Leroof posted:Greetings Melgar and Arnold, Leroof here. Somewhere on my dismantled PC I have several photos of my postwar NH EP-5 in action on my former live homemade catenary. I did find this one in my I -Pad.
does this qualify?
IMO, Leroof, it certainly does. Glad to see you're back on the Forum. Arnold
I promised myself that I wouldn’t buy any more 21” passenger cars - I have a set of Lionel PRR and Atlas NH which I really like, but they really are just to long for my layout. That being said, I found this set of NOS cars at Grzyboski’s (actually, really old stock - 20-80003c issued in 2002) which are only 19”, so I’m good 
And if that logic fails, I can always fall back on “MELGAR and all the rest of you NH fans made me do it” 
Unfortunately, I don’t have time to roust out some NH power, so the fine folks at the NYC were kind enough to lend a Niagara for temporary duty on a crack NH passenger train (have to find an appropriate name).
Paul, Great looking cars and same for the model railroad. Would like to see more.
MELGAR
The New Haven Railroad – A Fond Look Back
A week or two ago, my day began, as it often does, by driving a few miles to Bridgeport, Connecticut and boarding a Metro-North Railroad commuter train for the seventeen-mile ride to New Haven Union Station, whereupon I bought breakfast and walked a mile or so to the New Haven Green, at the center of town. But, on this day, rather than circling around the Green and returning to the station, I stopped at the New Haven Free Public Library, where I found the local history room open. Upon entering, I asked the librarian to direct me to the section on the New Haven Railroad, where I thumbed through several books that have been a part of my personal collection for many years. Then, I came across one which I had seen for sale at train shows but had never purchased or read.
The book to which I refer is “The New Haven Railroad – A Fond Look Back,” by Andrew J. Pavlucik, published in 1978 and reissued in that city in 1987 by Pershing Press. I sat down, began to read and quickly became engrossed in the book. It presents a perspective on the New Haven Railroad unlike any other that I have read. It was immediately apparent that the author is not only a gifted writer, but is intimately familiar with the people, operations and history of the New Haven Railroad. The book is replete with photographs that I had not seen before, but its most unique and interesting parts are the many first-person narratives by New Haven personnel relating their experiences and what it actually was like to be a railroader on the New Haven. As the author says, this book is about the Railroad of the railroaders, not the bankers, that “exists now only in dreams and in certain haunted places.” I personally have spent quite a few years searching out those places throughout Southern New England.
I now have a personal copy of this book, which I consider to be the most enlightening and enjoyable that I have read on the subject of the New Haven Railroad. I highly recommend it to “Any New Haven Fans.”
MELGAR
A New Haven Railroad logo near New Haven Union Station photographed by MELGAR on October 28, 2019.
MELGAR
MELGAR posted:A New Haven Railroad logo near New Haven Union Station photographed by MELGAR on October 28, 2019.
MELGAR
Hey, wait just a minute! I know where that is. Those tiles are in the Ladies Room at Union Station!
Wait.
What's that?
How do I know this?
I, um, er, ah, my daughter told me....
Just kidding of course. Nice photo. Is it within the station or in one of the buildings (parking or maintenance) outside?
Steven J. Serenska
Serenska posted:Nice photo. Is it within the station or in one of the buildings (parking or maintenance) outside?MELGAR posted:A New Haven Railroad logo near New Haven Union Station photographed by MELGAR on October 28, 2019.
MELGAR
Steven J. Serenska
Photo of a wall on Union Avenue about a block from New Haven station.
The station itself, built by the NYNH&HRR in 1920, is also worthy of a photograph.
Both photos by:
MELGAR
The New Haven tracks in the Bronx over Eastchester Rd. The New Haven ran passenger service into Penn Station on this line until about 1933.
I have a vague memory of passenger platforms and blocked steps, but they no longer exit.
The New York Westchester and Boston, was the New Haven's competitor for commuter traffic that ran side by side with the New Haven in lower Westchester County (especially where I-95 runs today). It stopped operations around 1938 and it's remains exist as the Dyre Avenue branch of the New York City Subway system. This is an exhibit in the Galleria Shopping Center in White Plains (the mall is where the NYW&B stopped and never reached its dream of going further).
