by FLRailFan1
TCurtin wrote:Well, here's what I remember, working from east to west, from the 50's and 60's. I grew up in Danbury in the 50's. I'm sure I'm missing some but this isn't a bad list:TCurtin:
- Derby Feeds (at Derby Jct)
- Stevenson Lumber Co
Botsford-Stepney branch had some business until the early 60s. I don't know what exactly
- Newtown Lumber Co. (at Botsford)
- Georgia Pacific Lumber (between Botsford & Newtown)
- A customer in Hawleyville on the track 1 side that over the years varied among Upham Food (tea, I think), deSherbinen (a lighting fixture distributor) and perhaps others
- Pitney Bowes (in Commerce Park, Danbury, about a mile west of Berkshire Jct on track 2 side
- Stavola (scrap metal processor in Danbury just east of White St. overpass on track 2 side)
- Leahy Fuel (across tracks from Danbury station on track 1 side)
- Omaha Beef (on Maple Ave Danbury, track 2 side)
- Goos Lumber Co. (at Main St Crossing Danbury, track 1 side)
- Mallory Hats (west of Rose Hill Ave underpass, track 1 side)
- Leahy bottled propane & Danbury Fair Grounds siding (Segar St crossing, Fair Grounds. Danbury Fair took carloads of -- I think --- livestock during Fair Week each October)
- Danbury Block & Supply Co, later Plasticrete (west end of Fair Grounds siding, track 1 side, where Super Stop & Shop is today)
- Wickes Lumber (Mill Plain, track 1 side (This may have post-dated the New Haven and been a Penn Central customer). Last customer in Connecticut.
- Danbury-Brewster Lumber Co, later Lloyd's (just east of Rt 22 underpass, Brewster, track 2 side)
- NYC Harlem Div interchange track, until about 1960. I don't know what if anything was interchanged there)
- Brewster House track, ( track 2 side)
- Durkin Fuel (Brewster, track 2 side)
West of there was a great deal of rural running with no local business, although hamlets like Towners & Holmes may have had a team track, I don't remember.
- Green Haven State Prison, track 1 side (took coal)
- Bry Dain Lumber Co (Hopewell Jct, track 2 side)
Hopewell Jct-Beacon branch had business in Fishkill, Matteawan, Beacon area.
- Miron Lumber (at Briggs station crossing in southern Poughkeepsie, track 2 side)
- Hospital Branch & Smith Street yard interchange track (at east end of bridge in downtown Poughkeepsie, track 2 side)
West of the Hudson River I can't speak for what business was there since I have never known that territory.
I do have a few questions on your customers list...
1) Derby Feed I guess received feed in boxcars. Am I correct?
2) Pitney-Bowes, what did they get or shipped out?
3)Mallory Hats, did they receive felt in boxcars and/or chemicals? Did they ship out?
4)What customers were on the Beacon line? Do you have a list?
I bet if the lumber companies are still in business and the Housatonic RR had AJ Belivue as the owner, I bet rail service would be healthy, not only on the Maybrook line, but the Berkshire line, also.