Vol. 40: The New York, New Haven and Hartford

Bill Aldrige’s HO-scale New York, New Haven and Hartford model railroad is the result of exhaustive research and outstanding scratch building. Bill fell in love with the real New Haven as a kid, and his devotion continued through his working years as a member of the railroad’s Board of Directors. So it was only natural that the layout with authentic details in his basement would become a museum for his memories of majestic days past, and a place for Bill to house and display his enormous fleet of scratch-built steam engines and passenger cars.

The NYNH&H layout runs a loop around the edge of Bill’s 50×75-foot basement, designed just so because Bill’s main goal with the layout was reproducing scenes along his beloved New Haven shoreline. He completed it in only three years after the original version was torn down after 20 years. The minimum radius is 50 inches with flex track, and the benchwork is made of 2x4s bolted to the walls. Join us for an in-depth tour around the layout as we begin to make our way out of Providence, Rhode Island.

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2:16

Overview of the New York, New Haven and Hartford

This is the New York, New Haven and Hartford model railroad of Bill Aldrige. This HO layout is the result of extensive historical research and superb scratch-building skills. Bill fell in love with the New Haven as a child and this devotion continued through his working years as a member of the Board of Directors.…
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5:13

Touring the New York, New Haven and Hartford

We begin the tour of Bill Aldrig’s New York, New Haven and Hartford model railroad with the Boston Local train number 555 leaving the Providence Union Station. To the right is coach yard 17. The consist today is an RPO baggage car and two American Flyer coaches. The train powered by a Class I-1 Light…
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11:21

Operations on the New York, New Haven and Hartford

Operations on the New York, New Haven and Hartford model railroad of Bill Aldrige begin at the Charles Street Engine facility as a 282 heads for the roundhouse. It left the New England local at the Northrup Avenue Yard. A K1B mobile from Charles Street backs to the New London local PN1 as the streamlined…
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13:43

Owner Inspiration and Techniques on the New Haven

In this video, learn about the owner inspirations and techniques on the New York, New Haven and Hartford model railroad of Bill Aldrige with Allen Keller. At the Charles Street Engine facility, a 282 heads for the roundhouse. It left a New London local at the Northrup Avenue Yard. A K1B mobile from Charles Street…
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8:28

Scratchbuilt Cars and Buildings with Bill Aldrige

Bill Aldrige, owner of the New York, New Haven and Hartford shows one of the scratchbuilt coaches. Built from brass sheeting, these cars were built by the Pullman Standard company out of Chicago in 1930. The model has complete interior details including roof lights, lamps and activated air conditioning. On the interior, the vestibules operate,…
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2:30

Power and Signal Lines on the New Haven

Bill Aldrige’s New York, New Haven and Hartford model railroad layout is highly detailed. The layout has a detail that most layouts don’t have – the power and signal lines running with telephone and signal poles. Bill decided to include them simply because they were there. He used spandex for stringing the telegraph wire. The…
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2:54

Techniques for Realistic Locomotives with Bill Aldrige

For owner Bill Aldrige, the challenge of weathering the New York, New Haven and Hartford was that the railroad was not noted for keeping their power clean. With the number of passenger trains the railroad had, they had no time to wash the engines. It was an interesting challenge to reproduce the grime and discoloration,…
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3:58

Laying Track and Ballast with Bill Aldrige

The track on Bill Aldrige’s New York, New Haven and Hartford looks very realistic. His secret for replicating good looking track is using the three rail sizes that come in sections and look very realistic. The track sections are simply placed on top of the roadbed and a mixture of ballast is applied followed by…
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7:32

Creating River Waves with Bill Aldrige

Modeler of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Bill Aldrige’s approach to modeling the Mystic River and all the river and water scenes is something that Allen Keller has never seen. Bill has created unusual depth using an idea from the Smithsonian Institute. A number of years ago he was looking at the military…
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