MARC FRATTASIO'S
NEW HAVEN RAILROAD MUSEUM

An encounter with a brass padlock marked with the classic New York, New Haven, and Hartford "script" monogram on Thanksgiving Day in 1973 sparked a lifetime interest in collecting artifacts from the New Haven Railroad.  Here's a brief virtual tour around the display area in my home, which I call "Marc Frattasio's New Haven Railroad Museum".

Although I collect a little bit of everything concerning the New Haven Railroad, my main interests are advertising brochures, folders, flyers, coach seat drops, and similar paper items. Unfortunately, most of my paper collection is really not suitable for display and is not included in this virtual tour. However, you can see some of the advertising paper and many other unusual NHRR items from my collection here on a series of web pages that are updated on the first day of every month.

I'm always looking for New Haven Railroad artifacts that I don't already have to add to my collection. Please check out my current want list to see some specific things I am looking for.

View descending down stairway into "museum" area. From left to right - NH logo from side of streamlined passenger car, "Brockton Local" gate sign from Boston's South Station, "No Parking" and "No Dumping" signs, cabinet containing dining car tableware and other small items, signs from New Haven CT station and "Trailiner" piggyback trailer, posters, prismatic lavatory window, oil-fired signal lamps, parlor car chair, smoking lounge chair.

Close up view of display cabinet. Top shelf contains examples of silverware used on New Haven diners and grill cars. Next shelf contains examples of china used on early grill cars (left side) and on the postwar Merchants Limited and Yankee Clipper (right side). Next shelf contains "Platinum Blue" china used on New Haven food service cars between the late 1930s and the Penn Central takeover in 1969. Bottom shelf contains examples of bartenders equipment and ashtrays (left side) and playing cards and locks (right side)

Turning to the right, we see posters, the original EMD FL-9 design artwork, a prismatic glass window from a coach or smoker lavatory, vinyl travel bag sold through NHRR dining car menus during the mid to late 1960s, various oil-fired signal lamps, a parlor car chair, a smoking/drink stand from a lounge car, a smoking lounge chair, and various types of signs.

Turning further to the right we see more signs including a letterboard from a streamlined passenger car, various styles of station name signs, two oil-fired switch lamps, a Hancock air chime back-up whistle from an EMD FL-9 locomotive, "script" monogram logo plates from a streamlined passenger car and "Washboard" electric MU coach (Scotchlite decal), an NH logo used on piggyback trailers, and an advertising display for new streamlined coaches.

Turning all the way around we see the stairway leading to the display area (with more stuff visible in the room beyond), a reflectorized switch lamp on remote control indicator post, a dwarf semaphore with oil lamp, oil can for filling signal lamps, pail used for filling locomotive sand boxes, freight office sign, seat from a streamlined coach, and various posters.

The view beyond the staircase into the next room. Various posters by artists Ben Nason and Sasha Maurer, illuminated stand-up "Nantucket" travel office display,  oil-fired hand lanterns, gate sign for the Advance Merchants Limited, and more examples of signage used on freight stations, passenger stations, and along the right of way. Note, the "Richmond" sign is from the Maine Central Railroad. It is the only non-New Haven item on display as it is from my wife's home town.

View looking back towards the stairway. Visible are more signs, Ben Nason travel posters, oil-fired hand lanterns, and an electric "cow bell" warning signal from a passenger station (this item has the initials "N.Y.N.H.&.H.R.R." cast into it).

View looking slightly left revealing more examples of signage, paper towel rack (marked with the New Haven's "script" monogram) used on passenger cars and in station washrooms, and lap board (marked with the railroad's initials) used by passengers to play card games on commuter coaches.

This web page is Copyright © Marc J. Frattasio. All rights reserved.