New Haven, Boston & Maine, and Boston & Albany Railroads – New England Model Trains

@jim sutter posted:

I wish some New England train dealer or any train dealer would do, the following (4) PS-2 covered hoppers.

I believe these four hoppers would be big sellers.

Put me down for all four. Maybe @RMT - Ready Made Trains could make this their next offering.

These days, I limit my purchases to models of locomotives that operated in the New England states – especially the New Haven, Boston & Maine, New York Central (Boston & Albany), Rutland, and Maine Central Railroads.

I recently bought an MTH Railking model of New York Central ALCo RS-3 #8344 (30-20816-1). I chose this model because locomotives with its “lightning stripe” livery and similar road numbers ran on NYC’s Boston & Albany subsidiary and around New York City – two places where I’ve spent more than a few years. MTH delivered this model in November 2021 at an MSRP of $359.95.

You may ask why I include the New York Central among New England railroads. The Boston & Albany was an independent railroad from its formation in 1867 until it was leased by the New York Central in 1900. But the people of Massachusetts were offended to see “New York” on trains passing through their towns so, around 1912, the New York Central reinstated “Boston & Albany” lettering on the B&A’s locomotives. This practice prevailed until 1951, by which time the B&A had been absorbed into the New York Central. The only diesels that ever received Boston & Albany markings were eleven ALCo HH600 high-hood switchers in 1938-39. They became New York Central #800-810 in 1951 and, thereafter, all diesels operating on the B&A, including the RS-3s, were painted in NYC liveries. The RS-3s operated on the B&A main line and in commuter service around Boston.

The video shows my model of New York Central #8344 in its test run at 9 scale miles-per-hour on my 10’-by-5’ layout.

MELGAR

MELGAR, another great history lesson and "spot on", as I remember.  My friend. Dick, and I watched many lightning striped NYC diesels near his home in North Grafton, MA on the B&A line during the late 50's and 60's.   Great memories!

John

PS: Dick and I have been friends since the first grade and we are both still dedicated O gauge fans!

My model of Boston & Maine ALCo RS-3 #1537 was made by Weaver. I’ve owned it for more than fifteen years. About two years ago, I repaired a short circuit in the wiring and then realized that the prime mover sounds were inoperative. I haven’t replaced the sound electronics and now I run it without sounds. Instead, I listen to the clickety-clack of the wheels on the rails. I haven’t heard these track sounds for years because all my locomotive models have electronic sounds that drown out the track sounds. With this locomotive, I’m content to run without the electronic sounds.

The Boston & Maine Railroad bought 11 RS-3s in 1952 (road numbers 1535 to 1545) and 15 in 1954/1955 (road numbers 1505 to 1519). The Weaver model of #1537 has a crosswise turbocharger exhaust stack on its long hood behind the radiator cooling fan indicating that the turbocharger was water cooled. On RS-3s with air cooled turbochargers, the stack was mounted lengthwise on the hood. On the B&M, RS-3s were permitted a maximum speed of 65 miles-per-hour. #1537 was retired in 1966.

RS-3s had a 1,600 horsepower V12 244 diesel engine, weighed 247,100 pounds and developed 61,775 pounds of starting tractive effort.

The videos show B&M #1537 running at 23 scale miles-per-hour on my 10’-by-5’ layout.

MELGAR

Nice videos Mel'... Your 5X10 reminds me of my former 5X13.  Neat clean and packed with details'...

More HellGate Bridge action:

Have a great day!

Peter

My switcher Saturday offering had two each  New York, Ontario, and Western  GM NW-2's shuffling coal hoppers around the Whiting Coal Company breaker in Scranton PA. Patiently waiting is this Alco FA, A&B set ready to haul the hoppers to New England markets in late 1950

Want to be sure everyone knows that Sunset Third Rail is taking reservations for a new run of RDC s. I see that they will be available in NH ,  B&M , and New York Central among others. Mel has posted pics of his beautiful NHs in the past.  I am thrilled at possibility of this happening. Join me in making the required build number. They say they are getting close

@Wvm posted:

Want to be sure everyone knows that Sunset Third Rail is taking reservations for a new run of RDC s. I see that they will be available in NH ,  B&M , and New York Central among others. Mel has posted pics of his beautiful NHs in the past.  I am thrilled at possibility of this happening. Join me in making the required build number. They say they are getting close

Photos show my Sunset/3rd Rail models of New Haven Rail Diesel Cars. New Haven #21 is an RDC-1. New Haven #121 is an RDC-2.

