Underwater railroads?

[zz4]

I guess I must be bored.

Theres trolleys,industrial railroads,mining railroads,etc.(is the latter called 'railroad'?)

Railroads in quarries and even minature ones in Amusement Parks.


I was looking through some old news clippings and a little article about the Winsted Water Supply.(Connecticut)

In 1893 there was a 3,252 foot tunnel blasted through solid rock. The deepest point from the ground surface was 320 feet. 36 tons of dynamite was used......

The idea was to convert water from Rugg Brook Reservoir to Crystal Lake by means of a tunnel extending approx.3200 feet through the mountain....


In an old picture I see tunnel entrances with workers standing around presumed for the 'photo shoot' AND a nice set of railroad tracks into the tunnel.

In 1894 the tunnel gate was opened..it took 7 1/2 minutes for the water to reach Crystal Lake.


Would they have spent the time to take up the rails?

From some other article I saw years ago there was a reservoir somewhere else where they built a tunnel between 2 and photo showed 'railroad' tracks.

I presume outside of New England rails and mines were much more common.


--- but for the bored maybe a swim looking for old rr tracks?


Don't follow up my suggestions as thats gotta be dangerous for the experienced diver?

Just interesting that tracks might still be down there OR maybe it was standard to take them up?


Anybody know of any other 'reservoir railroads'?

[TomNelligan]

I'm blanking on recent local examples that I'm absolutely sure of, but the use of highly specialized narrow gauge railroads to move excavated rock in deep bore tunnels is quite common. I'm pretty sure there was one in the several-miles-long sewage discharge tunnel built out into the harbor from Deer Island in the 1990s, and I believe I saw a photo of such an operation in the new aquaduct connected to the big concrete reservoir by the Mass Pike in Weston, but I can't pull up a source. This didn't apply to the Big Dig in Boston, where the size of the excavation was such that it readily accomodated dumptrucks, but rail haulage is common in smaller diameter bores like aquaducts.

[eddiebear]

There is (or was) a narrow-gauge line in the new MWRA aqueduct from the reservoir in Southboro to the Framingham shaft (in the New England Sand & Gravel operation). About 6 yrs. ago there was a collision between two trains in the tunnel and the Framingham Fire Department, trained in tunnel rescues, responded. At least one operator was severely injured.
Try the Middlesex News archives for more info.

[SpecialK]

Although not specifically a quarry railroad, there is the former Boston and Albany's Athol Branch - - which now lies under the Quabbin Reservoir. Passing through the now underwater settlements of Enfield, Smiths, and North Dana and connecting at Athol on the north end, Karr's Lost Railroads of Southern New England has a good general overview, as well as a picture of the station at Smith's.

As you can guess, all of the rails were removed before the reservoir was filled.

[zz4]

I'd guess theres many lines that were re-aligned that row's sit under water.

Maybe? Central Mass in Wachusett Reservoir area?

I think that Hoosic Tunnel & Wilmington a part ended up under water.


--- but as to any tracks still down these places..unknown...

I think most old mines left the tracks behind? not quarries but mines....

I've gotta check this sometime but theres still might be tracks in the woods from a quarry in Canaan,Ct.(Sand Hill Rd.) They got rid of everything but pulled those already elusive tracks up?


Ah....I just saw/see these pictures of reservoir contruction and connecting up 2 or more reservoirs and the old little rr operation and wonder if they pulled tracks before they opened up the big faucet.


Odd subject right? Talk about NIMBY when is the last reservoir you heard of created? I guess they just raise water rates and keep people using less.

The water I drink comes down in a big iron pipe that must be 100 years old. Drink? Maybe you get your daily iron but water tastes lousy.

I think its a problem everywhere. OLD PIPES.


--getting a little OT..right?

[SpecialK]

The best website for topographic comparison of pre/post reservoir construction is the online UNH historic USGS topo map collection.

Specifically, for the Central Mass relocation, you can compare the 15-minute quads for Marlborough and Worcester.

For Worcester, compare the 1892, northeast quadrant to the 1917 northeast quadrant and see the change in ROW alignment.

