• Hoosac Tunnel Discussion & News

  • Pan Am Southern (webssite: https://panamsouthern.com ) is jointly-owned by CSX and Norfolk Southern, but operated by Genesee & Wyoming subsidiary Pittsburg & Shawmut dba Berkshire and Eastern,
Pan Am Southern (webssite: https://panamsouthern.com ) is jointly-owned by CSX and Norfolk Southern, but operated by Genesee & Wyoming subsidiary Pittsburg & Shawmut dba Berkshire and Eastern,

Moderator: MEC407

  by MEC407
 
$500 REWARD

For the recovery of the missing plaque recently removed from the East Portal of Hoosac Tunnel, in Florida, MA, commemorating the "World's First Fantrip."

On Sunday, August 26, 1934, the "National Association of Railroad Enthusiasts", predecessor of today's Massachusetts Bay Railroad Enthusiasts, Inc. organized the "world's first railfan trip" on the Hoosac Tunnel & Wilmington Railroad. Passengers first rode Boston & Maine Railroad Boston-Troy train #67 to East Portal, MA. There they boarded an HT&W special behind ex-Lake Shore & Michigan Southern 4-6-0 21 for the trip to Wilmington, VT and back. They returned to Boston later that day on B&M Troy-Boston train #62.

On August 26, 1984, exactly fifty years later, Mass Bay RRE sponsored the "Half-Century Limited," a special train of MBTA equipment that ran from Boston through Hoosac Tunnel to North Adams, then to Adams on the ex-Boston & Albany North Adams Branch.

Mass Bay RRE commissioned the commemorative plaque, which Guilford Transportation (owner of the B&M) placed on the face of the East Portal. During the 1984 excursion, we held a dedication ceremony at the tunnel marking the 50th anniversary of the 1934 trip. Sadly, the plaque was reported missing the week of April 3.

Mass Bay RRE Trip Chairman Bill Crawford, who was our president when the plaque was placed, filed a report of the missing plaque with Guilford Police April 7. The Mass Bay RRE Executive Committee has authorized a $500 reward for recovery of the plaque, which we announced at the joint Mass Bay RRE-B&MRRHS meeting in Lowell, MA April 10.

We would appreciate help from all railfans in publicizing this reward and
recovering the missing plaque. Please contact us at [email protected] or Box 2742, Wilmington, MA 01888.

-The Officers and Directors of Mass Bay RRE
  by jkrail
 
Hello:
I would like to invite my fellow Railroad.Net friends to visit my new Hoosac Tunnel Website.
The URL is....

http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeobc7t/

Thanks
jkrail
  by trainsinmaine
 
jk -- Beautifully done . . . my compliments to you! (and Happy Thanksgiving).

  by mick
 
Interesting site, but I think there should be more emphasis put on warning the curious to stay out of there. It is a very dangerous place, even for railroad workers. Live wires, fumes, falling brick, falling ice, derailments, steel strapping dragging from a car, shifted loads protruding from cars, doors falling off a boxcar, leaking tank cars, you never know what could happen in there. And, people don't realize, the normal speed for trains in there is 30mph. Right now, it is restricted to 10mph, and it has been for years. But any day they could throw in a few new ties and it will be back to 25 or 30.

  by sodusbay
 
Wow! I had a great time reading your site. Nice links too! The Cornell archive of the Scribner's article was especially nice.

I have fond memories of trainspotting at E portal back when Conrail was running trains through, I think in 1984 or 5. No restriction to 10mph then!

  by NellsChoo
 
I agree, that is a nice Hoosac site. I like the use of old images!

Jonelle
  by MBTA F40PH-2C 1050
 
I have a few questions about this tunnel.........where is this tunnel? what railroads use it? and how long is this tunnel?
  by oakpoint
 
Very easy to find all the information you need or want by looking up
"Hoosac Tunnel" on you search engine.

You will be surprised what shows up.

A complete history including it's haunted past.

Charles :wink:

  by CSX Conductor
 
The Hoosac Tunnel is in Northwestern,Ma on the Ny state border. It is part of Guilford.

Here's a link that was provided on the Guilford forum.

http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeobc7t

  by NellsChoo
 
The town it is in is either Florida or Zoar... I think... It is sort of in the middle of nowhere. I am talking about the eastern portal, though. The western portal is in North Adams.

The tracks now belong to Guilford Rail System. You can see Norfolk Southern and CP power quite often, sometimes mixed with SOO and BNSF.
  by henry6
 
It is a long ways...some 20 or 30 miles...from the NY border. Town of Florida is the location of the east portal west of the village of Zoar...easiest route in is off Route 2 just west of Charlemont,east of the B&M underpass and left at Zoar. You can come down the hill off 2 at Florida if you can find the road. Also the road from Zoar to the East Portal goes on past the old Yankee Nuclear Power Plant into Vermont toward Redding or Wilmington. It is one of the most spectacular drives in Mass. if not New England and the entire East!!! Lunch at the state park at west of Zoar along the river. It is rugged, especially by east coast standards, great most any time of year, but dress correctly for what you want to do.

  by MBTA F40PH-2C 1050
 
ok thanks guys :-D

  by CSX Conductor
 
MBTA F40PH-2C 1050 wrote:ok thanks guys :-D
And Lady !!! LOL Don't forget about NellsChoo !! :wink:

  by NellsChoo
 
:wink:

  by MBTA F40PH-2C 1050
 
woops sorry NellsChoo :-)
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