Search

This thread is most interesting to me as I grew up next to the Stoneham Branch. Our family moved there in 1948 when I was just a year old. I have vivid memories of a time when all trains on that branch, passenger and freight were steam- hauled. There was a switch near our house for cars going to the...

All of the old photos I've seen of the Woburn Center station at Pleasant Street show two platforms -- the northbound on the station side and southbound on the far side. However, when I boarded there in the 1950's I think the far side southbound platform was gone. I recall waiting for southbound trai...

Previously, I had never heard of the Oakland Station (referenced in the 1923 timetable) on the Stoneham Branch. That must have been about where the gelatin plant is now.

Piyer, Thanks for posting the timetable. The Stoneham Branch sparked my love of trains as I grew up less than a block from the line in the 1950's. The first trains I ever saw were steam and they left an incredible impression. The grade was steep and when the evening commuter trains would pull out of...

Then I guess the purpose of the Grape Street turn was to provide service to Winchester, West Medford, etc.

Thanks!

Does anyone know anything about "Grape Street Station" in Woburn? It is listed in 1950's timetables of the B&M Stoneham Branch, at 9.9 miles from Boston. In the diesel era of Stoneham passenger service (1954-1958) there was one revenue run in each direction to Stoneham station, and the...

I was told service ended due to deplorable track conditions despite good ridership. Its too bad it isn't landbanked because it would have been a short, fairly cheap/simple resumption of service. Hindsight... It was a very dumb and short sighted decision not to landbank. Does anyone know if there we...

I feel that the short term thinking that led to cutting off the northern part of the loop in 1959 probably led to the demise of the rest of the loop in 1981. In the 50's it was a very busy line. Now, I lost my old timetables in a move, so I can't say for sure, but I believe that roughly half of all ...

Thank you, "The EGE," for posting the links to your map and the other two. They track with what I remember when, as a kid, I was living in the area in the 1950's. Looking at your map plus Google Earth, it appears to me that part of the court house is literally right on the right of way. Li...

I guess I am a few years late to this discussion, but I have been enjoying this thread as well as others about the Woburn Loop. Living in the next town, Stoneham from 1948 to 1960, I have very fond memories of the Woburn Loop. Our family drove through Woburn Center 2 or 3 times a week and I'll never...

That's interesting that one of those wigwags would still be used in 1968. I may have been on that same trip. I do recall being on an RRE trip that went all over the North Shore of the B&M including Stoneham in the late 60's. Didn't pay much attention to the signals at the time but I was looking ...

I was interested to read your account of removing the rails at the Washington Street crossing of the former Stoneham Branch of the B&M. I lived in Stoneham in the 1950's and remember the crossing. It was one of at last 2 grade crossings (that I knew of) that used US&S wigwag signals instead ...