The Winnipesaukee Scenic Railway's 1030 AM train from Meredith has made the trip to Weirs and all the way down to Lakeport on the railroad's state owned route that was once the Boston and Maine Railroad's White Mountains mainline originally constructed by the Boston, Concord and Montreal Railroad in 1849. They are now on their return trip north as they curl alongside Maiden Lady Cove at MP 35 as measured north from Concord. Shoving on the rear is Granite State Scenic number 105, an ex New Orleans Public Belt Railway SW1000 blt. Aug. 1971 and acquired in 2020.
Laconia, New Hampshire
Friday October 18, 2024
© All Rights Reserved
Just a long telephoto image with some heat distortion of CSXT local L020 framed up by the milepost as they air test their train of two ex Chessie GP40-2s and 17 cars before departing Troy for the five mile trip down to Rensselaer where they will hop on Amtrak's Hudson Line and start back west toward their home base in South Schenectady.
CSXT's Troy Industrial Track is a six mile long branch line that connects with the Amtrak controlled Hudson Line just north of the Albany-Rensselaer station at the east end of the Livingston Avenue bridge. The former New York Central route is the last active rail line into the Collar City which at one point in the early 20th century was the fourth wealthiest city in the nation. The city once had lines radiating in four directions serving a grand Union Station downtown.
The four railroads that originally formed the Troy Union Railroad were the Rensselaer and Saratoga (D&H), Troy and Boston (B&M), Troy and Greenbush (NYC) and Schenectady and Troy (NYC). That's how the NYC ended up with half ownership of the TURR, and the others each had one quarter.
This surviving spur began as the Troy and Greenbush Railroad which was chartered in 1845 and opened later that year, connecting Troy south to East Albany (now Rensselaer) on the east side of the Hudson River. It was the last link in an all-rail line between Boston and Buffalo and until bridges were built between Albany and Rensselaer, passengers crossed on ferries while the train went up to Troy, crossed the Hudson River, and came back down to Albany.
The Hudson River Railroad was chartered in 1846 to extend this line south to New York City and the full line opened in 1851. Prior to completion, the Hudson River leased the Troy and Greenbush and all would come into the hands of Cornelius Vanderbilt in 1864 who then three years later combined it with his New York Central Railroad to have the entire New York City to Buffalo route under his control. A decade after that Vanderbilt would gain control over the lines to Chicago uniting the famed 'water level route' under one banner that would grow to be one of the worlds greatest rail systems in the first half of the 20th Century.
The above information is courtesy of this site where you can learn more:
penneyvanderbilt.wordpress.com/2017/04/14/troy-greenbush-...
CSXT is the direct corporate successor of the New York Central by way of Penn Central in 1968, then Conrail in 1976, and CSXT in 1999. Despite occasional fear of the line's demise they continue to serve it three days a week with this local that travels via the Carmen Branch and the Hudson Line down West Albany hill and across LAB to get to this branch.
Troy, New York
Friday October 25, 2024
© All Rights Reserved
Strolling up B Street in Stockton, CA, BUGX 2000 eases across E. Marsh Street with inbound cars in tow, leaving BNSF's Mormon Yard in the rearview mirror. The hanging 'X' is a holdover from the interurban era.
© All Rights Reserved
© All Rights Reserved
This week we will say goodbye to one of the finest we know: Mr. Tom Farence. Tommy was a Milwaukee Road man, as Dad was, and the Farence family was always near and dear to us as we grew up. He was a great rail, great photographer and an all around amazing guy with such an innate knowledge of railroading. The stories he could tell would keep you captivated for hours. This photo, taken back in May of 2013 describes Tom all too well: all smiles, elated to be on the property and usually found with a camera around his neck. God speed, Tommy - you know we love ya man, and miss you just the same.
© All Rights Reserved