Old Hampton NH line, photos N ?'s

I can 99% guarantee you that no engine lies in the Merrimack River at Newburyport.

The late Harry A. Frye, former B&MRR Historical Society's historian did considerable research over the years on various "fabled" sunken locomotives and said that every B&M (or predecessor road) machine was accounted for either by sale or scrapping. Other than the well-known #3666 at Kittery, no B&M locomotive is sunk anyplace.

Time to put all these "fables" and rumors to rest.

I think the Arcadia Publishing book for Newburyport shows a photo of an engine being raised from the bottom of the river after it ran off of the open drawbridge. The engine went in, but was also pulled out.

Not an engine, but there is a boxcar underneath the trestle that spans the Lamprey River in Durham (several miles up from Rockingham Junction).

Whats the story behind the closure of tracks across the Piscataqua into Kittery anyway? I cant understand why that span wouldnt be utilized over the river. It's quite a system, the way it slides down into place, then up and out again to allow for boat traffic. Ofcourse its up and on the tracks now permanently. Anyhow, I find it odd that its not used considering.

IIRC, that line is still utilized by Guilford to reach the Navy yard and I have heard nothing about it's closing. The line's traffic, while sporadic at best, is still vital to PNSY's operation.

Well a box car or not, a train or not, I don't know. The company that does the harbor tours in Newburyport has been telling people that a train lies at the bottom of the Merrimack River. Maybe they got incorrect information, I do not know. There could be a train down there that was never properly documented (cover up or what not). Maybe the train was removed, I don't know, but for a boat tour that tells the history of Newburyport with the great fire and all and how the mouth of the Merrimack River as moved over the years and what not, something had to of happened on that bridge for them to be saying such a thing, unless they have been given incorrect information. So to say that it’s a Rumor or a Folk Lore... I’m just repeating what I was told.

There was a train wreck in Newburyport, just not on the Merrimack River bridge. It was at the bridge just south of the river. The tracks go over a street (I can't recall the name right now). It took place in the late 1800s. A north bound train had just left the station there, when a couple of kids threw the switch, and over the edge of the bridge the train went. There's a historical marker of sorts at that bidge, on the ROW, with a photo to boot. As far as I know, no train has gone into the drink in Newburyport. I have heard of the one in Portsmouth. That one, to the best of my knowledge is still at the bottom.

And another good source of information is the Salisbury Point Railroad Historical Society, located in downtown Amesbury, MA. I'm sure they can solve the mystery of engines in the Merrimack River.

http://salisburypoint.tnsing.com/

Story of the passenger train engine going into the river in Newburyport, March 25, 1908, with several photos:

http://salisburypoint.tnsing.com/histor ... aster.html

xyz

Well, I guess that about SINKS it!
(Sorry, couldn't resist!)