The New Haven acquired 40 RDCs between 1952 and 1953 and referred to them as “Shoreliners.”

Budd built 398 Rail Diesel Cars between 1949 and 1962. The RDC-1 carried 90 passengers and had an empty weight of 108,300 pounds. The RDC-2 carried 70 with a baggage section and had an empty weight of 114,200 pounds. They were powered by two 6-cylinder Detroit Diesel Series 110 engines of 275 horsepower each and had a maximum speed of 85 miles-per-hour.

MELGAR

I’ve been running two New Haven Railroad diesels on my 12’-by-8’ model railroad this week.

New Haven ALCo DL-109 #0719 is an MTH Premier model with 5-volt PS2 and a BCR (20-2325-1, MSRP $379.95) that was advertised in the 2001 catalog. Real DL-109s like #0719 went into service in 1941 hauling passenger trains between New Haven and Boston during the day and freight at night, thereby becoming the first successful type of dual-service diesel locomotive. In the video, #0719 is running on a middle loop of Atlas O track with O-54 curves and pulling MTH 18-inch heavyweight passenger cars similar to those in service on the New Haven during the 1920s, including parlor car “Flying Cloud,” which ran on the “Yankee Clipper” between New York and Boston beginning in 1930.

New Haven ALCo PA #0771 is a Sunset/3^rd Rail model delivered in 2018 (MSRP $699.95). PA locomotives began hauling passenger trains on the New Haven in 1948. In the video, #0771 is running on the outer loop of Atlas O track with O-72 curves and pulling 21-inch “American Flyer” lightweight passenger cars by Weaver Models whose prototypes went into service on the New Haven in 1937.

New Haven passenger trains on the “Shoreline” often included Railway Post Office cars to carry the large volume of mail between New York City and Boston. RPO #3286 is at the head end of #0719’s train and RPO #2782 is behind #0771. Both RPOs were made by Weaver Models.  

MELGAR

Boston & Maine Doodlebug #181.

@BAR GP7 #63 posted:

Boston & Maine Doodlebug #181.

Beautiful shot.

@CentralFan1976 posted:

Beautiful shot.

CentralFan1976.

Thank you.🤝

Johan

That's some rock cut Johan.

Newest engine to join the ranks. Just picked up this new in box kline Boston and maine 4-6-6T.

@coach joe posted:

That's some rock cut Johan.

Joe,

Everything can be done with an acoustic panel.

Johan

My newest addition. EP3. New old stock I found on EBay. Been looking for for years. The DL109 Cranberry was also a new old stock PS2 found 2 years ago. Always exciting to find these old issues. Still looking for Green DL109 and PA1 - and the list goes on

Finished up my first airbrushed engine. Also first engine I added some extra details to. Switched out the crew members, added some plastic rods inside the cab. To give the look of the values and gauges. Painted the boiler in the cab as well as the walls green. Can’t really tell unless you get really close. Topped it off with a string for the bell rope, at least the holes are already there. Also cut the tender up and made it lower just to give it another look.

@Trainwreck nate posted:

Finished up my first airbrushed engine. Also first engine I added some extra details to. Switched out the crew members, added some plastic rods inside the cab. To give the look of the values and gauges. Painted the boiler in the cab as well as the walls green. Can’t really tell unless you get really close. Topped it off with a string for the bell rope, at least the holes are already there. Also cut the tender up and made it lower just to give it another look.

Great job on the weathering and detailing Nate!

Bob

Nate, Really nice job on the weathering. The weathering really brings out the details and this engine has a lot for at one time an affordable small steamer. K-Line had some great products.

@RSJB18 thank you, already think I know my next project.

@Dave_C thank you, I do love k-line tooling. This is my second Kline steamer. I would like to get the Hudson and re letter for B&A.

So my next project I think will be my Lionel legacy B&M SW-8. I found some good pictures to go off of. Planning on more cab details on this one with all those windows.

I’ve been running two Lionel models of Ten-Wheeler steam locomotives on my 12’-by-8’ layout this week – New Haven #816 and Boston & Maine #2074. These models look well and run well but, in true Lionel fashion, their prototype is a New York Central Class F-12 4-6-0 locomotive built by ALCo. I also have a third version in the correct NYC livery.

Ten-Wheelers hauled mainline passenger trains in the early 1900s but were superseded in a few years by more powerful 4-6-2 Pacific types as heavier steel construction replaced wood for passenger cars.

New Haven Class G-4 #816 was built by Baldwin and went into passenger service in 1904. On my layout, it is pulling heavyweight steel passenger cars.