For Marlborough, compare the 1898, northwest quadrant to the 1917 northwest quadrant.

You can also view later maps (1940's era, 7.5-minute series) and see where the ROW used to run, just past the crossover with the former Old Colony Northern Division (Agricultural Branch).

Here's some handy-dandy links to get you started:

http://docs.unh.edu/MA/mrlb98nw.jpg

http://docs.unh.edu/MA/mrlb17nw.jpg

http://docs.unh.edu/MA/worc92ne.jpg

http://docs.unh.edu/MA/worc17ne.jpg

http://docs.unh.edu/MA/clnt43se.jpg

http://docs.unh.edu/MA/clnt43sw.jpg

http://docs.unh.edu/MA/strl40se.jpg

Interesting to think the state (commonwealth, excuse me) paid for much of that relocation for a railroad that already wasn't doing so hot, financially. The bridge constructed in Clinton as part of the relocation stood as recently as the mid 1970's..... too bad for those planning the proposed rail-trail now.

[elecuyer]

While the UNH site still exists, the offical home for the Historic USGS map collection has moved to:
http://historical.maptech.com

This was done so that the collection could be expanded beyond New England and New York. It now encompasses MD, PA, NJ, OH, DE, and WV.

We're always looking for more maps/areas to add to the collection, as well as more publicity for the site - if anyone is interested.

-Ed Lecuyer
Assistant Webmaster for Historical USGS Topos

[zz4]

Those maps offered by MapTech and 'others' are invaluable.


I hope they remain FREE because research becomes limited if you gotta buy a map for every area of interest.

It would be nice to see more YEARS but I have no list here now to support my thoughts that many years are missing.

I do go to libraries and see the same Geological Survey Maps of various years I did not know existed. I don't think there were ever many issues per 'map' but theres a big hole between late 1800's and late 1940's-early 50's.

[elecuyer]

I'm glad that you and others appreciate the effort to keep the historic USGS map site running. Maptech has no plans to start charging for access to the maps (we couldn't anyway, since we didn't create the archive, we're only hosting it.)

However, "the powers that be" could always decide that the historic map hosting isn't generating enough traffic to our web site, which could result in it needing another home. I don't think that will happen as long as I work here, but you never know.

This is why (back to the topic at hand) I corrected the post about the historic photo site. The more traffic that goes to the Maptech host site, the more receptive my employer will be to keep it. Simply put, to keep free access to the historic USGS maps, keep on using them, and spread the word about them. (And if you happen to buy a Maptech product in the process, all the better :-)

As far as map dates go, the USGS is very random (always has been, always will be) about issuing updates. For example, there are "current" USGS maps for some areas that date back to the 1940's! (This is rare, but does occur from time-to-time, especially in New York state.) The historic collection is by no means complete, but (by our estimates) comes reasonably close in New England. However, if you have a map edition in your collection that we are missing, we'd love to have it as part of the archive.

-Ed Lecuyer
[url]http:\\historical.maptech.com[/url]

[FLRailFan1]

I'd guess theres many lines that were re-aligned that row's sit under water.

Maybe? Central Mass in Wachusett Reservoir area?

I think that Hoosic Tunnel & Wilmington a part ended up under water.


--- but as to any tracks still down these places..unknown...

I think most old mines left the tracks behind? not quarries but mines....

I've gotta check this sometime but theres still might be tracks in the woods from a quarry in Canaan,Ct.(Sand Hill Rd.) They got rid of everything but pulled those already elusive tracks up?


Ah....I just saw/see these pictures of reservoir contruction and connecting up 2 or more reservoirs and the old little rr operation and wonder if they pulled tracks before they opened up the big faucet.


Odd subject right? Talk about NIMBY when is the last reservoir you heard of created? I guess they just raise water rates and keep people using less.

The water I drink comes down in a big iron pipe that must be 100 years old. Drink? Maybe you get your daily iron but water tastes lousy.

I think its a problem everywhere. OLD PIPES.


--getting a little OT..right?

The old Hoosac Tunnel & Wilmington is underwater. I have a picture of me and my nephews in the lake standing on a bridge. If I recall, it is about 15 feet from the surface.