Old Colony & Fall River RR Museum Closing

[SOCO11]

Work has started on the wharf yard rebuild. So far work is concentrated on the far side from the museum.

[Tom Lapointe]

Happened to drive near the yard close enough to see the Firestone RDC on one of the tracks normally occupied by tank cars for Tillotson Rubber Co. (maybe preparing to go outbound to Berkshire Scenic Railway?); I was on the way to a family event at the time so didn't have time to investigate further. Haven't checked down towards the bottom of Kennedy Park to see if there's been any further clearing or construction progress towards Gold Medal Bakery; I've been fighting a NASTY bout of sinusitis for the past 2 weeks (just FINALLY getting over it!), so haven't had much energy to do an further exploring.

Tom Lapointe

[CVRA7]

The "Fall River" yard office was a genuine railroad structure, once located at Pawtucket, RI, thought to have been a yard office there. OC&FR president Jay Chatterton was at the Amherst Railway Society's Railroad Hobby Show and it was there he approached the Railroad Museum of New England (RMNE) concerning any interest there may have been in items from the OC&FR Museum. Rolling stock was out of the question as we are thinning our own herd (plus we have a sister to their steel NHRR boxcar) but the signal and the yard office building were of interest. The building was donated to the Railroad Museum of New England and was moved to its new home at Thomaston, CT on July 17 (2017). The building is in need of a restoration as it has been modified over the years with modern windows and door which did keep the structure weather tight. The restoration will require research, planning and fund raising. Any photos of the structure in Pawtucket showing its 20th century appearance, including windows and doors, would be welcomed by the RMNE.

[Ken W2KB]

The "Fall River" yard office was a genuine railroad structure, once located at Pawtucket, RI, thought to have been a yard office there. OC&FR president Jay Chatterton was at the Amherst Railway Society's Railroad Hobby Show and it was there he approached the Railroad Museum of New England (RMNE) concerning any interest there may have been in items from the OC&FR Museum. Rolling stock was out of the question as we are thinning our own herd (plus we have a sister to their steel NHRR boxcar) but the signal and the yard office building were of interest. The building was donated to the Railroad Museum of New England and was moved to its new home at Thomaston, CT on July 17 (2017). The building is in need of a restoration as it has been modified over the years with modern windows and door which did keep the structure weather tight. The restoration will require research, planning and fund raising. Any photos of the structure in Pawtucket showing its 20th century appearance, including windows and doors, would be welcomed by the RMNE.

Was the signal the one at the Tiverton side approach to the Sakonnet River bridge?

[Jack Powell]

Was the signal the one at the Tiverton side approach to the Sakonnet River bridge?

Yes and no. The mast and ladder of the "2A" electric semaphore that was displayed at the OC&FR site came from a Fall River area location, but the spectacle plate and blade apparently did come from the Tiverton-side fixed approach (distant) semaphore at SS Q-382 (Sakonnet River). OC&FR recently donated the assemblage to RMNE along with the ex-Pawtucket building mentioned above, but close inspection revealed the mast to be in very deteriorated, unsound condition. All other components were salvaged, and in due course some of these will allow accurate completion of RMNE's restoration of the Valley Branch southbound fixed approach signal from SS 102 (Saybrook Junction).

Coincidentally, the Tiverton-side mechanical home semaphore from Sakonnet River is also currently undergoing an extremely thorough restoration at RMNE, following recovery of its scant remains from the underbrush by permission from RIDOT, and comprehensive replacement and/or replication of all missing or rotted-away components including the mast itself. At Thomaston, it will join another mechanical semaphore salvaged from the site of SS L-321 (India Point) after donation by the City of Providence, and restored following typical early 1900s practice at several former Old Colony locations.