NEW HAMPSHIRE ACTIVITY

Curious..

What rail activity is left in New Hampshire ? Anybody can omit the main Amtrak +++ line running through along the coast

I always think 'what a sorry state' as to railroads. Look at map prior to Guilford and others. Many states provide some benefit to railroads and considering taxes pay for other things etc. Chronic NOTHING (I think)

Saw a YouTube about the new rail trail from White River Junction downwards. hmm thought had potential as BOSTON/MONTREAL. ya know.. save the tracks

Rail Trails to me are as exciting as walking the Interstate vs. all the antique stuff seen/found walking an old row. My experience even the wildlife is abundant. Sure..such save the row for future but what does the population want as a priority ? return it !!!!

You forgot the other Amtrak on the other side.... outside of the stub that still serves customers at Westboro, the Northern will probably never see a train again. That BOS/MTL is nothing but a pipe dream.


You've still got the SLR and NHCR up this way, and the Conway Scenic and Hobo/Winnipesaukee tourist runs.

Other than that, it's basically what's left of the old B&M down south, (NEGS to CSX at Concord, the cement shuttle Milford/Bennington on the Hillsborough branch and a few other customers) and the Portsmouth Branch off the CSX mainline.

There's also New Hampshire Northcoast operating between Ossipee, NH and Boston. Beautifully-maintained locomotives & track. As I understand, the railroad's primary customers are Ossipee Aggregates in Ossipee and Tri-City in Rochester. Commodities hauled are sand, LPG, steel rebar, and I *believe* used motor oil? Train D8 runs between Ossipee & CSX's Dover Yard Mon-Thurs typically, and D7 runs between Dover Yard & Ossipee Tues-Fri, typically. I believe ID-1 and ID-2 are "locals" out of Ossipee that service Tri-City & any other customers as-needed when D7/D8 aren't running. I'm certainly not the best person to explain operations, but I think that's the gist of it.

Once D8 arrives in Dover Yard, the train becomes CSX DOBO (Dover - Boston). After a CSX crew sets off cars as-needed in Dover Yard (LPG tankers & gondolas for the steel rebar), the train runs to Boston Sand & Gravel with the sand loads. The train returns to Dover Yard as BODO in the wee hours of the morning with empty hoppers & makes LPG/rebar pick-ups in Dover as needed. The NHN crew then takes the train back to Ossipee as D7.

D7 & D8 are fun trains to chase, between the awesome-looking & sounding GP38-2's (+ a single high-hood GP18) and lots of great scenery. DOBO is a fun train to catch too. BODO operates much to early in the morning for most of us buffs to go out for!

^forgot about them, a very well oiled operation. I think you got everything nailed down; the GP18 is relegated to the branch runs since it doesn't have the cab signals needed to run downtah Boston.

Another future activity is whatever VRS does with NEGS. I can't imagine they went through the effort to purchase that railroad to move a couple tank cars a year. IIRC, there was supposed to be a new gravel train running from Tilton to Lowell Junction. Some hoppers have been parked on the siding at Northfield for a while, but it doesn't look like much has happened to move that forward.

There is a proposal to extend MBTA Commuter Rail service up to Manchester and another to expand Amtrak service up to Concord, a partisan bill in the NH House attempting to suppress any state funding for these services was killed in the senate about 2 months ago, yes NH is sad when it comes to railroads as of now, but hopefully with these two projects that will change.
Here is where you can learn more about these projects,
MBTA Propoasal: https://www.nh.gov/dot/projects/nashuam ... /index.htm
Amtrak Proposal: https://www.amtrakconnectsus.com/maps/b ... r-concord/

If they think people want to take over two hours to get between Concord and Boston, they're going to have a lot of empty seats.

Why would it take that long? How long did the B&M trains take back in the 60s? (If anyone has that info)

I don't have info for 1960 but my 1950 Official Guide allows the #325 about 1hr 55 min Boston to Concord. As a side note a real shock is comparing a map from the 1920's to a current rail map, with a few exceptions the whole middle of New Hampshire has lost rail service.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>side note a real shock is comparing a map from the 1920's to a current rail map, with a few exceptions the whole middle of New Hampshire has lost rail service.... yep

https://www.nh.gov/dot/programs/bikeped ... 110515.pdf

https://www.sinfin.net/railways/world/u ... /slnh.html

Seems NH buys some ROW's for bike trails. No sense re-hashing but all the tax money for almost every road....

Tracks still from Concord north to the White Mountains ?

I mentioned that White River Jct line as a natural to preserve...but..no

-- just a ps

mbrproductions wrote: ↑Thu Jun 09, 2022 11:19 am Why would it take that long? How long did the B&M trains take back in the 60s? (If anyone has that info)

Uh, it's right there at the top of the link you posted regarding Amtrak "interest". No wonder none of us are interested in our tax dollars running a train that takes twice as long as a car to go the same place.

shepaug wrote: ↑Thu Jun 09, 2022 11:54 pm side note a real shock is comparing a map from the 1920's to a current rail map, with a few exceptions the whole middle of New Hampshire has lost rail service....

https://www.nh.gov/dot/programs/bikeped ... 110515.pdf

https://www.sinfin.net/railways/world/u ... /slnh.html

Tracks still from Concord north to the White Mountains ?

To be fair, the "middle" of NH hasn't had any regular freight service for 40 or so years since the mill in Lincoln closed. The state at least stepped in to buy it, and we still have the tourist trains and NEGS running that stretch today.

As for Twin State/LVRC/North Stratford RRs? All long gone and mostly trails, or overgrown OOS track today with the exception of NHCR operating their small stretch in N. Stratford.

mbrproductions wrote: ↑Thu Jun 09, 2022 11:19 am Why would it take that long? How long did the B&M trains take back in the 60s? (If anyone has that info)

From ETT # 76, effective 30 October 1960:
Daily train #41 leaves Boston at 0915, makes 4 intermediate stops (if I understand the explanations correctly) and arrives Concord NH 1040 hrs.
Daily train # 33 departs at 1600, makes 2 regular intermediate stops ( 3 on Sunday), 2 stops-to-leave stops, arrives Concord 1725 hrs.

And is this timing because of low speeds or is the ROW too curvy?