{"product_id":"rapido-ge-u34ch-43117-new-jersey-transit-4164-dc-silent-ho-scale-pre-order","title":"Rapido GE U34CH (43117) | New Jersey Transit #4164 \"Disco Stripe\" | DC\/Silent | HO Scale [PRE-ORDER]","description":"\u003ch1 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(43, 0, 255);\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003eThis is a pre-order item!\u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(43, 0, 255);\"\u003eOn the product page, you must wait until the \"Pre Order Now\" and the \"Partial Payment of $0.00\" appear BEFORE you click \"Pre Order Now\". Otherwise, you will be charged full price up-front.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(43, 0, 255);\"\u003eIf you are ordering a pre-order item, please place a separate order for each type of product, otherwise the pay later option will not work.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(43, 0, 255);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\"\u003eRead about our \u003ca style=\"color: rgb(43, 0, 255);\" href=\"https:\/\/denvertrains.com\/policies\/refund-policy\"\u003erefund policy\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca style=\"color: rgb(43, 0, 255);\" href=\"https:\/\/denvertrains.com\/policies\/subscription-policy\"\u003eother policies \u003c\/a\u003eincluding pre-order policies.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(43, 0, 255);\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe U34CH was the very first new American commuter diesel engine for a new era of commuter railroads. As private freight railroads divested themselves of passenger service, the remaining intercity passenger rail service went into Amtrak by 1971. Commuter operations ultimately became independent, run by states, cities, and regional authorities. In the early 1970’s, this often began with an agency helping to fund new equipment or maintenance for decrepit freight railroad service.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis was the case with U34CH, which were funded by the New Jersey Department of Transportation to operate on Erie Lackawanna Lines west of Hoboken, New Jersey. The first units arrived in 1970 alongside NJDOT funded Comet 1 cars, making for a completely new refresh of commuter service on these lines. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(43, 0, 255);\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe U34CH were also the first shaft-driven HEP locomotive to be made. To do this, they were actually the first 3,600hp U36C models made (before any freight orders) and derived HEP from the prime mover driving an auxiliary alternator, leading to a nominal rating of 3,430hp. The true available horsepower at any moment depended on the total HEP load of the train being hauled. All GE U-series units have a large empty space in the hood behind the cab, on U34CH this was conveniently used to house the additional HEP equipment. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs delivered, units came in an appealing “bluebird” two-tone blue an silver scheme with EL heralds on the nose. On weekends, EL even borrowed them for freight service! As EL was folded into the Conrail merger, one wreck rebuild – 1776 – became a bicentennial unit initially with Conrail lettering. By 1983, Conrail fully exited commuter operations, and the equipment and service on the west of Hoboken lines transferred to NJ Transit.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(43, 0, 255);\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSome U34CH kept Bluebird paint for the rest of their service career, while others received a silver nose with an NJ Transit Logo. Certain units got full NJT “disco stripe” repaints, a striking look on a U-boat. The fleet survived into the early 1990’s, making it the last complete operational U-series fleet in the United States. In the 2020’s, the United Railroad \u003c\/span\u003eHistorical Society revealed a fresh repaint of 3372, the only surviving unit, which the organization is working to completely restore. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(43, 0, 255);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\"\u003eU34CH Features\u003c\/span\u003e:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp id=\"X8HIYJL\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(43, 0, 255);\"\u003eHeadlights and rear lights\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(43, 0, 255);\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(43, 0, 255);\"\u003eMarker light (U34CH)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(43, 0, 255);\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(43, 0, 255);\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(43, 0, 255);\"\u003eLit numberboards\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(43, 0, 255);\"\u003eWalkway Lights\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(43, 0, 255);\"\u003eStep lights\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan data-teams=\"true\" style=\"color: rgb(43, 0, 255);\"\u003eThree-color class lights\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(43, 0, 255);\"\u003eFull traction motor casing details\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(43, 0, 255);\"\u003eMetal brake chain on engineer’s side\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(43, 0, 255);\"\u003eDetailed underbody piping and conduit\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(43, 0, 255);\"\u003eSeparate grab irons\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(43, 0, 255);\"\u003eRapido’s innovative dead straight metal side handrails with plastic stanchions\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(43, 0, 255);\"\u003eDetailed cab interior\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(43, 0, 255);\"\u003eLighted control stand\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(43, 0, 255);\"\u003eHeavy, die-cast weight for heavy hauling\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(43, 0, 255);\"\u003e5-pole skew-wound motor with dual flywheels\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(43, 0, 255);\"\u003eSound-equipped units feature ESU Loksound V5 decoders\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Rapido","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47652897063050,"sku":"606-43117","price":239.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0685\/3954\/7786\/files\/43117-u34ch_nj-transit-4164_12.png?v=1770515152","url":"https:\/\/denvertrains.com\/products\/rapido-ge-u34ch-43117-new-jersey-transit-4164-dc-silent-ho-scale-pre-order","provider":"Denver Model Trains      ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}