The NYW&B suffered from poor vision. It terminated in the South Bronx and shared many passengers stations with the New Haven line. However, by terminating in the South Bronx, it forced the commuters to change trains to get into Manhattan. People have speculated that if it had continued over the Harlem River and hooked into the line going into Grand Central Terminal, it might (and this is a huge speculation) have survived.
Peter
Very interesting exhibit. Thanks for the pictures. It's hard to believe that a railroad used to run to where the Westchester Mall now stands. The remains of the NYW&B in Westchester are still visible today to riders on Metro-North.
MELGAR
MELGAR posted:Very interesting exhibit. Thanks for the pictures. It's hard to believe that a railroad used to run to where the Westchester Mall now stands. The remains of the NYW&B in Westchester are still visible today to riders on Metro-North.
MELGAR
Mel.......the site of the station was where B Altman's used to be. That building is now gone and the Galleria occupies the land.
There are a lot of interesting books on the subject and I'll put some suggestions up.
Many of the old stations on the line to White Plains became private homes or businesses. Some morphed into strip malls. The Westchester Avenue station in the South Bronx (shared with the NH) still stands but is in horrible shape.man
My interest in this railroad goes back to 1967 when I was a freshman at Cardinal Spellman High School. After getting off the 12A bus at Williamsbridge Rd and walking to the Esplanade, I descended into the Dyre Avenue Subway station, a station unlike any other IRT station I had previously been in (my line is the 6, Pelham Bay). All the stations along the line were like it: ornate and out of pace with what I had been used to......only years later (late 80s) did I discover that they were remnants of the defunct NYW&B.
If fact, my dad (who would be 95 later this year if he was still with us) told me about the NYW&B. He would pick it up in Larchmont and take it to the south Bronx and then change to the #4 for the ride to Yankee Stadium. He got his Yankee tickets from Lou Gehrig and Ed Barrow.... he used to deliver groceries to them.
Peter
NEW HAVEN ALCO DL-109s basking in their glory!
I love them all; my favorite is the McGinnis,
This is a second Larchmont Station, called Larchmont Gardens for the NYW&B. They shared the main Larchmont Station with the New Haven and shared the Mamaroneck, Harrison and Port Chester stations with the NH. It has survived as a Girl Scout office. The NH 4 track main line is right behind it.
Peter
ctr posted:NEW HAVEN ALCO DL-109s basking in their glory!
I love them all; my favorite is the McGinnis,
How I wished the new MTH offering was in Hunter Green!
However, I do love them all!
Peter
Peter, have you considered incorporating features of the New York, Westchester & Boston on your own layout?
I'm starting to do that with the Putnam Division of the NY Central (the Put) and my layout. Arnold
Putnam Division posted:This is a second Larchmont Station, called Larchmont Gardens for the NYW&B. They shared the main Larchmont Station with the New Haven and shared the Mamaroneck, Harrison and Port Chester stations with the NH. It has survived as a Girl Scout office. The NH 4 track main line is right behind it.
Peter
Peter,
Thanks for posting. I intend to take Metro-North down to Larchmont and have a look at this station. Fascinated by the NYW&B and history of Westchester County.
MELGAR
ctr posted:NEW HAVEN ALCO DL-109s basking in their glory!
I love them all; my favorite is the McGinnis,
Cool stuff and great locomotives! Living in New Hampshire USA now all my non train friends see NH New Haven and think it’s New Hampshire. I gave up trying to explain.
MELGAR posted:Putnam Division posted:This is a second Larchmont Station, called Larchmont Gardens for the NYW&B. They shared the main Larchmont Station with the New Haven and shared the Mamaroneck, Harrison and Port Chester stations with the NH. It has survived as a Girl Scout office. The NH 4 track main line is right behind it.
Peter
Peter,
Thanks for posting. I intend to take Metro-North down to Larchmont and have a look at this station. Fascinated by the NYW&B and history of Westchester County.
MELGAR
Mel........it’s probably about a mile to a mile and a half away from the main Larchmont Station........it’s off of Weaver St, to the north, on Harmon Drive and between I-95 and the New Haven/Metro North tracks.......and just a few blocks from Walter’s Hot Dog stand on Palmer Avenue.
