New Haven's Comet

[Anonymous]

What ever happened to the New Haven's Comet? was it scrapped?

[M636C]

The quick answer is yes, it was scrapped, I think in the early post WWII period.

It was never very reliable, apparently, and an Atlantic and two cars were held in reserve from the beginning to replace it. After WWII, it was not competitive with normal trains with DL109s and PA-1s, either in speed or comfort.

It is covered in the Staufer "New Haven Power" book and in the book "New York Central and the Trains of the Future". I think there has been a reference to it in "Classic Trains" some time ago.

Peter

[cnw1995]

What's the name of that streamliner that has been under renovation in the north east - it won a Trains grant a year or so ago I seem to remember.

[passengerfan]

The name of that train is the Flying Yankee under renoovation. Now about the Comet it lasted into the early 1950's before being set aside and scrapped. The route of the Comet was only 44 miles in length and it was double ended so it was unneccessary to turn at terminals. It began each morning in Providence and ran to South Station Boston with a stop at Back Bay. It was scheduled to make the trip in 44 minutes each way including the stop at Back Bay. The train had two Power cab units with 48 seats and the center car seated 64. The two power units each operated an early Westinghouse Beardsmore diesel developing 400 hp each. Some sources list the train as operating five round trips daily and other sources mention six round trips daily. The Comet was painted Blue and White and was a product of the Goodyear-Zeppelin Co. one of the first instances of an aircraft (albiet Airship) manufacturer trying their hand at railroad passenger service. The diesels were trouble prone being early production models and they probably could have managed a few additional years service from the Comet by re-engining after the war but the New Haven was able to replace the Comet with regular train service with New York - Boston trains operating through Providence.