What PRR equipment (passenger) ran on the NH in 1955?

[OldEastRR]

I now model the NH instead of the Pennsy, but I know PRR ran passenger pool equipment and whole trains on the NH. Before I unload all my PRR stuff I'd like to see if any of it can be saved for NH operation..

[bbussey]

Ever since the New York Connecting Railroad was finished in 1917 and through to the PC merger in 1968, the PRR and NH pooled varnish on nearly all of the Washington-New England consists.  PRR baggage, RPOs, coaches, parlors, sleepers and diners, heavyweights and lightweights, all traveled New Haven rails regularly.  It was a rarity that a consist that originated in Washington, was destined for Washington, or passed through Washington did not contain multiple PRR cars.  New Haven sleepers traveled to Florida while New Haven diners traveled to Pittsburgh.  Pennsy equipment traveled to Boston and to Montréal through New England.

Your best bet is to research the timetable consist configurations for the time period desired.  In many cases, the PRR cars were specified in the generic consist make-up.

[sd45elect2000]

The Bar Harbor train would be a very interesting train to model !!

[OldEastRR]

Your best bet is to research the timetable consist configurations for the time period desired.  In many cases, the PRR cars were specified in the generic consist make-up.

Where can I obtain such documents?

[thomasjmdavis]

There is a lot of info in PRR consist books.  For example, check trains 109 and 131- which show PRR and ACL head end equipment from NH trains transferring in NY to PRR trains for the trip south (see the "remarks" in the right hand column for NH train numbers).  Farther down the list (p54) is joint PRR-NH train #163, which is referenced in trains 109 and 131- with full consist for that train.  No doubt others.  I have found that the PRR consist books are very handy even for ATSF and L&N trains, as they exchanged thru cars with many railroads.  For 1955, going through NY-
http://pennsyrr.com/kc/passops/downloads/550424_makeup.pdf

[thomasjmdavis]

PS- if you keep scrolling down past p. 54, there are a number of joint NH-PRR consists.

[OldEastRR]

Thank you! I'm not looking to duplicate prototype trains (as I can't do even proto NH consists with what's available) but I'd like the flavor of PRR in the mix. Did the ACL cars run all the way to Boston?

[thomasjmdavis]

Based on consists, I would give a guarded "yes" to the question on ACL cars running to Boston.  A couple of the PRR-NH consists in that list show ACL coaches or head end equipment.  The ACL timetable I have shows the trains as "connecting" trains north of NYC, but it is clear from the PRR-NH consists that some equipment ran through to/from Boston.  Equipment on the PRR-ACL trains was pooled (plus some from RF&P and FEC), and there was commonly a mix of PRR and ACL equipment on any given train when it reached Jacksonville or Miami.  Total of 5 trains each way most days, 6 or 7 in the winter (the Florida trains were longer in the winter, and there were winter only trains from NYC and Chicago).

The Champions were the top line trains and would likely be all stainless steel and pulled by "elite" locomotives.  At the other end was the Everglades- by the mid 50s, essentially a mail train with a couple coaches and a Pullman attached (and diner lounge?).

It is all in those PRR listings- at least in terms of what those trains looked like in NYC and over PRR territory.

[bbussey]

ACL baggage cars, definitely. Coaches and sleepers more the exception, as PRR equipment normally would have been assigned the task of traveling Miami-to/from-Boston.

... I can't do even proto NH consists with what's available ...

Sure you can. You easily can create local consists with what’s available commercially and a number of the intercity consists as well. The availability of the Rapido cars covers an extensive amount of equipment prototypical to NH consists, both NH equipment and other roads (especially CN), while Kato and InterMountain cover accurate appropriate PRR equipment. MTL, MDC, RC and WOT provide head-end cars, and the MTL single-pane coach will be released next year to increase the roster.  Obviously plenty of NH accurate motive power exist.

If your looking to replicate a specific intercity consist from a specific date, that will take some doing. But credible consists can be constructed from existing N scale models that accurately represent prototypical equipment that ran in passenger consists on the NH.

[nickelplate759]

Based on consists, I would give a guarded "yes" to the question on ACL cars running to Boston.  A couple of the PRR-NH consists in that list show ACL coaches or head end equipment.  The ACL timetable I have shows the trains as "connecting" trains north of NYC, but it is clear from the PRR-NH consists that some equipment ran through to/from Boston.  Equipment on the PRR-ACL trains was pooled (plus some from RF&P and FEC), and there was commonly a mix of PRR and ACL equipment on any given train when it reached Jacksonville or Miami.  Total of 5 trains each way most days, 6 or 7 in the winter (the Florida trains were longer in the winter, and there were winter only trains from NYC and Chicago).

The Champions were the top line trains and would likely be all stainless steel and pulled by "elite" locomotives.  At the other end was the Everglades- by the mid 50s, essentially a mail train with a couple coaches and a Pullman attached (and diner lounge?).

It is all in those PRR listings- at least in terms of what those trains looked like in NYC and over PRR territory.

The East Wind used an ACL car (a tavern-lounge) as well as PRR, NH & B&M equipment all the way through Boston to Portland, ME - but was it discontinued in August 1955.

[OldEastRR]

If your looking to replicate a specific intercity consist from a specific date, that will take some doing. But credible consists can be constructed from existing N scale models that accurately represent prototypical equipment that ran in passenger consists on the NH.

Except for single-window heavyweight coaches and every corrugated lightweight car except the 8600 series coaches. Some of those NH RPOs were doozies, too:


  Oh, Mr. Bussey with your pull with MTL could you please ask them to release the pre-McGinness paint schemes on the first NH single-window coaches? Thanks.

[bbussey]

The MTL RPO is a New Haven prototype.  The WOT 60’ baggage and the Atlas Trainman RPO are close. All three models have been released in NH.

I mentioned the upcoming MTL single-window coach. The prototype already was in New Image paint in 1955.

You can credibly substitute the numerous prototypical PRR models for the missing N scale NH prototypical models.

[Point353]

I mentioned the upcoming MTL single-window coach. The prototype already was in New Image paint in 1955.

Hopefully they will be made available as regular release item rather than exclusively as a (premium priced) NSC/NSE special run.

[OldEastRR]

The MTL RPO is a New Haven prototype.  The WOT 60’ baggage and the Atlas Trainman RPO are close. All three models have been released in NH.

I mentioned the upcoming MTL single-window coach. The prototype already was in New Image paint in 1955.

You can credibly substitute the numerous prototypical PRR models for the missing N scale NH prototypical models.

You make it sound like the heavyweight single-window coach in real life never was in a pre-McGinnis paint scheme.
As it is, I'm still waiting for Atlas to release the NE-5 in the early'50s NH scheme........

[bbussey]

Don’t start. Point being, in the era you model, the coaches already had been repainted.

There were as many NH schemes on the NE5 as there were on the NE6. Eventually Atlas will release them all.