Dear HO Scale Customers;

Rapido is pleased to announce the newest release in their New Haven stainless steel passenger car series: The HO Scale 14-4 “Point” Sleeping Cars.

As with other cars in this series, these cars are being developed in association with The New Haven Railroad Historical and Technical Association (NHRHTA).

The “Point”-series sleepers were the New Haven Railroad’s post-war luxury flagships for overnight travel and could be found on trains across the nation. Built by Pullman-Standard beginning in December 1949, these 27 cars had 14 Roomettes and 4 Bedrooms and were named after projecting pieces of land along the southern New England coastline.

As delivered, the cars were painted with an attractive Pullman Green window band and black roof, instead of the normal Hunter Green paint. In the summer of 1955, all New Haven stainless-steel cars were repainted into the McGinnis scheme with the "NH" logos over each truck. The removal of the skirting between the trucks on most of the New Haven’s stainless-steel fleet started in the Fall of 1957.

The Owl, which was the top overnight train between Boston and New York City, ran with up to nine of these cars! Most overnight trains between Philadelphia and Washington D.C., ran with a pair of cars. These trains included, but are not limited to: the Federal, Quaker, and William Penn as well as the New York City to Portland, Maine, State of Maine.

By the 1960s, many of these cars were listed as "spares" and wound up in general Pullman service. Because of this, many 14-4 Sleepers had the opportunity to be seen in other cities around the country such as: Denver, Colorado, Dallas, Texas, and Miami, Florida. that's a long way from home! They were also used on summer camp trains from major east coast cities to northern New England.

After the infamous Penn Central merger in 1969, seven cars were sold to the Long Island Railroad for use in parlour car service out of New York City. Those cars received "LONG ISLAND" letterboards, MTA logo boards and newt names, pertinent to Long Island. They remained in service until the late 1970s.

This Rapido New Haven 14-4 "Point" Sleeping Car Features:

• Accurately designed from original blueprints

• Rapido’s renowned stainless steel finish

• Partial skirting or no skirting as appropriate for each scheme

• Full and correct interior details with extra optional parts

• Track-powered constant lighting for DC and DCC

• Full underbody details

• Operating diaphragms with end gates

• Separate grab irons, factory-installed

• 41-BNO-11 trucks with blackened metal wheels

• 22” minimum radius (18” radius with modification)

• Semi-scale couplers

Order Due Date: October 21, 2024

Anticipated Delivery Date: October 2025

Looking for more Rapido Trains Inc. Passenger Cars & Trains? Click here!