The New Haven RR Image Page -- New Equipment Brochures #4

THE IMAGE PAGE

The 'image page' is where we put a changing variety of New Haven Railroad photographs and advertising material for you to enjoy. Be sure to check back here often because we plan to refresh these images on a regular basis.

New Equipment Brochures #5

June 1st, 2005

The New Haven typically produced some kind of brochure or advertisement for distribution to the public when new equipment arrived on the property, especially new passenger equipment. Here are a few representative examples of publicity material for new equipment dating from the mid 1950s. All items from the collection of Marc Frattasio.

This brochure was distributed on the 1949 model Talgo demonstrator train that was tested and put on public display at a variety of locations across the New Haven during the early summer of 1954. A nearly identical brochure, featuring New Haven and New York Central logos and portrait photos of Patrick McGinnis and Robert Young, was also produced for distribution at locations such as Boston, New York City, Springfield, and Worcester where the two railroads shared large passenger stations.

Front cover of a brochure that was distributed on the 1955 model Talgo demonstrator train that was put on public display by the New Haven at the Eastern States Fair in Springfield, MA during the late summer/early fall of 1955.

Here's the interior of the brochure referenced above. ACF's 1955 model Talgo train, which was redesigned in part due to input from the New Haven, differed from the fully articulated Spanish-style 1949 model in that it was composed of a series of free-standing three-unit cars that could be added to or removed from Talgo trains in the manner of conventional passenger equipment.

Early (summer of 1955) magazine advertisement for the New Haven's Budd RDC train, which was at that time called the "Flying Cloud" but which was later named the "Roger Williams". This is the configuration of the Budd train before it was cosmetically restyled by Knoll Associates designer Marcel Breuer.

Later magazine advertisement for a variety of Budd-built passenger trains, including the New Haven's "Roger Williams". This advertisement depicts the "Roger Williams" train as redesigned by Marcel Breuer. Note the red "Mars light" on the nose of the lead unit, an interesting conceptual design feature that was not carried through to the actual train.

Magazine advertisement from late 1955 depicting an artist's rendition of the New Haven's "John Quincy Adams" Talgo train. Although the New Haven would not receive the "John Quincy Adams" from ACF and F-M for more than a year, the actual appearance of the train would change very little from what's seen here.

Late 1955 magazine advertisement depicting the Fairbanks-Morse "Speed Merchant" locomotive designed for the "John Quincy Adams" Talgo train. These were the first dual-power locomotives light enough to operate on the Park Avenue viaduct. F-M thought that the New Haven would buy numerous copies of the dual-powered unit, perhaps in a Trainmaster carbody. However, EMD got sixty orders for FL-9s instead.

The New Haven planned to test and display the General Motors Aerotrain during early 1956, just as it had done with the original 1949 model Talgo train during the summer of 1954. Special Aerotrain brochures were printed up, including this example. However, incoming New Haven president George Alpert cancelled the Aerotrain test and demonstration session shortly after Patrick McGinnis' departure from the railroad in January 1956.