Housatonic Railroad Thread (Maybrook, Berkshire, Pittsfield)

Whatever I see no hope for the Housatonic as is. New customers as present ones die ? I am not sure the NY section is totally dead or they have no ability to serve it. I seem to recall somebody screaming for service when they were new (the railroad) but they seemed to have no ability to provide service. Otherwise I know nothing about their financials.

NY ? If NYC ever desires to get future rail freight it goes (if via Albany area) by the connection with the Housatonic so Pittsfield via suburban MA/CT or via Danbury ? The more intelligent thought is Connecticut has no desire to preserve a rail link to the west.

Yes..New York and Atlantic all via ferry except Connecticut connection (I-95 area) and Long Island Railroad.

o--the Sand Road Quarry thing... I am not in the area any longer but a few decades ago a quarry there sold their railroad 'things' and there was still track going across the road into quarry. I forget name of quarry back then. I thought it was narrow gauge naturally. In ancient days most all quarries had their railroad.

A link.....

https://ltvsquad.com/2023/08/09/new-eng ... ment-83188


GE LOCO

hey...I saw a recent video of somebody snooping around the Hawleville Tunnels and the main semi-active rail line had new ballast? and construction stuff. A new bike trail ?? --next to the row...

They are replacing the utility poles in Newtown.

I saw a YOU-TUBE Video that seemed to show a ROW newly constructed next to what is there now. I will try to re-locate it. (as to on internet) Yes..maybe or is 'utility pole stuff'. Good ole Housatonic. I hate to be so negative but my thoughts again ::

A few old customers in suburban high class neighborhoods and loss of any ? Not normally territory for new rail customers.

Transload in Hawleyville ? hmm all the way from Pittsfield and why not just truck it from Waterbury or New Haven ? (etc)

The link

You-Tube links have a habit of changing or vanishing. I would download or save ? but do not want to tamper with somebodies You-Tube channel and copyright I assume.

Interesting videos (his channel) and he seems good at tracking the old row's. Not totally in tune to facts as to the guru's that have been snooping railroad stuff for 100 years but learns fast. (well.never know as to how chronic a rail buff one might be)

Utility companies will commonly construct roads or rights of way to reach their lines in hard to access places, there's nothing to suggest anything else is occurring here.

The Housatonic serves neither Waterbury nor New Haven, so trucking it to either place makes little sense for them...

As for YouTube links, they don't simply "change" or "vanish", unless someone's account is deleted or suspended. Saving or downloading a link to a video has absolutely nothing to do with "tampering" or copyright, it's done on this forum all the time...

I once learned as a teenager (and much more the railfan than I am today) that tracks - all eventually becoming part of the New Haven, converged at Hawleyville from six different directions. A review of New Haven system maps, as well as the immediate video submitted here by Mr. Shepaug, certainly bears that out.

I am an expert on nothing.

hmmm I left a link and it seems the you-tube video is on railroad.net. (my computer says that) Otherwise I figured out how to get videos off you-tube and save.(which I did not here) You-Tube..interesting videos about anything but many youngsters pretending they are experts and blah blah blah.

Housatonic. I recall when they were new and seemed rail fan oriented. Now naturally a business. But future customers ? Zoning in suburbia ? Transload ? I meant Pittsfield to there when shortly away there are probably going to be better places. Naugatuck Railroad claims transload in Torrington area and future ? Berkshire Eastern ? I snooped Hawleyville back in 60's and 70's. There was still a wooden whistle and mileage sign by the north tunnel.(east side) Most the row became a bridle trail. In Waterbury/Naugatuck out of there west somebody took the row and built little hills to avoid any rail suggestions. This section of the line I'd swear any picture is RARE. Shepaug Railroad continued north after the present rail spur at transload Hawleyville. Southbound the row to Bridgeport an abandoned factory and some tracks remaining. To Bethel some evidence remains. East (there was an east and west connection to the north to Pittsfield' line) going north do not know except evidence decades ago. O-there is an old bridge 'something' under the Lake? on the Shepaug going north. They only lower the lake rare times over the decades.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50LJT4t ... WL&index=5
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Seems that last you-tube just the link remains. hmmm

The Naugatuck Railroad doesn't have any transloads in Torrington, let alone any freight customers for that matter, their sole customer is Frost Bridge Transfer in Watertown. Not sure what relevance that has to the Housy, as their only interchange is with the B&E.