Rapido HO 134015 PS County Car With Baggage Door, New Haven (McGinnis) “Dukes County” #203

29 Lounge Seats – 2 Roomettes – 1 Drawing Room – Buffet – Baggage

The New Haven railroad took delivery of a group of twenty stainless steel baggage-parlor-lounge cars in 1948. A part of the post-war passenger train modernization, these cars were named after counties served by the New Haven. That part was simple. Now the history of these cars gets more complicated!

The initial 1948 order was delivered in four different interior configurations, but all with baggage compartments, a drawing room, two roomette sleeping accommodations and a mix of parlor seat arrangements.

In 1952 the New Haven determined that they needed more drawing rooms so two of the cars were rebuilt with drawing rooms in place of the baggage section. This conversion was successful enough that four more cars (for a total of six) were also converted. However, these six additional cars included no fewer than three interior configurations! Cars #210-219 somehow escaped the rebuilds and retained their baggage sections throughout their service life.

The “County” cars were some of the longest lasting New Haven stainless steel cars, some serving well into Amtrak.

Features:
Accurately designed from original blueprints
Both original and rebuilt body styles
Correct tubular cross section
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-NBO trucks with blackened metal wheels
22″ minimum radius (18″ radius with modification)
Macdonald-Cartier metal magnetic knuckle couplers