Switchers

In New Haven nomenclature, DEY stood for Diesel-Electric Yard locomotive. In other words, a switcher. In practice, many of these locomotives were commonly seen assigned to road service on local freights. 

Paint Schemes

Although the switchers were initially delivered in a very utilitarian scheme of DuPont Duco Pullman Green with Imitation Gold lettering and black frames and trucks, they developed a number of more colorful schemes in the postwar era. Locomotives delivered in 1946 or later wore new Hunter Green and Warm Orange schemes, also DuPont Duco lacquer paint, and numerous variations were applied to some of the older locomotives as well. Hunter Green was changed to Pullman Green lacquer c1950, then 401 Exterior Green enamel in late 1953. This resulted in six different switcher schemes during the era I model.

I have created a spreadsheet with all of the documented schemes worn by all NH diesel switchers. This only includes locomotives that I have been able to verify from records or photos. Photos of the switcher schemes are in this blog post.

DEY-3 (Alco S-1)

I have yet to find a photograph of one on the New Hartford local, which was the assignment in my era. But Jack Swanberg took a photo of 0967 when he was the fireman for December 1, 1961. The usual 44-tonner was being shopped, so 0967 handled the duties that day. Here it is at the Main St. end of New Britain Yard, in front of Armour. Interestingly, 0967 was the same locomotive assigned to the New Hartford local in 1949.

By far the largest class of diesel-electric switchers on the New Haven, the S-1 was used both in the yards and on local freights. The cab was slightly shorter and 'flatter' than the Alco standard for clearance in the electric zone.

They had Crosby (maybe Hancock) 3-chime air whistles, instead of horns.

Paint Schemes

Delivery Scheme 0931-0970: Pullman Green with Imitation Gold lettering. Black underframe. These locomotives had radiator louvers that were flush with the car side.

1946 Scheme: Pullman (?) Green Cab with Warm Orange on the back of the cab and the entire hood except a small Pullman Green fillet on bottom of hood at the cab. Black underframe. Warm Orange script herald on cab. The green was changed to Hunter Green in 1947, but the old green wasn't notated. 0915, 0933, 0939, and 0947 may have been the only locomotives to wear this scheme.

Delivery Scheme 0971-0995: Hunter Green Cab with Warm Orange on the back of the cab and the entire hood except a small Hunter Green fillet on bottom of hood at the cab. Black underframe. Warm Orange script herald on cab. The radiator louvers protruded out from the hood sides slightly on these locomotives. A handful of other DEY-3 locomotives also received this scheme.

1950 Scheme: Pullman Green Cab with Warm Orange on the back of the cab and the entire hood except a small Hunter Green fillet on bottom of hood at the cab. Black underframe. Warm Orange script herald on cab. Only 0602 and 0603 have been documented in this scheme.

1951 Scheme: Pullman Green Cab and top of the hood, with Warm Orange on the back of the cab and the rest of the hood except a small Pullman Green fillet on bottom of hood at the cab. Black underframe. Warm Orange script herald on cab. About half of the DEY-5 locomotives received this scheme.

DEY-4 (GE 44-tonner)

DEY-4 0802 at New Britain Yard, 1949. Jim Karl.

Although originally marketed as Alco-GE locomotives, they were built by GE and later ads designated them as such.

Delivery of the 44-tonner began with 7 (0800-0806) Phase Ic locomotives in 1941. These are easily identifiable due the radiator louvers being on the side of the hood instead of the end, and 3 small vent doors at the top of each side door. The first one had a single ladder on each side (phase Ib). This was eventually reconfigured, effectively making it a phase Ic.

The next 10 locomotives (0807-0816) were Phase III 44-tonners with the louvres on the ends of the hoods and short hood hatch covers.

The final two locomotives were Phase IVa with minor differences from the prior phase, including no short hood hatch covers, and slightly larger intake vents on the side of the hoods.

They had Wabco A2 horns.

Paint Schemes

Delivery Scheme #0800-0816: Pullman Green, Imitation Gold lettering.

Delivery Scheme #0817, 0818: Hunter Green cab with Warm Orange hood and black frame. Warm Orange script herald on the cab. Some of the earlier DEY-4s were repainted in this scheme.

1950 Scheme: Pullman Green Cab with Warm Orange on the back of the cab and the entire hood except a small Hunter Green fillet on bottom of hood at the cab. Black underframe. Warm Orange script herald on cab. Only 0602 and 0603 have been documented in this scheme.

1951 Scheme: Pullman Green Cab and top of the hood, with Warm Orange on the back of the cab and the rest of the hood except a small Pullman Green fillet on bottom of hood at the cab. Black underframe. Warm Orange script herald on cab. About half of the DEY-5 locomotives received this scheme.

More Info

I have several posts on the DEY-4 locomotives on the blog here, here and here.