Boston & Maine Class C-19 #2074 was built by Baldwin in 1898 and scrapped in 1939. It is known to have run in commuter service around Boston into the 1930s. On my layout, it is pulling two wood-sided passenger cars that are recent models made by Lionel with tooling acquired from MTH. The Boston & Maine Railroad used wood-sided cars in Boston commuter service into the 1950s.

MELGAR

Mel. Another great post. I have the same woodside coaches. My first foray into B&M. Mine are shown here with a MTH NH  0-6-0 Switcher until I can find an appropriate B&M loco. Should I get an Atlantic or a Consolidation for service into the 1950’s ?

@Wvm,

Nice video and your New Haven #2325 is a good-looking model. I hadn't seen one like that before.

The definitive reference I use for Boston & Maine steam locomotives is "Minuteman Steam" by Harry A. Frye (1982) - a difficult book to find nowadays. It shows that several B&M Atlantics lasted into 1947 and the last one until 1949. It also has a picture of B&M 4-4-2 #3242 pulling wood-sided commuter coaches (like your models) dated August 1947. But it doesn't list or show any Atlantics into the 1950s. Lionel recently offered a model of B&M Atlantic #3243 that is still available new from Forum Sponsor Charles Ro. #3243 was scrapped in 1941.

B&M 2-8-0 Consolidations did remain in service into the 1950s. In particular, B&M #2403 was the last one on the railroad and remained in commuter service into the 1950s. It was scrapped in 1955 and would be a good match for your wood-sided passenger cars. Weaver made a model of #2403 (see photo).

B&M 2-6-0 Moguls also ran into the 1950s and typically pulled wood-sided passenger coaches like your models. The B&M sold its last Mogul in 1956. Lionel has made accurate models of B&M 2-6-0s in versions with TMCC and Legacy.

MELGAR

@Trainwreck nate posted:

Finished up my first airbrushed engine. Also first engine I added some extra details to. Switched out the crew members, added some plastic rods inside the cab. To give the look of the values and gauges. Painted the boiler in the cab as well as the walls green. Can’t really tell unless you get really close. Topped it off with a string for the bell rope, at least the holes are already there. Also cut the tender up and made it lower just to give it another look.

That's a great looking locomotive !

Ron H

Ron H, your engine looks too good to be a first attempt, you could have fooled me!  Here’s a look at no. 403 when she was new, before the bean counters cut the maintenance budget.

John

@Steam Crazy posted:

Ron H, your engine looks too good to be a first attempt, you could have fooled me!  Here’s a look at no. 403 when she was new, before the bean counters cut the maintenance budget.

John

Not my work. It was posted by Trainwreck Nate.

Whoops, sorry Trainwreck, nice work!

John

Maine Central EMD F3 no. 671 backs into the engine house in Gardiner, ME.  No. 671 is a Lionel postwar model with a custom painted (not by me) shell.

John

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...4#168670231900229914

Thanks Mel for suggestions. I knew you were right person to ask

Just got this last weekend, haven’t even had time to run it yet. Wasn’t planning on picking this up when it was released in the catalog. Come to find out the wife had family who worked for the N.H. So it’s family history, at least that’s how I justified the purchase to her.

@Steam Crazy thank you, I owe it all to over a decade of painting tabletop miniatures. Learned so much over the years, so I had a good starting point for airbrushing I believe. Regardless I was extremely nervous doing it.

Here's an older P47 B&M Pacific by MTH from around 2004. I found this on trainz.com a few yrs ago for a reasonable price, especially considering it was new-in-the-box. It runs extremely well and pulls all 7 heavyweights with ease.

Its nice to see the NYNH&H script on a legacy locomotive. Fun locos

Blue Comet, love your B&M Pacific.  I posted a video of my B&M Pacific earlier in this thread,  but I’m posting it again in case you didn’t see it.  I bought my engine from a private collection; it’s about the same age as yours.

John

Thanks, Steam Crazy. I hadn't seen your video before. Nice layout! At the time I bought my P47, I thought I was nuts, but I'm glad I bought it. I was just down your way last week at the NETCA show in Hudson.

Here is my BM 1564.

Here are my pictures that inspired it. Taken at Deerfield, mid 70's.

Blue Comet, thanks for the compliment!  I was at the Hudson show too.  Hope we can meet at a future show.  With some luck, there will be a gathering of Forum fans at the Springfield show.

John

@biscuitag97 posted:

Its nice to see the NYNH&H script on a legacy locomotive. Fun locos

My favorite part of the engine.

Been on a New Haven kick lately picked this up a couple of weeks ago.