Blast from the past: Guilford under Starrucca

I was browsing RailPictures.net this evening and came across a gorgeous photo by Mr. Jim Kleeman, circa 1985:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=234161

Man... Guilford was a truly fascinating operation in those days. Three railroads, power from three different builders, and mainline trackage stretching from the Maine/Canada border all the way to the mid-Atlantic.

There was anything and everything then, it seemed. Also, they ran all the MBTA commuter rail service in Boston, from both North and South stations (as the B&M). Things changed after the strike in '86, of course.

Im not gonna lie It looks like Guilfords start was a very bright one. Combining the 3 railroads only made sense in that era of Mega-Mergers. If the line had been properly upgraded and secured Guilford could have created a very large Empire, perhaps a Class 1 (Look at KCS at the time and see how far they have gone).

Yes, Guilford should have been a strong amalgamation. Buck Dumaine had long envisoned it (with the addition of the Bangor & Aroostook), but MEC's management never could be persuaded. Unfortunately, D&H financial issues, New England's economic woes, and labor strikes brought the system nearly to its knees in the late 80s. Fortunately, while not a full recovery, things have improved since those dark days. Still... what would we do to see a U33C beneath Starrucca in glorious foliage again!!

I seem to remember a very similar photo on the front cover of one of the railfan magazines around that same time. Vaguely remember it as Alco C420 [D&H 401] freshly repainted and renumbered 420 positioned a little closer to the bridge. Even Guilford looked good in fresh paint but there just wasn't enough paint to go around.....

Railfan & Railroad, December 1990:

Wow. Almost 18 years? Guess the Alco recollection was a bust.

deezlfan wrote:Wow. Almost 18 years? Guess the Alco recollection was a bust.

Either that or what you were remembering was a different issue or a different magazine. Either is possible!

is that line still in use?

tom18287 wrote:is that line still in use?

Only by off-road vehicles. I was there about seven years ago and the rails were lifted then. I doubt very very much that they've been put back when nobody was looking.

MEC407 wrote:Railfan & Railroad, December 1990:

Good catch! Same engine, same location, same season, same time of the day -- you'd have to be insanely careful to suggest that this isn't the same train.

RussNelson wrote:

tom18287 wrote:is that line still in use?

Only by off-road vehicles.

Are we talking about the line on the viaduct, or the line that runs beneath the viaduct?

No. The rails are long gone. In fact, I think they were gone a few years before the magazine cover came out.

I did find a slide of 420 running long hood first at Lanesboro PA on Sept. 25 1985. Paint is relatively fresh at that point.

Ya, that is a great shot. But you'll hate me for this.....those Snubnose-type engines are yucky to me. I just can't get into 'em

MEC407 wrote:

RussNelson wrote:

tom18287 wrote:is that line still in use?

Only by off-road vehicles.

Are we talking about the line on the viaduct, or the line that runs beneath the viaduct?

It's a somewhat ambiguous question and answer, but it's the line beneath the viaduck. Why a duck, why-a no chicken? Well, I don't know why-a no chicken.