HO NH R3a 4-8-2 3555 1945 – 1950 Appearance P4 Steam

Broadway Limited Imports proudly introduces the New Haven R3a Mountain, the next release in our premium Brass-Hybrid steam locomotive lineup. Powerful, distinctive, and unlike anything else on the rails, the R3a represents one of the most fascinating and visually striking steam designs of the eastern United States.

This all-new, newly tooled model combines museum-quality brass construction with modern operating performance, capturing the unmistakable character of New Haven steam at its peak. With its bold proportions and highly distinctive front-end design, the R3a stands out immediately-whether leading a passenger consist or displayed as a centerpiece locomotive.

Brass-Hybrid Construction – Built to Perform

Each R3a Mountain features:

• Hand-crafted brass boiler and tender

• Heavy die-cast chassis for serious pulling power

• Excellent weight distribution and smooth operation
  The result is a locomotive that looks refined and mechanical, yet delivers the strength expected of a true Mountain-type engine.

Road-Specific Detail & Multiple Road Numbers

This first production run includes multiple road numbers, each rendered with era-appropriate and road-specific detailing. Careful attention has been paid to the R3a’s unique external features-especially the distinctive front-end appliances and proportions that set it apart from more common 4-8-2 designs.

Even for modelers without a New Haven specific layout, the R3a offers a rare opportunity to roster a steam locomotive that is visually compelling, historically important, and seldom modeled in HO scale.

Electronics Options

Models are available in two configurations:

• Paragon4 Sound DC/DCC
  Advanced motor control, synchronized sound, and full DCC functionality.

• Stealth Series (No Sound, DCC-Ready)
  Factory-installed speaker and 21-pin DCC interface for easy, plug-and-play decoder installation.

Why This Model Is Special

The New Haven R3a is not just another Mountain-it is a bold engineering experiment, a distinctive regional design, and a locomotive rarely seen in model form. For collectors, it offers uniqueness and craftsmanship. For operators, it delivers presence, power, and smooth performance. And for steam enthusiasts, it represents a fascinating €œwhat might have been € chapter in American locomotive development.

About the Prototype

The R3a class was developed from earlier New Haven Mountain designs and stands apart for one remarkable reason: it employed a three-cylinder configuration, rather than the more common two-cylinder arrangement.

This design offered several advantages, including greater pulling power, quicker acceleration, and smoother operation, particularly at speed. As a result, the R3a locomotives became the largest and heaviest steam locomotives ever rostered by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad-a significant milestone in the railroad’s steam-era evolution.

The third cylinder, however, was difficult to access and maintain. While other railroads that experimented with three-cylinder locomotives later simplified their designs, the New Haven-constrained by financial realities-never made this modification. The R3a therefore remained a rare and uncompromising expression of steam-era ambition until the end of New Haven steam operations.

Broadway Limited Imports is proud to introduce Paragon4: The new benchmark for premium HO sound-equipped locomotives. These DC and DCC-Sound equipped locomotives feature the ALL-NEW Paragon4 sound and control system. Each Paragon4 locomotive comes with BLI’s own integral DCC Decoder factory installed. Paragon4 locomotives offer Dual Mode DC and DCC operation with superb back EMF motor control, improved DC motor control, built-in capacitor pack for more reliable electrical pick-up, industry best on-board sound with Rolling Thunder functionality, Pro Lighting Mode for prototypical light control, Switcher model for precise low speed control, recordable DCC operation for automated playback, and the same excellent detail level as Broadway Limited’s Paragon3 Series models.

Paragon4 Sound & Control System Features:

• Operates in DC & DCC  with improved DC speed control (use DCMaster for DC Sound)

• Built-In capacitor pack  to navigate imperfect track

• Capacitor Pack automatically disabled  on program track for full compatibility with JMRI Decoder Pro

• Pro Lighting Mode  offers individual control of all lights on model

• Switcher Mode  for precise low speed control.

• Record & Play Operation  – Records and plays back sounds and movements once or repeatedly for automatic operation

• High Resolution Audio

• Quillable Whistle  for various whistle lengths and patterns

• Choice of 3 selectable Horns

• Alternate Whistle / Horn  where applicable for locomotive with air horn and steam whistle – both the main whistle and alternate can be easily played

• Adjustable bell ringing interval  for faster or slower bell

• Numerous user-mappable  functions with available keys

• Johnson Bar Sound  at Direction Change

• Multiple realistic passenger and crew  sounds play on command

• Grade Crossing Automatic Signal

• Automatic Forward / Reverse Signal  – When activated, stopping triggers and stop whistle toot. When moving forward from a stopped position, toots twice. When moving in reverse. toots three times.

