Fairhaven Construction Railroad

Hello, I'm looking for information on a 2ft gauge line that ran in Fairhaven, MA. It was a temporary construction railroad that brought in dirt to fill in Mill Pond (Now Cushman Park) near Bridge St in Fairhaven. I heard it lasted two years, probably 1904 to 1906. The tracks ran from the current dump to the pond and the line could have been built on the side of Bridge St. I heard that they ran 13 trains a day and each train had about 10 to 15 cars. That's pretty busy for a rail line that's not even one mile long! I saw pictures of the equipment used including small side dump cars or gondolas with a little tank switcher (a 0-4-0 numbered 5). If there were 13 trains a day, they must have had 2 or 3 locomotives. I read in an article that the 15 ton engine from this railroad was pulled by six horses to the Fairhaven Rail Yard (Operated by the New Haven at the time) and the engine was put on a full sized rail car. This gets me thinking that there was only one engine. Any info on this little railroad would be very helpful! Thanks!
-Mike

New one on me. What article are you referring to?

There were several isolated operations in the area including a small Brookville gas
locomotive at the Blue Stone Quarry in Acushnet, another one at a company that became
JI Paulding in the north end of New Bedford plus one in Fall River.

Of course, the more famous or known of all of these was the New Bedford Water Works RR
from Braley Rd to Lake Quitticus. This, however, had a mainline NH connection. Power was
a small gas mechanical Milwaukee critter.

D

Here is the link to the article: http://millicentlibrary.org/the-story-o ... hman-park/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And the pictures I saw were in a book that my friend showed me. Maybe he could send you the pictures if you want.
Thanks for the info on those other operations also!
-Mike

Also where were these other industrial lines in Nb and FR?

Clay Products Company had a 36" gauge interplant railroad. They were located
off Tarklin Hill Road. This plant became J.I. Paulding Company. It was located
basically where Shaws/Ocean Job Lot/RT 140 is now off Tarklin Hill Road.
Paulding was a decent New Haven customer. They got boxcars of clay on the
team track at the crossing (behind McDonalds). My dad used to take me here
to watch UN-1 leave town for New Haven, CT. Used to play in the boxcars.

The New Bedford Water Works Railroad ran from the late 1800's to 1946. It ran
about 4 miles from Braley Road on the NB/Freetown line northeast to the pumping
station at Lake Quitticas. Used to haul coal to the pumping station/power plant
and also to help build the 48" water main from the lake to Crapo Hill. This right-of-way
is intact and easily viewed to this day. If you head on RT140 North you cross it just
north of the Industrial Park. I have collected about 13 pictures of the line. As I said,
it used an 10T Milwaukee gas-mechanical engine from 1918 until the lines closure.
Some of the rail went to Edaville Railroad.

I can't think of the Fall River operation right now. Will have to look that up if and when
I get the chance. However, there was a quarry branch railroad off the Fall River mainline
in Freetown (south of Copicut Rd), which headed off into the Freetown State Forest. I
walked this line about 5-8 years ago. Never been able to find pictures of it or who actually
operated this short, obscure line.

In Acushnet, as I said, Blue Stone Quarry had a 36" gauge operation using a small 4T or so
Brookville gas-mechanical engine. A picture of it exists in one of the Brookville catalogs of
the day. Have not researched this further as I'd like.

Dave

Forgot to mention the Blue Stone Quarry is where the Tilcon Quarry is now..

D

Mike

Was able to find some information on two different local operations:

Fairhaven Construction Railroad

Locomotive was built by Vulcan Iron Works. An 0-4-0T, 36" gauge. Build date of 9/1903.
It was built for WB Munroe as their #5. Resold to McCabe-Bihler (no location or further info).

New England Oil Refinery Co. (Fall River, Ma.)
6T 24" gauge GFD (Gas-Friction-Diesel) built June 1920 by Burton-Midwest. Disposition unknown.

Dave

Thanks for the info Dave!
For the Freetown one, there are a few pictures of a switcher and a few NH gondolas. There are located at the Freetown Historical Society on Elm St. where the original Assonet Station was.
-Mike

Thanks for the info on that reply also! My friend Matt from Fairhaven would like that info a lot!

A friend of mine acquired a photo last year that had no caption info
on it, BUT had a steam engine with the Number 5. When I discussed
this thread with him pulled it out of his collection and sure enough,
there's a small Vulcan 0-4-0 #5 in a loading pit about to haul out a string
of side-dumps with fill on it!

The pit has two tracks. There's another steam engine with a battered wood
cab with its back to the photographer on a string of empty side-dumps, plus
what's looks to be a large steam shovel at the far end of pit. Very crude track!
(the one with the empties appears to be sitting on tree trunks for ties!

We are pretty sure this is the Fairhaven Construction Railroad since the photo
was acquired with other local railroad photos!

Dave

This is great info! Can you post the picture here?