Peter
Putnam Division posted:MELGAR posted:Putnam Division posted:This is a second Larchmont Station, called Larchmont Gardens for the NYW&B. They shared the main Larchmont Station with the New Haven and shared the Mamaroneck, Harrison and Port Chester stations with the NH. It has survived as a Girl Scout office. The NH 4 track main line is right behind it.
Peter
Peter,
Thanks for posting. I intend to take Metro-North down to Larchmont and have a look at this station. Fascinated by the NYW&B and history of Westchester County.
MELGAR
Mel........it’s probably about a mile to a mile and a half away from the main Larchmont Station........it’s off of Weaver St, to the north, on Harmon Drive and between I-95 and the New Haven/Metro North tracks.......and just a few blocks from Walter’s Hot Dog stand on Palmer Avenue.
Peter
Thanks for the directions.
MELGAR
Here are 4 books that tell the story of the NYW&B, including its relationship with the New Haven.....some great pictures and great railroad history.
Number 1 is an excellent book.
Number 2 is an excellent book.
Book number 3 is just fabulous. Not only does it talk about the NYW&B, but has chapters on the Putnam Division of the New York Central, the Getty Square branch of the Putnam Division, the New Haven's electrification project, and a chapter on proposals for RRs that got into the planning stage or early construction phase, but never went further.....
Book number 4 is my least favorite....more about finances and politics.....I could have done without it.......or better, seen a one paragraph summary.....
Peter
Guys,
The New Haven has been one of my favorite road and I may have posted on this thread before, but it's been quite a while. But being in S gauge limits the offerings available in RTR. Yeah, there's EP-5s, RS3s and 11's, U-boats, Geep 9's, Alco PA's and FA's, even TrainMasters. Also available is freight and passenger rolling stock, but sometimes you want something out of the ordinary. I've always liked the Osgood.Bradley cars, and AC Gilbert made them, but were shortened. So after picking a few shells at York a few years ago, I started "stretching" them to full length. Here's one of the six I've been working on:
The white line is a piece of styrene inserted to take the place of the saw kerf. Here's how the primered cars compare with a stock Gilbert car:
Research told me that the floors were a black and blue square tile arrangement. So a bit if computer fiddling and printing gave me the floors. The bulkheads are inserts in the shell, and seats are available (which will be painted a dark blue). The lower car is the "smoking" car with a different seat arrangement. The frames are made of sheet styrene using trucks from American Models:
The shells are painted Tru-Color Pullman Green with black roofs. Dry transfer lettering will be applied when the paint cures, then overcoated with a flat finish:
Motive power? A couple of years ago a friend gave me an AA set of DL-109 shells from American HiRail (now defunct) to paint. Being ALco units, power trucks are available as well as frames from American Models, so here's what they look like now:
They'll eventually be painted in the "as delivered" Pullman Green/Dulux Gold" scheme. I have decals, but they're quite different as to application, and I'm wary of using them. I may do the shells in paint rather than use the decals. Not sure yet.
I'm not a fast worker on train things since I have a 1920's house, two grandkids, a hot rod in the garage, a part time job and TONS of yard work. Plus we're thinking of moving within a year. So progress in incremental, if at all. The cars will probably be done before the locomotives, and I'll post a photo when that happens.
Will this be a "contest quality" model? No. But it will present itself well on any layout. I just don't have that kind of time to spend any more. Sometimes you just have to say that close enough is good enough, right?
Great thread, and some great info and ideas, but I'm NOT changing to O gauge.... 
Jerry Poniatowski Wayne, Michigan
As a PS to my previous post, here's a set on my layout that I ginned up from a new Lionel Flyer EP-5 and repainted junker passenger cars with a head end boxcar. It represents a set that Gilbert made in the 50's that I couldn't afford then, and still can't. So I made my own...
Outstanding work Jerry! The Osgood Bradley cars are superb.
PAUL ROMANO posted:Outstanding work Jerry! The Osgood Bradley cars are superb.
Thanks, Paul. I'll post photos of the finished cars if and when they're done....
A fellow S gauger and master model railroader published a great how-to on making these cars a few years ago. A fun project, but tedious. I estimate at least 10 hours in each car when finished.
