Groveton rail service post-BM

[deacongeof]

I’m looking to understand who operated the former BM line into Groveton post-BM. What’s was hauled, how often.

Thank you!

Geof

[ferroequinarchaeologist]

Check this out.
Check this out.http://www.newhampshirecentralrailroad.com/photos.html
PBM

[b&m 1566]

In 1985(?) Twin States Railroad leased the B&M lines from Woodsville, NH to Berlin, NH & Groveton, NH and the MEC line from St. Johnsbury, Vt to Whitefield, NH (someone a long time ago said it was actually to Fabyan Station in Brettonwoods but I haven't been able to confirm that), at which point Guilford operations ended. To my knowledge Groveton became the base of operations before it was moved to Whitefield. I don't know when the trains between Whitefield and Groveton stopped but I know Berlin to Woodsville, ended in August 1994. Whitefield down to Littleton ended in March/April 1998. Twin States Railroad ceased operations in September 1999 but by then the only section they were operating was St. Johnsbury, VT to Whitefield, NH. I don't believe they were still going to Groveton at that time. Then in 2001 NHCR came into the picture as was pointed out with the link.

[newpylong]

The B&M was still running to Berlin as late as '89 - so I do not believe the line was leased until a little later.

[NHV 669]

There are photos online of GRS units in Woodsville in 1990/1, I believe it was right after that. The last freight load to Berlin was the winter of 1993, the 8/94 run was a passenger special. Last move from Woodsville to Littleton was 3/31/95, so they would have been running St J to Hazens to hit the B&M until the end, 95-99.

[b&m 1566]

I had no idea Guilford was in the picture that late, thanks for the correction, when did Twin State lease the Mountain Division and Groveton Branch? If Twin State was only operating between Whitefeild and St. Johnsbury by the time the Conway Scenic came into the picture, then when and why was the Mountain Division cut over to the Berlin Line at Hazen's? (I know it was already cut over by June 1998.) Would it not have made sense to cut the Berlin line over to the Mountain Division, that would've eliminated a switchback move at the diamond. It was within the last 10 years that NHCR installed a 2nd switch for the other half of the Mountain Division for car storage.
Side note it just dawned on me that the Conway Scenic was yet again an insular railroad from September 1999 to when ever NHCR won the bid in 2001.

[NHV 669]

Have spent a good part of the day researching this, but the only thing that makes sense to me was being able to keep a contiguous route for the Gilman mill, as I recall photos from a 1996ish charter trip with Amtrak equipment that refused to travel south of Northumberland due to poor track conditions. The photo I remember looks near the area of the current Ocean State Job Lots store, a few miles south of the SLR interchange. I see we discussed this on the Berlin Route FB page a few years back, seems we're still without a direct answer.

Waumbek was done after 8/94, but there was no freight on the MD, so they were likely tied into what minimal carloads remained at the Groveton mill. There's a photo of NHV 3800 parked there, some service must have been provided into the mid/late 90s.

https://m.facebook.com/groups/293029364 ... 3987649801

http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo ... x=1&key2=


http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?phot ... ex=1&key2=

[MEC407]

http://photos.nerail.org/s/?p=28116

[b&m 1566]

AAPRCO, has never again attempted another run for Crawford Notch/North Conway since.

[NHV 669]

Even with the work that has been done since NHCR took over for twin state, that would still be a painfully slow, all day ride from Groveton. 10mph is better than 3, but those folks aren't going to bear that for 10 plus hours.

[NHV 669]

Watching Jim Jones' B&M at Twilight, and Dave Poor notes that Gilman was a much larger operation, requiring at least a daily switch. Perhaps Groveton trucked much of their material in/out, he notes they were only served 3 days a week....

Noted also that the lease/purchase by Clyde Forbes was effective 11/21/1989 for the Woodsville to Groveton line, with trackage rights to WRJ via Guilford, who wanted to dump their end of the Pompy. Interesting as well, is a clip with 669 on point, with B&M 366 on the other end of a short train headed north from WRJ.