Railroad Forums 

  • Besler Steam Train

  • Discussion relating to the NH and its subsidiaries (NYW&B, Union Freight Railroad, Connecticut Company, steamship lines, etc.). up until its 1969 inclusion into the Penn Central merger. This forum is also for the discussion of efforts to preserve former New Haven equipment, artifacts and its history. You may also wish to visit www.nhrhta.org for more information.
Discussion relating to the NH and its subsidiaries (NYW&B, Union Freight Railroad, Connecticut Company, steamship lines, etc.). up until its 1969 inclusion into the Penn Central merger. This forum is also for the discussion of efforts to preserve former New Haven equipment, artifacts and its history. You may also wish to visit www.nhrhta.org for more information.
 #86047  by steemtrayn
 
until I saw an ad for a model of this train, UI never knew it existed What can anyone tell me about it?
 #86169  by eddiebear
 
There's an account of it in Staufer's book New Haven Power and probably the NHRHTA Shoreliner maybe had a article on it.

Two conventional coaches (the power unit was probably a combine) were given rounded rooflines to mimic streamlining and one was fitted with an operating cab and fake Zephyr/Comet style end treatment...at one end. A truck was removed from the cab car and a special power truck with the Besler steam engine was fitted.
The Besler operated for several years into early 1940s almost always between Bridgeport and Waterbury. It was a one of a kind set (the NH had a number of one of a kind things in the roundhouse and on the road over the years) so during World War II, the cars were converted back to conventional locomotive hauled equipment.
If I can get up into my attic soon, I'll see if I can find an employee timetable or two. The Besler (along with the Comet, Shoreliners, Little Shoreliners and for a time gas-electrics) was shown when regularly assigned to particular trains.
 #86277  by eddiebear
 
I had a chance to check at my favorite antiquarian book store in Boston and I checked the copy of NEW HAVEN POWER on the railroad shelf.
The Besler had Zephyr snouts and operating cabs at each end. It was bi-directional. The text says it was quite cranky, but when it ran, it was much cheaper to run than a locomotive powered train. One round-trip was Bridgeport-Waterbury-Hartford.
I've never seen a view that showed the snouts at both ends at same time.