P.C.C.M. 56 / New Haven Railroad Tribute

Greetings All,

Welcome to a special 

P.C.C.M. 56 / New Haven Railroad Tribute 

The virtual ops guys are digging deep under their layouts to give the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad it's due as it became a fallen flag fifty years ago on 01-01-1969 when it was merged into the Penn Central.

Having posted a separate NH tribute on January 1st I'll focus today on some of the challenges facing the Penn Central when the New Haven RR became the PC's New Haven Region. This is a tribute to all of the work that went into the NH inclusion and keeping the NH Region operating. With what we know now the employees at every level did a remarkable job with the little they had to work with.

The New Haven's unique motive power and years of deferred maintenance kept the PC inclusion planners very busy leading up to the merger. GG-1 electrics headed north and entered Cedar Hill Yard shortly after merger day. After repairing some catenary issues the GG-1s became regular power in the electrified zone.

Heading in the opposite direction were the New Haven EF-4 rectifier electrics, classified as E-33s on the Penn Central. The majority of the E-33s headed to the PC shop at Wilmington, Delaware for overhaul, repainting and transfer to service in the New Jersey - Pennsylvania area.

Early on PC planners eyed the New Haven dual mode diesel / 3rd rail electric FL9s that worked the New Haven's west end commuter service for transfer to the NYC Hudson and Harlem commuter lines to reduce the electric and diesel transfers at North White Plains and Harmon NY.

To help free up the NH FL9s for NYC commuter service the N.Y.C.T.L. Shops have been ordered to prepare whatever E8s are currently at the engine facility for transfer to the New Haven Region as part of the NH inclusion planning.

1/87th scale ATJOE has placed this trio on the fuel pad for fuel and water. The E8s will be placed in New Haven to Boston service freeing up NH FL9s for the NYC commuter trains. 

Three E8As head out of Terminal Yard towards ex NH Oak Point Yard with train DO, the Oak Point Turn.

Later that day train DO heads back to Terminal Yard with a pair of F-M H16-44s. The E8As have been left at Oak Point for transfer up to Cedar Hill Yard for the New Haven- Boston commuter service.

The H16-44s climb the grade on Main 1 at Bedford NY as they make their way to Terminal Yard. The fifteen New Haven 1600 series FMs would find a home on the PC, be renumbered 5160-5174, and head out to Chicago to join the other PC FM units .

Former New Haven FL9s transferred to the ex New York Central commuter lines start to arrive at Empire City Station as passengers get their first view of NH equipment pulling NYC equipment.

That's Bedford Tower operator 1/87th scale John B getting a few photos of the NH units as they head into the tunnel under Bedford Station. Athearn BB F7As are standing in for FL9s 

The last stop at the Terminal Yard platform. The engines will cut off and head to the fuel rack prior to being placed on the opposite end of the train. 

Another big concern for the Penn Central's NH inclusion planners was what to do about the west end commuter service from New Haven CT to Grand Central Terminal and Penn Station in New York City. 

On the date of the merger there were 844 active passenger cars on the New Haven Railroad. 267 of these cars were out of service. The rest were recorded to be in deplorable condition. As a result the PC transferred HW and refurbished LW coaches from the ex NYC to the NH for use on the west end commuter routes. 

The Terminal Yard engine facility switcher is backing in to pick up a pair of recently refurbished NYC LW cars.

The LWs and caboose are tacked on to the rear of a group of HW cars that are on the tail end of Train DO the Oak Point Turn.

The motive power for Train DO has coupled on and it's an all hands on affair. 1/87th scale PC Ralph will be qualifying on this route today under the watchful eye of Senior Engineer Sir Neal. AT JOE will be the head brakeman/ fireman with Conductor John and a rear brakeman rounding out the crew.

1/87th scale conductor John and the rear brakeman wait patiently for the brakes to release at the rear of the train during the terminal air test.   

The terminal air test completed train DO heads out of Terminal Yard with 1/87th scale PC Ralph at the throttle. 

Watch for the brake pipe reduction.

Train DO going thru the switch to Main 1 at the top of the grade.

And here's the reason of the quick brake application! 1/87th scale Senior Engineer Sir Neal has cautioned PC Ralph to watch his speed going down the grade and PC Ralph thought that was a great idea.

1/87th scale PC Ralph eases the train down the grade with the dynamic brakes whining to hold back the freight and passenger cars shoving from the rear.

Train DO heads out of the Empire City west side tunnel and makes
it way thru the switch as it heads into Empire City Station.

The E.C. Station passengers watch the parade of six coaches at the rear of  the freight train roll thru the station on track 2 hoping this is not another sign of the changes to come. NYC commuter coaches sit at the left on track 3.

PC Train DO at the approach to Oak Point. Looks like they made it!! Nice work guys! See you on the return trip.

Later that day we catch 1/87th scale Big Mike talking the local police as this set of helpers waits at EC Station for the Terminal Yard - Oak Point Turns return. 1/87th scale senior engineer Sir Neal has done the tonnage to HP calculations and requested the helper set for the climb up to Terminal Yard.

Train DO with a U30B in the lead enters EC station with engineer 1/87th scale PC Ralph getting a friendly wave from a passenger.

The helpers are coupled on and the game plan is in place as my stand in FL9s lead a northbound commuter train into EC Station. 

Train DO with with 1/87th scale Big Mike at the throttle of lead helper engine 7692 is ready to depart for Terminal Yard.

 A local railfan catches the train in action

Making the climb thru Bedford to Terminal Yard

sorry for the shaky camera

The six unit power consist enters Terminal Yard

1/87th scale Kar Knocker is on hand to catch the hind end of the train. K.K.'s reputation as a fixer of all things has these RDCs heading to the N.Y.C.T.L. Shops for possible rebuilding. 

With the transfer turn in the yard 1/87th scale conductor John is greeted by K.K. with a "darn it John I'm not a miracle worker!" 

The ex New Haven RDCs make their way towards the Terminal Yard Shop. The RDCs had been found out of service on a back track at Cedar Hill Yard with a lot of other derelict NH equipment.  

The guys have tied down the road power and check out the shop switcher pulling in the first RDC.

With both RDCs in the shop it's time for 1/87th scale Kar Knocker, AT JOE and the guys to work their magic.

Within a short period of time New Haven engines will get interwoven into the large PC Fleet and before long some will lose their NH identity. On the N.Y.C.T.L. however there are no plans to repaint these two NH units.  

This lash up of GP20 #2103, NH RS2 #0503 and GP9 #1218 looks and runs pretty good. Don't tell  anyone the NH RS2s did not make it to the PC. I really like the look of this consist. 😉

That wraps it up for the N.Y.C.T.L.!

Acknowledgements: Some of the above information was gathered from the article New Haven Region, 1969 - Motive Power In Transition by Lt. Jay Potter, USN that was featured in the Penn Central System Bi-Annual.

Some of the passenger car information was gathered from the article New York City Commuting - Former New Haven Lines by Robert Holzweiss that was featured in the PCRRHS PC Post magazine volume 19, number 1.

 Be sure to check out the other guys New Haven tributs posts.

Sir Neal's A.P.R.R.

PC Ralph's K.P.D.

AT JOE's R.C.R.

John B's L.F. & N.W.

Thanks for reading.

See ya soon!