• Chuff sound intensity varies with load

• Individually adjustable sound volumes  for each effect

• EZ Reset Button  for quick return to factory default settings

**Specifications on this page subject to change.

18 x 4.5 x 2.7512/10/2026FALL27New Haven R3a 4-8-2 3560 1928 – 1939 Appearance P4 Steam LocoNew Haven R3a 4-8-2 3556 1928 – 1939 Appearance DCC-Ready Steam Loco

Broadway Limited Imports proudly introduces the New Haven R3a Mountain, the next release in our premium Brass-Hybrid steam locomotive lineup. Powerful, distinctive, and unlike anything else on the rails, the R3a represents one of the most fascinating and visually striking steam designs of the eastern United States.

This all-new, newly tooled model combines museum-quality brass construction with modern operating performance, capturing the unmistakable character of New Haven steam at its peak. With its bold proportions and highly distinctive front-end design, the R3a stands out immediately-whether leading a passenger consist or displayed as a centerpiece locomotive.

Brass-Hybrid Construction – Built to Perform

Each R3a Mountain features:

• Hand-crafted brass boiler and tender

• Heavy die-cast chassis for serious pulling power

• Excellent weight distribution and smooth operation
  The result is a locomotive that looks refined and mechanical, yet delivers the strength expected of a true Mountain-type engine.

Road-Specific Detail & Multiple Road Numbers

This first production run includes multiple road numbers, each rendered with era-appropriate and road-specific detailing. Careful attention has been paid to the R3a’s unique external features-especially the distinctive front-end appliances and proportions that set it apart from more common 4-8-2 designs.

Even for modelers without a New Haven specific layout, the R3a offers a rare opportunity to roster a steam locomotive that is visually compelling, historically important, and seldom modeled in HO scale.

Electronics Options

Models are available in two configurations:

• Paragon4 Sound DC/DCC
  Advanced motor control, synchronized sound, and full DCC functionality.

• Stealth Series (No Sound, DCC-Ready)
  Factory-installed speaker and 21-pin DCC interface for easy, plug-and-play decoder installation.

Why This Model Is Special

The New Haven R3a is not just another Mountain-it is a bold engineering experiment, a distinctive regional design, and a locomotive rarely seen in model form. For collectors, it offers uniqueness and craftsmanship. For operators, it delivers presence, power, and smooth performance. And for steam enthusiasts, it represents a fascinating €œwhat might have been € chapter in American locomotive development.

About the Prototype

The R3a class was developed from earlier New Haven Mountain designs and stands apart for one remarkable reason: it employed a three-cylinder configuration, rather than the more common two-cylinder arrangement.

This design offered several advantages, including greater pulling power, quicker acceleration, and smoother operation, particularly at speed. As a result, the R3a locomotives became the largest and heaviest steam locomotives ever rostered by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad-a significant milestone in the railroad’s steam-era evolution.

The third cylinder, however, was difficult to access and maintain. While other railroads that experimented with three-cylinder locomotives later simplified their designs, the New Haven-constrained by financial realities-never made this modification. The R3a therefore remained a rare and uncompromising expression of steam-era ambition until the end of New Haven steam operations.

New Haven R3a 4-8-2 3560 1928 – 1939 Appearance DCC-Ready Steam LocoNew Haven R3a 4-8-2 3558 1940 – 1945 Appearance P4 Steam LocoNew Haven R3a 4-8-2 3562 1940 – 1945 Appearance P4 Steam LocoNew Haven R3a 4-8-2 3558 1940 – 1945 Appearance DCC-Ready Steam LocoNew Haven R3a 4-8-2 3562 1940 – 1945 Appearance DCC-Ready Steam LocoNew Haven R3a 4-8-2 3555 1945 – 1950 Appearance P4 Steam LocoNew Haven R3a 4-8-2 3557 1945 – 1950 Appearance P4 Steam LocoNew Haven R3a 4-8-2 3555 1945 – 1950 Appearance DCC-Ready Steam LocoNew Haven R3a 4-8-2 3557 1945 – 1950 Appearance DCC-Ready Steam LocoNew Haven R3a 4-8-2 Unlettered 1945 – 1950 Appearance P4 Steam LocoNew Haven R3a 4-8-2 Unlettered 1945 – 1950 Appearance DCC-Ready Steam LocoNew Haven R3a 4-8-2 Painted Brass 1945 – 1950 Appearance P4 Steam LocoNew Haven R3a 4-8-2 Painted Brass 1945 – 1950 Appearance DCC-Ready Steam LocoConrail Track Inspection Car #9 Green & Yellow 1992-1999 Appearance