The HT&W roadbed at Hoosac Tunnel

rodco wrote:Well.. I made the trip today to follow the HT&W. I got a late start, so I only saw the section from the Tunnel to Monroe Bridge.

How'd ya do that? I rode the HT&W on my trusty Trek Y22 in 2003 and only got as far north as the lower reservoir opposite Fife Brook. This is maybe 1/4 of the way to Monroe Bridge from the former B&M interchange. The HT&W is obliterated within the perimeter of this dam and a chain link fence restricts further travel. I've got a pic of the 'end of trail fence' if anyone wants to see ...

I might try to ride south from Monroe Bridge ... see how far I get going that way. Anyone up for foliage biking?

It's a pretty, and remote, ride along the east side of the Deerfield. If legal vehicle access was possible, it'd be fun to camp along the section of the right of way that's set back from the river.

* JB *

I could just see my boyfriend zipping around the area in his '79 Jeep CJ5 with loud exhaust leak!! THAT would freak out all the kayakers!!

We still wonder how to get to the opposite side of the river (from the tunnel side). We have been over the funky bridge down the reaod, the one that still has a B&M sign by it. But the road does not appear to continue. Does it?

NellsChoo wrote:THAT would freak out all the kayakers!!

I almost got to stencil a few kaykers under my window during a west bound chase a coupla summers ago. In the summer, they almost outnumber the mosquitos!

NellsChoo wrote:We still wonder how to get to the opposite side of the river (from the tunnel side).

Swim or cross one of the bridges.

NellsChoo wrote:We have been over the funky bridge down the road, the one that still has a B&M sign by it. But the road does not appear to continue. Does it?

I don't think it ever did. The historical map on maptech.com shows that road once upon a time turning east at after crossing the B&M for about two miles before a 500-foot climb, nearly straight up.

I followed Tunnel Road in Rowe a while back ... but the road kept getting smaller and more bumpy the further south I went ... when I saw it start to descend (having seen the topo map), the foliage and become more of a path, I turned around (AWD isn't 4WD, ya know?).

Even if you crossed here, you're about a 1/2 mile east of the HT&W interchange.

* JB *

We were out by the tunnel recently, and tried to figure out where the old roadbed was. We thought we saw it across the river, but it then turned into a road by the power plant (at least I think that is what it is).

I would like to know what the history of Depot Rd is. It crosses over the water, but doesn't do much else. Is the "depot" the neat old building that is there? Were there rails in this area when the HT&W was around, or were they long gone by the time they folded?

Anyone know?

When I lived in Spfld, MA in the late 60s spent a lot of time chasing trains up to the tunnel; have been there twice now in the last year! Yes, the HT&W took north from the east side of the bridge where there was an interchange yard and siding for B&M trains (may still be there for all I know). If you drive east of the tunnel almost to where Florida Rd comes down the hill there is a road and bridge that lead across the river to the railroad near what must be the east end of the yard. I don't know if I trust the bridge but it is not as high as the rr bridge at the tunnel plus it is probably public access for fishermen so you should not be bothered by the GG men (Guilford Guistapo)! Let me know if you go so that I might try it next year on my trip through.

That bridge doesn't seem to go very far. I think we saw some houses, but not much else. That side of the river does not seem to have many people living on it.

The Road you speak of -- tunnel road definately used to go all the way through, I have hiked it many times. It can be driven from the summit all the way down to an old cellar hole which is what remains of a house that was destroyed by fire in the 80s. From the river end you can't get very far. The road looks like a path today becasue it is severly washed out which is common for abandoned roads in this area.

If you are afraid of crossing the rail trestle by hoosac you can drive accross the "rickety bridge" to the Rowe side and follow the Rails to the HT&W ROW. By the way on the rails near the old bridge is where the old Hoosac Tunnel RR station once lay.

Not to de-rail the subject but does anybody know if the Deerfield River Railroad was just a 'dead-end' line or interchanged with the HT&W ??


I recall looking through some old POORS? Railroad Manuals once and as to the HT&W it had it with a branch going further than we know the HT&W went. Don't know if it was ever built or just 'mapped' and 'speculated'.


