Whitefield, NH Ball Signal Restortion?

The reason why I started this topic is because I've been seeing a lot of action lately arond the ball signal and shed. The first thing I saw is that the tracks had been mowed two times this year around it. The other thing is the one ball that is left look like its been repainted and today I saw a truck there with the shed door wide open.

I'll be keeping an eye out for any more action.

It would be nice if the person who removed the other ball would return it.

He took one to compensate for his own lack of two.

Speaking of B&M ball signals, the relatively short-lived rail museum that occupied part of the White River Junction station a few years back had the upper part of the ball signal that once stood there sitting outside awaiting restoration. It disappeared along with the museum's other artifacts when then museum closed. Does anyone know what happened to that stuff?

Who would be performing the maintenance work around the signals/shed? Would that be the State DOT or would that be the NHCR?

State owns the tracks. Although I would think it's going to be up to the preservationists or NHCR to scrounge up a half-ball through their networking efforts and use their own offtime to spruce it up. Not exactly the sort of line item one barks up the chain to the DOT rail division to get funded, but something that'll fetch a prideful effort if somebody's phone calls turns up a ball-for-hire.


Area was mowed for the first time in years because NHCR was prepping the tracks down to Burns Pond for use for their annual ritual of storing other carriers' out-of-sevice cars. That's the new alternate site for that practice when they don't feel like shunting them for miles up the North Stratford line.

elecuyer wrote:He took one to compensate for his own lack of two.

Your comment is right on, thanks for the laugh!
Peace,
Jonathan

I don't get over there much, but I wonder if the other was removed because of deterioration?
There are companies that can and will fabricate a new ball. If someone would take measurements and some high res photo's, the only other item needed is a check book.

NHCR has hired a local contractor to restore the Ball Signal, the missing Ball, pully and assorted hardware have been stored up in N.Stratford for safe keeping. We have cleaned the BM yard up this past summmer, mowing, brush clearing, weed wacking ect. furthermore we have never stored Railcars on the Littleton Secondary or in the Town of Whitefield, our Operating Contract with NHDOT prohibits Railcar storage on the Littleton Secondary and in the Town of Whitefield, all railcar storage is between Hazen Rd & MP P 103.35 .

EWJ

Right from the top. Thanks Ed. Clarifies a bunch.

um...why are they being restored, again?

Giant balls by the side of Route 3?

It's...uh...a perpetual conversation-starter.

Thanks for taking pride in the appearance of this historical site, Ed.

I just drove by the ball signal and it looks really nice so far! Bright white with pine tree green trim makes it look a lot better then the red did. I wonder if they will paint the singal post white.

yes, thank you, ed.

Please add trains to enhance the background effect.