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Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in New England

Moderators: MEC407, NHN503

 #1518188  by NRGeep
 
b&m 1566 wrote: Fri Aug 23, 2019 7:00 pm The issue comes as a politically motivated campaign by a state representative to stonewall all efforts to restore the Flying Yankee and to prevent the Flying Yankee Restoration Group from accepting any type of donation. This is the type of BS that was bound to happen and this is exactly why the state needs to sell it.

Please be more specific and cite sources.
 #1518335  by b&m 1566
 
I apologize, my understanding was a little bit off track. There is no source to site, this was just through personal conversations that I took as open knowledge. The former (not active) state rep is a Mr. Connolly (I don't know his first name), I gather he was once involved but is now working against the project.
 #1518381  by Backshophoss
 
Was this " local Critter" also against the Downeaster from the beginning?
 #1518644  by NHV 669
 
The man in question is Steven Connolly of Bethlehem. He actually wrote an op-ed piece recently to the Caledonian Record implying that the Vermonter would see better ridership taking the VTR Burlington sub and GMRC, as opposed to the much faster and more populated CV route.

I wouldn't take Mr. Conolly seriously, but Brian isn't making things up here, NRGeep. He has a history of writing such "nuisance" articles.
 #1518703  by NRGeep
 
Ahh yes, Mr Connolly appears to be a letter to the editor troll. His notion that drying up Amtrak funds will somehow magically open up new passenger corridors is certainly a novel concept, to be generous.
Last edited by MEC407 on Fri Aug 30, 2019 3:45 pm, edited 1 time in total. Reason: unnecessary quoting
 #1519250  by b&m 1566
 
Backshophoss wrote: Tue Aug 27, 2019 3:24 pm Was this " local Critter" also against the Downeaster from the beginning?
If the bio I read on him is correct, he was a state rep in the mid to late 90's - early 2000's, so there's a good chance that he was one of the many who fought against the Downeaster.
If it is true that this guy has managed to stonewall the efforts to restore the Flying Yankee, then bravo my friend, bravo, you won, you got your selfish way, now what?
The Flying Yankee Restoration Group, isn't even accepting donations at this point, the state really has no options left other than to try and sell it and hope there's a buyer for it. They should be fair about it though because after all, it cost the tax payers, 1 dollar (one) to purchase it.
 #1519377  by gokeefe
 
Conway Scenic is probably the only operation in New Hampshire that has enough mechanical and financial resources to take this project on.

I believe the Flying Yankee actually ran through North Conway at one point when it was being operated as the "Mountaineer".
 #1519419  by b&m 1566
 
Yes, the Flying Yankee use to operate through Crawford Notch under the Mountaineer banner name. Boston, MA to Littleton, NH via the Conway branch in both directions. To the best of my knowledge, the train was turned on the wye in Bethlehem, the former junction of the Fabyan Branch, located off of today's Route 116 and Wing Rd.
A lot of people keep bringing up the Conway Scenic as a good candidate for the Flying Yankee to land up next, not just railfan's but it even seems like knowledgeable railroader's are too; however management and ownership of the Conway Scenic, have yet to chime in on whether or not they would be interested in having the Flying Yankee.
 #1519420  by gokeefe
 
How many years did it run as the "Mountaineer"? I don't think I've ever seen an answer to that.
 #1519426  by highrail
 
"How many years did it run as the "Mountaineer"?"

I am looking at Carl Byron's book, "Boston and Maine Trackside" (Morning Sun Books, 1999, page 98)

He notes:
That the Flying Yankee served as the "Mountaineer" until 1944. "A late 1944 reassignment placed the aging streamliner in Boston-Bellows Falls-White River Jct. service as the CHESHIRE."
In 1952, became the Minuteman on the Hoosac Tunnel route to Troy, NY
"Excepting a brief summer, 1955 interlude back on old Boston-Portland route, the 6000 ended service as the Minuteman in May, 1957."

Steve
 #1519482  by gokeefe
 
So ending in 1944. But ... When did it begin?
 #1519506  by highrail
 
From the same book...

"arrival" February 9, 1935
"Beginning on April 4, 1935, The Flying Yankee started a grueling Portland-Boston; Boston-Bangor-Boston, and Boston-Portland schedule of 733 miles per day."

Steve
 #1519508  by b&m 1566
 
Highrail, he's asking specifically about the Mountaineer, what years did the Flying Yankee operate as the Mountaineer? 19?? - 1944
 #1519523  by highrail
 
Thanks for pointing that out...

It does not have an exact start date, but it does say that service as the Flying Yankee ended in "early 1941." It then states that "During most of WW II B&M 6000 served as the Mountaineer...a late 1944 re reassignment...as the Cheshire." So not very long, about 3 years.

Steve
 #1519541  by gokeefe
 
So probably changed with the publication of the summer timetable which would be April or May. Very interesting. Thank you all for the clarification.

I'm surprised that they took it off the Boston to Portland run less than 10 years after inauguration. 1947 would have made more sense as that was the date of the opening of the Maine Turnpike. Very interesting decision there.

Perhaps preparations for war meant express passenger service had to be reduced in order to accommodate more freight on the main lines. The Conway Branch probably would have been a "safe bet" in terms of freight traffic interference.
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