The Rapido New Haven 86xx coaches

backshophoss
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Posts: 1,605

Primary Railroads: AMTK,MNR,NMRX,NYC

The Rapido New Haven 86xx coaches Apr 2, 2017 21:35:15 GMT -5

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Post by backshophoss on Apr 2, 2017 21:35:15 GMT -5

Starting on pg 36 of the April '17 issue of MRN is their review of the Rapido NH 8600 series coaches used
by the New Haven RR,PC,CR,MN,and MBTA.
The 8600's were the mainstay of the New Haven passenger car fleet till the PC "shotgun" wedding/merger
and were cascaded into commuter service,with the last "stands" were the 2 Danbury Conn thru trains on PC/CR/MN,
and out of Boston South Station for PC/MBTA till 1988!
What killed off most of the fleet was internal corrosion of the "cor-ten" steel structure under the
stainless steel sheeting by water,and lack of proper maintaince by NH/PC due to "Bankruptcy".
They reveiwed samples of NH "red",NH "green",and MBTA "purple" with and without the "skirts"
A BIG Thank You needs to be given to the NHRHTA for the help given to Rapido to make these models.
In the same issue on pg 69 is the annoucement of the 86xx series Parlor and Parlor/Lounge,
with 1 or 2 cars picked up by Amtrak in ph I.

For those who model PC,the coaches were renumbered into the 25xx series.
The "McGinnis" red scheme is a NHRHTA exclusive model.
At the end of NH/early PC eras,the cars were used on NY(GCT) to Pittsfield Mass weekend trains
till "A" day as well as "borrowed" on the PC Metro Region trains to Poughkeepsie (Hudson line)
or to Brewster (Harlem line)

rails4dmv
Member

Posts: 184

The Rapido New Haven 86xx coaches Apr 3, 2017 0:15:31 GMT -5

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Post by rails4dmv on Apr 3, 2017 0:15:31 GMT -5

Apr 2, 2017 21:35:15 GMT -5 backshophoss said:

Starting on pg 36 of the April '17 issue of MRN is their review of the Rapido NH 8600 series coaches used
by the New Haven RR,PC,CR,MN,and MBTA.
The 8600's were the mainstay of the New Haven passenger car fleet till the PC "shotgun" wedding/merger
and were cascaded into commuter service,with the last "stands" were the 2 Danbury Conn thru trains on PC/CR/MN,
and out of Boston South Station for PC/MBTA till 1988!
What killed off most of the fleet was internal corrosion of the "cor-ten" steel structure under the
stainless steel sheeting by water,and lack of proper maintaince by NH/PC due to "Bankruptcy".
They reveiwed samples of NH "red",NH "green",and MBTA "purple" with and without the "skirts"
A BIG Thank You needs to be given to the NHRHTA for the help given to Rapido to make these models.
In the same issue on pg 69 is the annoucement of the 86xx series Parlor and Parlor/Lounge,
with 1 or 2 cars picked up by Amtrak in ph I.

For those who model PC,the coaches were renumbered into the 25xx series.
The "McGinnis" red scheme is a NHRHTA exclusive model.
At the end of NH/early PC eras,the cars were used on NY(GCT) to Pittsfield Mass weekend trains
till "A" day as well as "borrowed" on the PC Metro Region trains to Poughkeepsie (Hudson line)
or to Brewster (Harlem line)

Hoss, what would a possible Penn Central commuter train consist be made up of if someone decides to purchase Rapido's PC 8600 cars?
Would it be a mix of the 8600 cars with the upcoming Rapido Lounge/72 seat coaches? I would like to grab some of the PC 8600 cars as they start to hit the stores.
I'll either run them with a PC FL9, GG1 or hold them until Rapido does a black PC EP-5.

backshophoss
Moderator

Posts: 1,605

Primary Railroads: AMTK,MNR,NMRX,NYC

The Rapido New Haven 86xx coaches Apr 3, 2017 1:47:21 GMT -5

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Post by backshophoss on Apr 3, 2017 1:47:21 GMT -5

I remember the 2 Thru trains from Danbury to GCT were about 10-12 cars,most were coaches,there might be 1 car used as a BAR car
on the trip to Danbury,or the Friday run to Pittsfield,if that set was used.
I'm not aware of any Commuter "club" cars on the Danbury sets,like there was on the Harlem/Hudson lines.
When ConnDOT started paying for the service,the 2 thru train sets tended to stay pure green scheme.
Danbury lost the wire in the 1950's,so 4 FL-9's were the normal power,in the PC/CR era,PC black,Patched NH,
or the Blue/yellow nose "Empire" scheme units,2 units back to back per set
The cars had a green window band,black PC hearlds on the square boards,PC letterinmg on the letterboards.
The EP-5's (aka the Jets)went away after the merger to the PRR side.
GG-1's to New Haven were somewhat rare till Amtrak started,because of the gaps at some of the "moveable" Bridges
were good at tearing off pans if they weren't lowered to cross the gaps in the catenary,that was "fixed" by using catch wires on
the pan to keep it from getting too high in the gap areas
For a model set in HO,2 FL-9's,5 coaches,1 parlor/lounge as the BAR car should be fine.
1 FL-9 could do the run if maintained,but would be a streach under PC in "Bankruptcy" status untill
ConnDOT started paying for service....

John Kelley
Guest

The Rapido New Haven 86xx coaches Jun 23, 2024 20:53:52 GMT -5

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Post by John Kelley on Jun 23, 2024 20:53:52 GMT -5

I commuted on the New Haven in its last years from Samford CT. The locomotive hauled trains from New Haven or Danbury had mixtures of cars from the 8600s, American Flhyer and heavyweight cars, A few cars had lounge cars that were used as bar cars, and the two boat-tailed observation cars were equipped with diaphragms and used mid-train as bar cars.

Post by backshophoss on Apr 2, 2017 21:35:15 GMT -5

Post by rails4dmv on Apr 3, 2017 0:15:31 GMT -5

Post by backshophoss on Apr 3, 2017 1:47:21 GMT -5

Post by John Kelley on Jun 23, 2024 20:53:52 GMT -5

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