I like the NH boxcars painted all orange and the black ones with orange doors but the few pictures I have they all show dates of 1955 and newer. Were they painted before then?
I have a photo of one of the NH S-O-M cars and it looks like the date is 1952. Are they suitable too? I model 10-54 and try to keep things accurate but it's hard.
Thanks,
oldline1
Pat McGuinness,who instiuted the "New Look" took over as president of the NH in 1954, so cars with the paint schemes you are asking about probably would be rare or non-existant in October 1954. Here's something I dug up
"40' PS-1 boxcars (Micro-Trains and Atlas models) never were repainted in the black New Image scheme (with red-orange door) or the red-orange New Image scheme. Some were repainted in the boxcar red Alpert block herald scheme in the early 1960s. The 40' AAR boxcars (InterMountain's 1937 and Pacemaker models) were repainted in the two New Image schemes as they were sold, refurbished and leased back to the railroad beginning in 1955. The black scheme and the red-orange scheme were used simultaneously. But plenty of boxcars retained their script herald scheme, particularly the 40' PS-1s. The 50' PS-1s were delivered in New Image schemes — all red-orange for the double door version (Athearn model), and red-orange with black doors and sills for the plug door version (Athearn and Micro-Trains models). All of the 40' DF PS-1s kept the script herald scheme well into the PC era. The bulk of the State of Maine XIH boxcars (ESM model) were repainted into the boxcar red Alpert block herald scheme in the early/mid 1960s, although a handful retained the SoM scheme well into the PC era. There was no New Image scheme that was all-black on any of the boxcar classes."
Prior to the "New Look" (thank Mr Dior foor the term) boxcars were delivered in boxcar red with the script herald
https://www.protocraft.com/category.cfm?Itemid=259&Categoryid=20
Post 1951 repaints were in oxide red (also known as oxide brown) with the block herald
https://www.protocraft.com/category.cfm?Itemid=1103&Categoryid=20
BTW, the "New Look" red color is actually "Socony Red" and is available from various manufacturers
Here's a model example of "Oxide Red" or "Oxide Brown"
https://www.brasstrains.com/BrassGuide/Pdg/Detail/42369/HO-Rolling-Stock-Crown-Custom-Imports-CCI-263P-New-Haven-BOX-CAR
"AAR 1937" was a design standardized by the Aoociation of American Railroads in 1937
"PS-1" was a proprietary design introduced post-WW2 by Pullman Standard - they were cheaper than customized designs as PS could essentially mass produce them. "You tell us what to paint it, we'll do the rest"
Many thanks! Helpful links too!
Oldline,
The simplest answer to your question is, the red, white and blue, State of Maine, insulated/heated 40 foot boxacars were a 100 car addition to the Bangor and Aroostook's order for such cars, built in 1953.
Patrick B. McGinnis became president of the New Haven in 1954 and had a new image for the railroad instituted in 1955. The new scheme was the brainchild of a fellow named Herbert Matter, appearing on New Haven's new General Electric built EP-5 electric locomotives, as well as the 40 foot boxcars being refurbished under a scheme where the cars were sold, went through the program, and were leased back. Any 40 boxcars in these schemes should have a 1955 or later shop/repaint date. After the ruinous reign of PBM was over on the NH, and he had moved on to the Boston and Maine, the New Haven was again in bankruptcy. George Alpert was named to rescue the New Haven. As part of a cost-cutting move, the flashy McGinnis paint on the 40 foot boxcars was toned down to a much more conservative oxide red with white lettering, retaining the large block N over H, as a herald.
As attractive as those McGinnis cars are, anything with the large block NH, would not be appropriate for a layout with a 10-54 cutoff. The red, white and blue SOM cars are fine.
Thanks for all the info. Seems PBM ruined everything he touched.
Looks like many railroads made changes in 1955 with their paint schemes. Bright colors replacing BCR and speed style lettering and new heralds.
Must have been something in the Kool-Aid!
Always liked the NH. Growing up in Baltimore in the 1950s-60s I remember seeing many NH passenger cars coming through Baltimore on the Pennsy.
Do you know anything about NH hoppers coming down to mines on the Western Maryland for steam coal in the 1940-55 era? I have seen it mentioned in various WM publications over the years but never seen any details or photos.
It would be logical. The cars'route would be Western Maryland to Reading at Connellsville, Reading to either Lehigh and New England or Lehigh and Hudson River at Allentown and delivered to the New Haven at Maybrook. From Maybrook over the Poughkeepsie Bridge for distribution to lower New England. As you know, New England has no power sources other than hydro, so much of its coal (both anthracite (Eastern PA) and bituminous (Western PA, MD and WV)) for both electricity and industry came over the Poughkeepsie Gateway, to Danbury, to Derby-Ansonia and the Shoreline to Cedar Hill Yard in New Haven.