DEY-5 (Alco S-2)

DEY-5 (S-2) 0604  with YN-3 at New Britain Yard. Kent Cochrane, date unknown.

A turbo-charged version of the S-1, they were also used in both yard duty and on local freights. Like the DEY-3s, the cab was slightly shorter and 'flatter' than the Alco standard for clearance in the electric zone.

At some point in 1944 (during the second and final New Haven deliveries) Alco changed from horizontal side radiator louvers to vertical louvers as on their other switchers and road switchers. New Haven locomotives #0600-0608 had horizontal side radiator louvers, the remainder the more common vertical ones.

They had Crosby (maybe Hancock) 3-chime air whistles, instead of horns.

Paint Schemes

Delivery: The then-standard switcher scheme of Pullman Green with Imitation Gold lettering and black frame.

1950 Scheme: Pullman Green Cab with Warm Orange on the back of the cab and the entire hood except a small Hunter Green fillet on bottom of hood at the cab. Black underframe. Warm Orange script herald on cab. Only 0602 and 0603 have been documented in this scheme.

1951 Scheme: Pullman Green Cab and top of the hood, with Warm Orange on the back of the cab and the rest of the hood except a small Pullman Green fillet on bottom of hood at the cab. Black underframe. Warm Orange script herald on cab. About half of the DEY-5 locomotives received this scheme.

DEY Assignments

New Britain is an interesting city to model because there are two locally assigned switchers. Since the entire city is within yard limits, these two engines handle the majority of the local switching.

Other DEY class locomotives were assigned on local Highland freights on the until the delivery of enough road switchers.

Where I have actual engine assignments, I've noted the full date from the documentation. Where it's speculation or based on photos, I've only noted the year.

DEY-3 Assignments

HDX-5 was annulled in late '48, early '49 when K-1-d 479 was removed from service but was reinstated with DEY-3 locomotives during 1949.

DEY-4 Assignments

DEY-5 Assignments

By November 1948 the DEY-5 locomotives were replaced by DERS-2b (RS-2) locomotives.

It's clear from photos that 0604 sometimes handled this job as well. Chris is modeling 0604, so it may make a visit to New Britain every once in a while.

Modeling the DEY Classes

One of the quirks modeling the early New Haven switchers is, with the exception of the DEY-4, all of these locomotives had compressed air whistles instead horns.

In addition, the DEY-3 and DEY-5 classes both had unique "low-clearance" cabs that were flatter than the standard Alco S-1 and S-2 locomotives.

NH DEY-3 Models

I'm using the excellent Proto 2000 models. Like all Life-Like tooling, this is owned by Walthers, although I don't think they've ever done a run of this model. Although it is produced in a NH livery, it's in the 1954 scheme. So I stripped my models with 91% alcohol before making modifications.

Locomotives and Paint Schemes

I'll be modeling two DEY-3 locomotives. These will handle the New Hartford Local in sessions for 1949-1951.

Modifications

Other than the cab and the whistle, there isn't that much to change on these models. The brake chain is quite heavy, so I replaced that. In addition. Life-Like modeled the earlier (and less common) end railing configuration. The pilot needs a couple of missing grab irons as well.

And while they did tool both the flush and protruding radiator louvers, the earlier flush ones were produced with a round fan housing instead of the later (and also more common) square one. 

Parts

Links to other posts on modeling the NH DEY-3.

NH DEY-4 Models

The 44-tonner was built over an extended period of time, resulting in some significant differences in the design of the hoods. An extensive pair of articles in Extra 2200 South magazine designated a number of "phases" based on the external physical characteristics. Of those, the NH had the three most common, Ic, III, and IV. 

Bachmann has a plastic model of Phase IVa, and it's pretty well detailed and also a decent runner except for a chronic issue with the axle gears cracking.

For the earlier versions, W&R brass has the best rendition of Phase Ic and III, although I chose to modify a Bachmann shell for the Phase III.

The announcement of the Rapido model changed this entirely, with all three primary New Haven phases available.

Locomotives and Paint Schemes

NH DEY-5 Models

Like the DEY-3 models, none of the models released in brass or plastic have had the correct New Haven cab profile. I'm using the retooled Atlas models. Both are the early version, with the horizontal radiator shutters.

Locomotives and Paint Schemes

I'll need two DEY-5 locomotives, for the Holyoke freights in 1946-7.

Modifications

Like the S-1, the NH locomotives are fairly "stock." Specific locomotives had different placements of the whistle and sanding lines. It appears that in my era, the S-1s and S-2s had not received any sort of walk-over grate above the fan shutters. Beyond disassembling and stripping the shells of mine (and losing one of the sanding lines) I haven't determined what else I'll need to modify. They will both receive cab signal boxes 3D printed by Jim Lincoln.