Housatonic Railroad Thread (Maybrook, Berkshire, Pittsfield)

Wait, you want to Housy? (I didn't I ended up, like Mr. Norman at a private school, in my case Berkshire) but would have otherwise.

I think cabooses went long ago. And yes, they finally took out the diamond.
Reportedly too, the engineers never liked the switches at the east end of the wye (at least when both were in place) because they were rather tight. I suspect removing the track that went through the wye solved part of that.)

Yes sir, I was born in Sharon, lived in Lakeville for a while during middle- and high-school, graduated Housy in 2009. Did three years in the ag-education program, two as an officer in the FFA, and now I'm the service parts and warranty admin for a New Holland dealership.

I was lucky to have several teachers that nurtured my interest in railroading, including ones that would let it slide when I got distracted by freights on the tracks across the street from the school.

I moved to Pine Plains a few years ago to be closer to work but at some point my girlfriend and I would like to buy a house in Sharon or Lakeville once the housing market re-stabilizes. I still go to Canaan every week for groceries, and every once in a while to visit my friend that works at the railroad's engine house.

Interesting about the passenger service. Looks like it won’t happen in this life time. What else is the housy doing these days?

This year is "my 60th" at SKS. Let us see if they have Alumni Weekend during June.

From reviewing the postings here, Housy has apparently laid the welded rail that was on the ground North of Bulls Bridge Rd. along Hatch Pond. Gosh, did they scrounge some ballast and new X-ties? I wouldn't bet on it.

Well, the thought of alighting #144, the Berkshire, at Woodrow and hiking up "The Hill" to School for Reunion will remain only a dream; attending future Reunions will also be just that.

Sounds interesting.

Well Mr. Trainman, we all get older.

"Hike up The Hill" was the 0.6mi walk from the NYNH&H Berkshire Div to School. It was also some 600ft higher than "the Valley".

Should note that when I was out there for my "55th" during '16, they dedicated a new athletic field. Instead of telling "the 'Lums" just to walk on down to the Field at Valley level and back up as they would have "back in my day", they rounded up their two "airport van" busses for transportation.

Not the SKS I went to.

And finally, I noted Woodrow; that was the South Kent station the New Haven closed during '47. At the Hearings, the School got a provision that a station stop would be made whenever School recessed of convened. Woodrow remained in their passenger tariffs, calling for a different fare that either Kent or Gaylordsville.

Mr. Norman

Interesting story about going to SKS and taking the train to get there or going from. Also interesting about Woodrow station . Was there a building there that was still standing when you where there? I pinned the spot in the attached google screen shot that I would guess is where the station was. The times that I went down there to check on the housy "track project" I brought my golden retriever and she would swim and fetch down at the boat launch. Hatch Pond is a nice place especially during the fall foliage season.

Almost but not quite, Mr. Lang.

To the South of Bulls Bridge Road and the structure with the clearing (the PO) - immediately behind that.

Thanks for the info.

http://www.nashuacitystation.org/statio ... t/woodrow/

Mr. Lang, I think the aerial at this site provides better clarity. Look directly behind the Post Office (the Postmaster "back in my day" was sure "the character") and you can see enough of a clearing to have had a structure and a platform.

The structure, and an agent, were gone before I ever made the scene, however, a house track immediately North of Bulls Bridge Road was there during my time, 56-61, on The Hill.

The only time I ever saw it used was once when a Bad Order car was set out.

How often are freight moves made on the Housy north of Danbury? We were waiting at the Rt. 7 crossing for a couple of engines to move through, and there were a bunch of freight cars (both snow-covered and more recently used) between Canaan and the MA state line.

Traingeek3629 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 15, 2021 6:37 pm How often are freight moves made on the Housy north of Danbury? We were waiting at the Rt. 7 crossing for a couple of engines to move through, and there were a bunch of freight cars (both snow-covered and more recently used) between Canaan and the MA state line.

I think the Housy runs Danbury-Pittsfield if not daily, then close to it. Remember with the Maybrook west to Beacon long gone from an operational standpoint the Pittsfield interchange with CSX is the primary freight route into Western CT.

Yeah, I can't speak during COVID times, but I know for years it was a daily turn (trains 10/11 I believe).

I think that Danbury to Pittsfield is usually 6/week with Saturday the off day. The cars you saw on the sidings between Canaan and the Mass line are usually covered hoppers, empty ones for Specialty Minerals or loaded plastic pellets for a company in Sheffield.

Are all of the Housatonic GP35s out of service? Or are any left running?