Jerry -- really nice work. I hadn't realized how much the Gilbert S-gauge cars had been shortened. I think my very first AF train was two of these coaches, the companion baggage car and a Pennsy K-5 pacific (nevermind mixing the railroads...). Turns out there is an even longer prototype version (with 11 of the double windows instead of the ten you are doing). You no doubt have seen the pictures from here: http://www.railwayclassics.com/amflyer.htm
The other interesting thing about these cars is that they were referred to as "American Flyer" coaches, referencing Gilbert's models. Given that the prototypes were first built ca 1937, the "American Flyer" name must have referred to the 3/16 scale, O-gauge versions of these cars (done in sheet metal) that Gilbert made pre-war (ca 1940).
- Rich
Video shows New Haven Railroad ALCO S2 #0617 pulling a freight train across one of the truss bridges on the O-36 inner loop of my 12’-by-8’ layout. The engine is an MTH Premier model with PS3 and the view is from the rear of the layout.
MELGAR
A well done layout MELGAR. Does the layout extended across the room from the other side of the truss bridges ? I noticed some trains in the video opposite the bridges.
Seacoast posted:A well done layout MELGAR. Does the layout extended across the room from the other side of the truss bridges ? I noticed some trains in the video opposite the bridges.
Thank you. Very observant. I built a completely separate 10'-by-5' layout on the other side of the room. There is no connection between the two layouts. The other layout is modular and was specifically designed to be moved if necessary. You can see a video and photos of the other layout at the link below.
MELGAR
Melgar.......both layouts are beautiful. You have a great eye for scenery details.....
Peter
Putnam Division posted:Melgar.......both layouts are beautiful. You have a great eye for scenery details.....
Peter
Peter,
Thank you. You are welcome to visit when you're in Connecticut.
MELGAR
MELGAR posted:Seacoast posted:A well done layout MELGAR. Does the layout extended across the room from the other side of the truss bridges ? I noticed some trains in the video opposite the bridges.
Thank you. Very observant. I built a completely separate 10'-by-5' layout on the other side of the room. There is no connection between the two layouts. The other layout is modular and was specifically designed to be moved if necessary. You can see a video and photos of the other layout at the link below.
MELGAR
A reminder, Mel's excellent craftsmanship and his 10X5 layout was featured in OGR Run 304.
Ron
Well, three weeks later, I finally found time to letter my Osgood/Bradley cars using pressure sensitive lettering from Clover House in S scale. I told you guys I work s-l-o-w-l-y due to many other things happening this time of year. Anyway, here's what they look like after a four hour lettering session:
The bottom three (of six) are the "stretched" Gilbert cars and the top one is a Gilbert offering that is very close to the B60B cars that New Haven had. The roof isn't quite right, but it's a fast project and "close enough" car for me (cheap too since I got the body shell for $5). I'd like to spray the flat finish on all seven cars this week, but we're hosting a lot of family for Thanksgiving. When they're back on wheels, I'll post another photo or two. Then, it's on to the interior details and lighting! Even if I don't get the DL-109s done, my EP-5 can take up the front end. And McGinnis rules! I'd do my DL-109s in McGinnis, but NH only had one in that livery.
And, Rich, thanks for the link to the Railway Classic site. I've used their photos for a lot of other projects.
This is a great thread, and I'm having a fun time perusing everyone's NH trains! At times, I'm glad I'm not in O or HO since I'd go broke buying all that appeals to me! Not that S is all that bereft of items, though.
Hope all out there will have a safe and meaningful holiday!
Photos and videos show my Sunset/3rd Rail New Haven Budd Rail Diesel Cars #21 and #121 running on my 12’-by-8’ layout. Very finely detailed, well made and smooth-running models.
Photos and videos by:
MELGAR
MELGAR posted:Photos and videos show my Sunset/3rd Rail New Haven Budd Rail Diesel Cars #21 and #121 running on my 12’-by-8’ layout. Very finely detailed, well made and smooth-running models.
Photos and videos by:
MELGAR
Gorgeous.
Arnold
Very nice Melgar!
I was fortunate to visit Mel's layout. Detailing is amazing on this beautiful layout.
