Goodwin Railroad

Does anyone remember the Goodwin Railroad? it ran in central NH in the late 1970s. I have seen several pictures of the railroad's RS3, but what is nagging at me is this: I have a clear memory of a very small green switcher labeled for the Goodwin Railroad in Concord NH, parked just north of the now-demolished bus station. I believe it was a Plymouth, but in searching the net I can find no reference to it and no photos. Am I becoming delusional? thanks for whatever light you can shed on this question.

Bruce

The details under this photo state that the Goodwin RR operated this Mass Central loco for a time in 1981
http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?20140 ... n&BOOL=ALL" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It is possible that the loco was on the Goodwin in 1981, but the Goodwin RR went out of business in 1981
1976 CONCORD TO LINCOLN LINE:
The Goodwin Railroad entered into a five year Operating Agreement with the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission to provide subsidized rail freight service on the line
I believe the photo above was taken in Ware MA.

Two more photos of the 401
http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?20080 ... 1&BOOL=ALL" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?20051 ... 1&BOOL=ALL" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Yes, in addition to RS3 #1 the Goodwin Railroad also operated a green GE 44-Tonner numbered 2. I don't know if there are any photos of it on line, but if you can find a copy of my 1982 book New England Shortlines 1970-1980 (published by Railroad Heritage Press and distributed by Carstens, long out of print, alas, but copies seem to show up) it contains a photo of Goodwin #2 at Lincoln in August 1980.

Tom and Dick,

Thanks, that looks like it, tho' I remembered only one hood. I do remember the yellow railings. Once again, this discussion forum comes through.

BRUCE

I wanted to add that Amazon sells Tom Nelligan's book on NE short lines. I ordered a copy and hope to get it next week.

I have a copy of that book by Mr. Nelligan. I would guess the majority
of the locos shown in the book made a last run to the scrapyard.
Thanks to him for taking the historic photos there and in other
publications.

It's possible that what you saw could have been the state owned GE 25T that was on the North Stratford. The S1 and the 44T on the NS were both green with yellow handrails, so I'd go out on a limb and say that the 25T might also be the same color. Both lines were and are state owned so it's entirely possible that the little guy started out on Goodwin and ended up at North Stratford.
The Wolfeboro had a 25T, blue with yellow handrails.....could have gotten repainted....

<<EDIT>> I found a picture of the NS 25T and it's the same one Wolfeboro had, #3 still in blue. With a "permanently installed snowplow"

The former Goodwin RS3 #1 was eventually purchased by John Clement of the Tilton area, then sold to two RMNE members who donated it to the Railroad Museum of New England, where it reverted to its original Maine Central 557 identity. It has had some conservation work done for long-term storage, but there is currently no estimated date of restoration. We know it will need radiator work.

Prior to being operated by the Goodwin Railroad, the line to Lincoln was handled by the Wolfeboro Railroad which also owned a 44 tonner. Was this the same 44 tonner as the one the Goodwin owned? I believe this one eventually became a NEGS unit

CVRA7 wrote: We know it will need radiator work.

No work at all - the radiators needs replacement. Suffers from the "settling sediment" disease where the bottom cores get partially or fully plugged by sediment due to untreated coolant and then freeze at the appropriate temperature. Easier to replace them, not cheap, but much better & quicker.

Besides the radiators, there will be the usual cast of characters of electrical glitches. When last started up with a hose in the water fill running to keep up the water levels, the prime mover coughed to life in the usual ALCO cloud of dark grey exhaust & settled down to a nice idle. However, it would not take power. So the electrical system has to be gone over bit by bit.

Then there is the setting of the valves & fuel racks.

Removing some serious sludge from the oil side is also on the agenda - nobody did an oil change every 3-5000K miles at Jiffylube.

Probably nobody did a pit inspection previously either.

It is amazing how much abuse an ALCO can take & still be viable.

Send your square dollars (steam locomotives take cubic dollars for sure) to the Railroad Museum of New England - MEC 557 "It's Alive" fund.

Prior to being operated by the Goodwin Railroad, the line to Lincoln was handled by the Wolfeboro Railroad which also owned a 44 tonner. Was this the same 44 tonner as the one the Goodwin owned? I believe this one eventually became a NEGS unit

Great picture in that post. The train looks like it's on the start of the Lakeshore. What's the date on that photo? I grew up in Laconia and always wanted to see a train on this (Lakeshore) line, but I think I missed it by a few years. My elementary school was on the tracks near the Laconia station and I remember a few 5-10+ car trains going by in the early to mid eighties.

The state of NH at one time owned at least 2 44 tonners, I believe the Goodwin unit was one. The NH Central 360 currently at North Conway is one of those. Maybe the same unit?

The state of New Hampshire owns/owned two 44T:

US Army 7494 > New Hampshire 74....Goodwin 2, New England Southern 2, Hobo/Winnepesaukee Scenic 2

US Army 7931 > New Hampshire 76....This unit cycled through North Stratford,
New Hampshire Central 360, then to Conway Scenic 360

The Wolfboro unit is a 45T Whitcomb:
US Navy 65-00169 > Guyon Pipe (Harrison, N.J.) > Wolfboro > 6/88 to dealer in Renovo, Pa.

D

GP40MC1118 wrote:The state of New Hampshire owns/owned two 44T:

US Army 7494 > New Hampshire 74....Goodwin 2, New England Southern 2, Hobo/Winnepesaukee Scenic 2

US Army 7931 > New Hampshire 76....This unit cycled through North Stratford,
New Hampshire Central 360, then to Conway Scenic 360

The Wolfboro unit is a 45T Whitcomb:
US Navy 65-00169 > Guyon Pipe (Harrison, N.J.) > Wolfboro > 6/88 to dealer in Renovo, Pa.

D

I would love to see if that Whitcomb is still around...

What did Wolfboro haul? I would love to know what the Goodwin hauled. NEGS haul the same freight?

The paper mill in Lincoln was the most important rail customer north of Concord in the Wolfboro/Goodwin RR days and when it closed that was pretty much the end for regular freight operations up there.