the only way I could get an I-5.    This was not an easy conversion dealing with the 10 pin connector.  I am doing one for Gerry Morlitz as soon as the kits are back in stock.  

PRRronbh posted:

Do not have any New Haven but recall pondering them in the mid- 50's Lionel catalogs.  

Do have these images from the 2014 Spencer NCTM Streamliners Event of the FL9 #2019.

IMG_2892

IMG_2893

IMG_2894

IMG_2918

IMG_2916

IMG_2917

OH,one of my Oncologist is a Dr. McGinnis.  Ironically his grandfather did work for a railroad but not the NH.

Love that McGinnis paint scheme. I think of all the great paint schemes throughout railroad history.....this is my favorite.

I model Pennsy but will forever have good memories of the NH. I grew up in very close proximity to the New Havens Worcester branch. This was in the 1950's and grimy FA's were dragging freights up and down that line all about 300 ft. away from my families home. I would run down to watch trackside any time I could without getting in trouble....I was just a child, and had to cross one busy avenue to get to the tracks. In spite of my fathers warning, I was fearless and did so a lot. Great memories.

Bob

Marty, You have to use your considerable influence, call in all your chips and lean on Mike Wolf to offer an I-5. Selfishly, I hope it's an RK Imp, primarily due to budgetary restraints on the railroad. Judging from the response to this thread it would sell out faster than the Merchant's Limited highballing down the Shore Line.

flanger posted:

I model Pennsy but will forever have good memories of the NH. I grew up in very close proximity to the New Havens Worcester branch. This was in the 1950's and grimy FA's were dragging freights up and down that line all about 300 ft. away from my families home. I would run down to watch trackside any time I could without getting in trouble....I was just a child, and had to cross one busy avenue to get to the tracks. In spite of my fathers warning, I was fearless and did so a lot. Great memories.

Bob

I used to do the same thing, mostly to watch NYC covered wagons headed to the Collinwood yard.

Tom,  that subject comes up with Mike and myself almost weekly.  When he posted it, he stated he did not have enough orders.   I stay on him but Mike is a guy that has his mind set.  I offered him my Weaver with PS3 to show.  I am still pitching as I do not give up that easy.  Many of us are still alive that have seen the I-5 run.   I will keep doing my best.  It should be an easy do as it is a Hudson.  A body, wheels, and other I-5 parts should help it along.

 

Marty

DMASSO posted:

Peter, the bottom consist in the 1956 catalog was my first train set. 

Don......a great memory for you, I am sure.......my 1st set was the F3 set from 58.

I am fortunate to have acquired the other EP-5 set from 56.

I bought the LCCA remake of the 58 027 Alco passenger set.

I also am fortunate to have acquired this set from 62....

IMG_0915

Peter

Attachments

Images (1)
  • IMG_0915
Last edited by Putnam Division

Realized that I do have a couple of NH box cars.  This is an image made earlier this year with intent of posting on for sale forum.

IMG_4867

Ending selling some at the NCTM (Spencer Shops) train show.  The CR box and tank cars and NYC Early Bird refer now on consignment at local toy train shop.

Decided to keep the rest including the two NH box cars to make up a fallen flag consist.  Also have a Weaver NH Black w/Orange door box car, so do have something NH.

Attachments

Images (1)
  • IMG_4867
Putnam Division posted:

The Lionel PostWar New Haven sets......

IMG_8534

 

Peter

Peter:

Thanks for posting these.  Does anyone else find it odd that Lionel did not issue an O Gauge NH caboose in the postwar era?  I'm going to "need" to get one of the various modern NH cabooses to go with the 2350 that I "need" to purchase...

Steven J. Serenska

PRRronbh posted:
briansilvermustang posted:

Where is this at?

This picture was taken in Seymour, Connecticut at the Metro-North station on the single-track Waterbury branch. The train runs between Bridgeport and Waterbury, CT. It is a very picturesque ride along the Housatonic and Naugatuck rivers. The branch was originally built by the Naugatuck Railroad in 1849 and acquired by the New Haven in 1906.

MELGAR

I like this thread!  I am a big NH fan having grown up in Rhode Island.  I used to walk across the NH tracks (now P&W) to get to school.  That was back in the time when it was okay for kids to do that.

Anyway, here are some pics of me running NH stuff at the SD3R layout.  Granted this was 10+ years ago, and I have since converted the Williams NH passenger cars to LEDs.

NH-1NH-2

Attachments

Images (2)
  • NH-1
  • NH-2

Metro-North Railroad has six BL20GH locomotives, some of which are painted in a New Haven Railroad McGinnis era color scheme. This photo shows Metro-North #128 at milepost 27, the north end of the Waterbury branch, 87 miles from Grand Central Terminal. The BL20GH is a 2250 horsepower low-emission locomotive used by Metro-North on the Danbury and Waterbury branches in Connecticut.

MELGAR

MELGAR_METRO_NORTH_128

Attachments

Images (1)
  • MELGAR_METRO_NORTH_128

Add Reply

Post

OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Suite 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×