Monday, September 30, 2019

Israel Putanm



About the Israel Putnam posted yesterday.  This is one of the many New Haven Railroad items I purchased over the years before refining my modeling period and location.  The prototype car was purchased from Pullman when it divested itself of most of its sleepers in the late 1940’s. Looking at NH Consist lists, which I have a few, but not an all-inclusive list by any means.  The earliest I have found the Israel Putnam listed is in 1942, still owned by the Pullman Company, and assigned to the Federal, train 172-173.  The train carried 6 12-1 Pullmans, all with ice a/c.  The next consist list I have is the spring of 1950 and it had moved over to the Montrealer, travelling between Penn Station and St. Albans. By 1952 it was listed as a spare with only two train carrying 12-1 Pullmans at that time, the Federal and trains 55-56, travelling from Grand Central Station and Springfield MA.  The only New Haven owned 12-1’s in regular service had mechanical a/c, cars with ice a/c were spares.

Demand for sleeping car accommodations changed after WWII, the demand for open sections dropped rapidly, single bedroom became much more popular, giving much more privacy.  The NH’s 14-4 Pullmans filled tis gap, 10-6 cars from the PRR and other railroads seemed to become much more the standard layout for new cars being constructed in the post war era.  The only thing that really kept any demand for the open sections was that for many government workers, that is all the government would cover for travel. This is the reason that the NH bought new cars with open sections in 1955, the 11 Beach series cars with 6 open sections.  The purchase of the NH’s 27 14-4 Point series cars pretty much doomed the 12-1 cars from most services. 

By the 1955 consist list, all the 12-1 ice a/c cars were set aside at Boston.  Only three mechanical a/c cars were in service, and only as spares. The 1957 list shows the same.  By 1962 consist list has zero heavyweight cars listed and 18 out of the 42 lightweight sleepers as spare.  This shows how much the demand had dropped.  This is the time frame that picture of NH cars show up on railroads such as the Rio Grande, trying to find a way to earn their keep.  By the end of the NH, many cars were leased to the LIRR for use as private room cars for day time service from NYC to the east end of Long Island.

So this long diatribe about post war sleepers on the NH.  My 1958 layout really has no need for the Israel Putnam.  I am not even sure if they are set aside, if they can be used on camp or troop movements.  The same with holiday movements were additional cars may be needed.  I car was pained in PRR colors along with a couple of other NH sleepers to match the PRR cars, this car lasted at least until 1955 in that paint scheme.  I am sure once I am finally operating the layout, the car will show up on the occasional extra camp train.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Low Hanging Fruit

As you can tell, I have been doing work on my layout room.  I have been making good time with it and have been happy with the progress.  The room has not only to hold my layout, it is also my model workshop, regular tool storage and also rehearsal space for multiple small bands.  Both of my sons are musicians and are in different bands that rehears here.  I am also working on being able to record them as well.  One is a drummer, so it always is easier to have rehearsals here, the other is a trombone player.  Both also play around with other instruments as well.

Work on the basement came to a halt this week as my new home heating supplier informed me my oil line from the oil tank to the furnace is not up to code and they will not deliver until it is replaced.  The current line is bare copper, not the plastic coated copper and the ends are not flared at the joints.  So the good news is it is not a huge expense as it is not a great distance, but I have to move all the crap stuff that is stored over and near where the line runs.  So all the stuff has been moved out of that section of that basement, into the nice clean and refinished section.  Fortuitously this will only happen for a couple of weeks until they come and fix it.  In the mean time I have been looking throw some old unfinished projects and have been able to finish them up.

New Haven Railroad 44 Tonner 0811 s it appeared in 1958.  I finally gave it a
light amount of weather it it, as well as the box car behind it using Pan Pastels.

12-1 Pullman Israel Putnam.  This Branchline kit was about 2/3 complete
 sitting in a box. I do still need to add window shades and some light
weathering, particularly on the underframe.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Wauregan, CT

Wauregan, CT is a section of Plainfield CT.  It is also a location of three major customers on the line, American Standard, who built a brand new plant there in 1957/1958, a large gravel pit and Wauregan Grain.  The gravel pit has been replaced by a company that make cast concrete pipe.  The American Standard building is now a large warehouse for a few companies including Staples, but with not rail service.  At least the spur is still in place for potential future use.  Wauregan Grain is still in business and has been expanding as other regional dealers close.  Below are photos I took on September 7, 2019.





Former gravel bit north of the crossing.







North end of the grain dealer.














The former American Standard Plant, this is the north wall.