It seems there are fans for all different Roads on this forum,so why not start one for NH fans.
I saw the transition from steam to diesel to the McGinness make over.
I grew up in New Britain during the 40’s -60’s and had the opportunity to not only watch but ride the steam and diesels during that time era. Alot of good memories of the NYNH&HRR.
Well, I wish you the best of luck, but there’s a really good New Haven Forum run by the New Haven Railroad Historical & Technical Association at: www.nhrhta.org Registration is free, and most of the active NH historians, authors, and NHRHTA members and officers are there.
Personally, I was born 6 years too late to see any New Haven…growing up all I recall are F40PH’s in reb/white/blue and purple/yellow, plus blue B23-7’s. But modeling and studying the NH is great fun, as it recalls the time when New England was a manufacturing center and when local railroads were incredibly powerful. Now, it’s all but gone, with only P&W living on scraps compared to even the 1960’s for freight, and federal (Amtrak) and local (ConnDOT, M-N, MBTA) governments taking over the passenger services.
Oh, and BTW, the new Athearn RS-3’s are out in NH or will be on the shelves very soon. I already have mine and give it a B+.
Paul A. Cutler III
Weather Or No Go New Haven
I saw your comments on New Haven Railroad Historical & Technical Association regarding the RS3,I also belong to that forum. I thought it would be nice to see how many still model “THE NEW HAVEN”.
New Haven modeler right here.
I know there are quite a few on here - getting them all to see this thread is another thing. Paul, I think the idea of the thread is to have a topic for NH modelers here to discuss the NH, like there are for others - not to start another forum.
I model the Hartford Div. appx 1951-1953 - with an occasional jump to 1954 or 1960 - and another occasional jump/transformation into the Shoreline in 2003.
But the vast majority of the time I stay in the 51-53 period - I am building my 14x14 around the room layout now.
My layout terrain will be double tracked but otherwise free-lanced.
My equipment however I try to get 85% or better for fidelity to the prototype - I only run stuff the NH really had and that is pretty close to the real one detail wise.
BTW, if anyone ever has any NH questions please don’t hesitate to ask either on here (or via my e-mail link) - I have most of the answers and can get the rest - I’m happy to help everyone. Nothing makes me happier than interest in the NH.
I was born around 20 years too late to see the NH - I gained my interest seeing ex-New Haven FL9’s in service for Metro North and CDOT - the CDOT ones wear the original NH scheme. Seeing those spurred my interest to research the FL9’s and that colorful scheme they wore - led me to NH books and my serious interest in the NH. Joined the NHRHTA and am now on the NHRHTA Technical Committee.
Guys, there was a thread not too long ago featuring photos of a forum member who did a gorgeous job of repainting an HO EP4 in the New Haven’s green and yellow scheme.
I would like to download those photos.
Anyone remember who the modeler was and the forum topic number?
Thanks! [:D][8D][tup]
I too am an avid New Haven fan. Lived in Connecticut from 1939 to 1957 and rode the NH many times. I am living in Arizona now and planning to build an HO layout featuring the New Haven Union Station.
Russell E. Owen, EA
I’m modling New Haven in it’s last year,'68,I’m looking to model a branchline. I haven’t found a specific division, so I’ll freelance, but equipment is as accurate to the NH as I can model. I grew up near Maybrook line,in sixties. Had a few cab rides back in the day.
BXcarMike,
So you must have seen that high, neat looking bridge at Maybrook that crossed over the New York Central. A tragedy it caught fire just before or during the Penn Central era. To this day there is speculation that it was deliberately sabotaged.
New Haven is one of my modelling themes…hope that in 2006 there will be more New Haven model releases with sound…so far they sem to have been quite thin on the ground…
Keith,
Which models would you like to see in particular?
I would like to share some pix of the NH for resource info.
I’m modeling both B&M and NY, NH & H during the transition era. They both met at the Bleachery Yard in in the old mill city of Lowell, MA.
Yes,the Poughkeepsie Bridge,saw a few trains go over it,when I got to go to Poughkeeposie, they crawled over it, about 10 mph more or less. It was during PC,that bridge burned,whether it was deliberate or not, the PC was glad to shut that line down, but that’s a whole story itself.
It was saddening since that line led to some of the New England area industries. From what I understand a number of them were starting to close their doors and relocate.
While not intentionally “set”, a fire that would destroy the Poughkeepsie RR bridge was inevitable once the PC took over control of the bridge.
For years there was a standpipe system on the bridge (as well as other precautions) which could be feed by the FD from streetlevel below on the Poughkeepsie end. Over the years there were many minor fires on the bridge but never a really serious one because a water supply was always readily available. The standpipe and bridge piping system needed to be filled with a non-freezing solution annually to keep it from freezing and breaking. The PC did not do so and the system was ruined the year before the fire.
At the time of the big fire it is questionable whether the FD had actually been advised that the standpipe system was in-operable. Certainly, time was lost connecting to that system only to find it wouldn’t work. It was then necessary to handlay hose up the high escarpment below the bridge and out along the bridge itself to reach the fire (no groundbased streams or equipment could reach the great height of the fire). This caused an enormous delay in applying any water to the fire - some reports say half an hour or more - a situation even a first year engineering/safety officer student could have foreseen. There can be little question that PC understood this as well.
Draw your own conclusions.
CNJ831
Thanks very much, CNJ. Now it makes some sense.
Was this bridge completely torn down, or has it been repaired for pedestrian use?
The bridge still exists, but it is probably too fragile for todays rolling stock. It had already been restricted to one track from its’ original two at the time of the fire. Supposedly there was just awarded a 850k grant for a feasibility study to see if the bridge can be turned into a railtrail linking the trails already in place on either side of the bridge. In other words some of the other track is already gone though the Maybrook line still seems to exist from around Hopewell Junction east - I just don’t know what shape it’s in or if it runs all the way from the Hudson to Devon still.
Standing on the overpass at Poughkeepsie Station, the bridge is still thrilling to see. I can’t imagine what it must have been like to ride over it. J.R.
Thanks for the news, GMT.
One thing though, from what I read in my Rails Along the Hudson book (page 77), the bridge was a “freight only” route so apparently just the train crews got to enjoy the view.
I have to admit in seeing photos of that bridge that I’d have the “willies” in my stomach crossing that high!
Edo1039, Paul3, David
In checking out the link posted above by Edo, there’s a photo of an ex-NH Parlor car (original #309) in Amtrak livery…it looks just like one of those Pullman Standard “8600” series cars with the “turtle roof”. Am I correct?
Here’s the link: http://www.hebners.net/amtrak/amtCOACH.html
There are no longer any rails between Poughkeepsie and Hopewell Jct. The ROW in that stretch also no longer belongs to any railroad company and a water supply pipeline occupies the path, feeding water from Poughkeepsie to Hopewell. This eliminates any possible future use as a rail corridor. The remainder of the line between Hopewell and Brewster, NY, is now under the control of MetroNorth, who occasionally transfers equipment across it. Vague future plans suggest a commuter line from Hopewell running eastward but much of this line would have to be refurbished first, including all the crossings.
CNJ831.
When the bridge first opened and for quite a few years thereafter, passenger trains regularly crossed the bridge. For a time there was even a Poughkeepsie to New Platz trolley operating across the bridge! Early on, one of the great selling points for tickets was the view of the Hudson and surround terrain the bridge afforded riders of both means of transportation!
CNJ831