We have identified Y2BaNiO5 as a new Haldane state chain compound with a magnetic excitation gap DELTA(min)/k(B) of 100 +/- 5 K and DELTA(min)/\J\ almost-equal-to 0.3. Single crystal results of chi(T --> 0) reveal a splitting of the excited magnetic state. The S = 1 chains have been severed in a controlled way by the substitution of Zn or Mg for Ni, and the resulting modifications of chi(T) are presented.