Railroad Forums 

  • Beecher Falls Branch

  • Discussion relating to the pre-1983 B&M and MEC railroads. For current operations, please see the Pan Am Railways Forum.
Discussion relating to the pre-1983 B&M and MEC railroads. For current operations, please see the Pan Am Railways Forum.

Moderator: MEC407

 #146424  by SLR 393
 
Looking for more info on the BF branch. Anyone know of an industries list for North Stratford, Colebrook, West Stewartstown or BF from say the 50s though the end of the NSRC? Also interested in a track plan (NOT the Mountain Division book plans, those are way too early) from same eras?

Thanks!
 #146547  by wolfmom69
 
Thats quite a time frame,as "milk",from a creamery,or 2 ,in Colebrook,came down on the mixed train,and was set at Quebec Jct. for the passenger job from St. J to lift,but by mid 58',this was gone.

Starting at N. Stratford,the GT had what local business that was there,New England Stave & Heading,for wooden barrels,but they were winding down in the 50's,but probably lumber there.

Don't know if Lovejoy's Pit,shipped out any revenue aggregate,or just ballast and sand. Colebrook had the creameries,as well as a feed and grain store,which still got an occassional boxcar of bagged feed in NSRC days;was Agway at this time in 70's. Colebrook also got in coal(hoppers) and fuel oil and gasoline in 10,000 WRNX tanks(Gulf). There was also a smaller dealer in West Stewartstown. My cousins husband was District Mgr. for Gulf in Portland up through the mid 60's and they were the last to ship by rail to their "jobbers"(who switched to big trucks!!!). West Stewartstown also loaded pulp,as did Colebrook.

Of course,Ethan Allen was the sole reason for keeping the line open by the State,after MEC abandoned it. Also,a lot of pulp wood was loaded at Beecher falls,and I think this went down to N.Stratford for the GT to take to an IP(?) paper mill in N.Y State.via CN etc. If I recall,a lot of this pulpwood went out in older boxcars!

All I can recall at present. Hope it helps a little. Bud

 #146848  by SLR 393
 
Thanks Bud. There were actually THREE creameries right in a row in Colebrook, and just south of them on the other side of the tracks I believe were three potato houses as well. I am trying to get more info about the other industries, Park & Pollard was one of the feed dealers and I believe there was a second one as well. Was the gulf plant just south of the station, an Irving now I think?

North Stratford - About three years ago we were up at the old NH Stave & Heading (there is a GREAT article on their line with pics of their shays in an old NESL), they made plywood there and envelopes after they stopped with the barrell parts. You can still see the track around the grounds in places. There was also a siding and industry south of that, the SLR and GT track books both show it. Not sure what that was either.