I found time to do more on my Osgood Bradley cars. Most of you know that they were referred to as "American Flyer" cars due Gilbert making S models of them, even though the Gilbert cars were shortened. Anyway, I over coated them with Tamaya flat. I painted 237 seats for the six cars with a custom paint I had left over from a previous project.
Each seat needs to be mounted on a .125" square piece of styrene to make it the correct height. It takes TIME! I was only able to do one car with all the Holiday things going on, but here's one car's floor with seats:
One of the six cars I've ginned up is a "smoking" car with a slightly different seating arrangement. Photos when I get to it.
Jerry -- your inside and outside job on the American Flyer NH coaches is really super - you have a great eye and apparently a very steady hand... I'm always in awe of folks that can do lettering with press-on letters/digits one at a time and keep the spacing even, the line straight and every thing 'square'! When I try to do things like this myself, its funny how your eye always finds your mistake(s), even though you know that everyone else won't see it...
My Gilbert versions of these cars (in fair condition given their age -- like their owner ) are the first on my list of passenger cars to install LED lighting when I get the time. My plan is to simply run the LED strip along the floor and keep the paper diffuser inside the windows. Are you planning to light your cars with all the interior details? Presumably that means running something along the top of the shell?
richs09 posted:Jerry -- your inside and outside job on the American Flyer NH coaches is really super - you have a great eye and apparently a very steady hand... I'm always in awe of folks that can do lettering with press-on letters/digits one at a time and keep the spacing even, the line straight and every thing 'square'! When I try to do things like this myself, its funny how your eye always finds your mistake(s), even though you know that everyone else won't see it...
My Gilbert versions of these cars (in fair condition given their age -- like their owner
Rich,
Thanks for the kind words. The lettering was a fun part, and getting it right is indeed taxing on the patience. But don't look TOO closely, or you'll find mistakes on mine too.
I have a number of these Gilbert cars too and my 7 year old grandson loves the 8 car Red New Haven Train, as he calls it. But for some crazy reason, I wanted some cars that were closer to scale length. The very early ones were made of an acetyl plastic which warps over time. Later ones were a styrene plastic which is much more stable. Those are the ones I "butchered". But since the shells were junk box purchases at York a year ago for less than $5 per car, my conscience is clear.
I left the large blob of plastic on the inside of the roofs from the injection process alone but flattened them out so I can screw a circuit board with LEDs on the inside of the roof. The wires will run through the washrooms so as not to be seen through the windows. Those windows will be frosted as on the prototype cars for privacy. There will be a 2 conductor mini connector between the shell and frame to allow removal of the shell if necessary. I just need a good constant voltage circuit for the 4 or 5 LEDs I plan on using. If anybody out there has a suggestion for one, or knows of a ready made board, please let me know.
Did I plan on making a perfect "scale" set of cars? Not really since it involves more work than I want to do. They're not contest quality cars, but more of a "what if Gilbert were still in business today" cars (hint, hint Lionel). They can even negotiate classic Flyer switches without hitting the lever mechanism.
I've rambled on long enough, so enjoy the Holidays guys! Keep up the posts!
Jerry - again, your work is really well done. I'm curious about how you cut the shells - obviously the cuts need to be square and with minimal ragged edge. I also see in your earlier post to this thread that you've added a thin piece of styrene to made sure all of the spaces between the windows are uniform. What glue did you use? Are the chassis done the same way -- cutting the original Gilbert chassis?
In terms of lighting, as I suspect you know, there are a number of posts about circuits and wiring up LED strips. One of the more recent is here, which is a reference to GRJ's constant current circuit. I think his original design was based on working with constant 18VAC track voltage, like you'd use for command/control -- instead of variable AC power like you'd get out of a Gilbert transformer (which is what I use). I don't know what you use for track power. If you look at the attached Word file in the link you'll see a suggestion of using 5 VDC LED strips instead of the "normal" 12 VDC, that way the circuit will start to regulate about where the Gilbert transformers cut in voltage-wise. The circuit board is quite small and I think with some adept building, you might be able to make it thin enough to fit inside one of your end vestibules (since I haven't done that, you can take this suggestion with a grain of salt)...
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