I'm not up that way to wander around but supposedly there are remnants of the Deerfield River RR back in those woods.(vermont)

http://www.loggingrailroads.com/vt.htm [url]

zz4 wrote:Not to de-rail the subject but does anybody know if the Deerfield River Railroad was just a 'dead-end' line or interchanged with the HT&W ??

I recall looking through some old POORS? Railroad Manuals once and as to the HT&W it had it with a branch going further than we know the HT&W went. Don't know if it was ever built or just 'mapped' and 'speculated'.

I'm not up that way to wander around but supposedly there are remnants of the Deerfield River RR back in those woods.(vermont)

The Deerfield River Railroad was reorganized as the Hoosac Tunnel and Wilmington Railroad in 1886.

I sometimes post what might seem a little off topic but not trying to de-rail subject or 'troll' but just gambling for 'education'.


Deerfield River RR became HT&W?



If so the HT&W had various branches up into the 'Green Mountains'.


A library around here used to have all 1800's POOR'S ?? Railroad Manuals and it's been a couple decades since I snopped in such. Last I checked with the library and asked for 'Poor's' the response was====no---nothing.....



Soooo....maybe I need to snoop for some old article on the Deerfield River RR or even HT&W.


Trivia: The trolley line out of Shelburne Falls,Ma. planned to link up to the HT&W but it fell through when the reservoir(sp?) was never built. I guess the plan would have given the HT&W no outlet.

hmmm...reservoir never built....

You should get Google Earth.
it shows the old road bed very clearly.
of course, you cna view any location.
Google Earth uses the satellite photos and you can search for an address and then scroll and tilt the map.
really neat.

Phil

I rode the southern remnant of the H&TW on my mountain bike back in Nov '03. It runs for a coupla miles along the Deerfield River... which is quite close in some places and a short distance away in others.

It was *quiet* back there, too. It'd be a nifty place to park a camper ... though vehicle access to the H&TW is another animal.

This segment of the row ends, abruptly, at a chain link fence. This fence marks the property line of the Fife Brook Hydroelectric Station.

If anyone wants to see a pic, search for "Chasing ghosts" in the nerail photo gallery. Photo taken 11/1/03, posted 2/24/04.

FWIW, I might have a shot of the ride-ending-fence. If anyone wants to see, re: to me or the thread and I'll post it.

* JB *

zz4 wrote:Deerfield River RR became HT&W?

Yes, in 1886.

If so the HT&W had various branches up into the 'Green Mountains'.

There may well have been some lines that were proposed and not built, but the HT&W was never more than a single "mainline" from Hoosac Tunnel station up to Wilmington, VT. No branches.

TomNelligan wrote:Mr. Rodco -- The paper mill in question was the Deerfield Glassine Company at Monroe Bridge, and both it and the HT&W were on the same (east) side of the river. It was a small building with a single spur. I last saw the operation 35 years ago, but I checked a photo to confirm my memory. Maybe there's another paper mill on the west side of the river -- maybe even another Deerfield Glassine building? -- that wasn't on the railroad.

The nuclear plant in Rowe was built in the early 1960s, like '61 or '62. It was immediately adjacent to the HT&W.

I haven’t been able to find any evidence of any paper mill on the East (Rowe) side of the HT&W at Monroe Bridge. It is simply too steep and there is no room for it. There is a gigantic glassine paper mill on the west side of the river in Monroe. There were as far as I understand, never any tracks on that side of the river. If I understand correctly, Monroe Bridge got its name because the train dropped off the mail at the bridge, then the mail was carried over the bridge into Monroe to the PO.

Anyways, back to the root of this post. There are remains of several factories further up the rail line midway between the remains of Yankee Atomic, and Harriman Station. http://hoosac.franklinsites.com/HTW/YA_ ... llage.html were these part of the glassine mini empire? I am really dying to know. They are the only thing close to matching your description of a factory on the east side. I often wonder when those factories were closed, they dont seem to appear on the 195x topographic maps and some of the foundations seem to be turn of the century. One foundation seems like it was never finished.