High Green

Happy New Year! Online Committee member Andrew Riedl updates on upcoming Society events and meetings, and future episodes of High Green.

BM 2403 on train #3206 southbound on the Lexington Branch at Lexington Station, Lexington, MA - February 24, 1955. Albert G. Hale Photo - Walker Transportation Collection (Beverly Historical Society)

The Boston & Maine Railroad's Lexington Branch, today the world famous Minuteman Bikeway, was once one of the busiest and best known branchlines in the region. Andrew Riedl interviews author and historian Bill Deen of the Friends of Bedford Depot Park to discuss the line’s history and Bill’s recent book on the subject, "Minuteman Railroad". We will learn about the freight customers, passenger service, peak years and the gradual decline which led to the end of passenger service in 1977 and freight service in 1981. Also discussed are the line’s conversion into a rail trail in the 1990s, and the efforts of the Friends of Bedford Depot Park to preserve railroad buildings in Bedford and exhibit a Boston & Maine Budd RDC-2, No. 6211.

Bill Deen

A young Steve Mumley on his bicycle at the Rutland Railroad’s Alburgh, VT station. Photo via Will Davis.

Part of our mission statement here at the B&MRRHS is to preserve the history of the railroads in New England that did business with the Boston & Maine Railroad. One of the better known examples was the Rutland Railroad, operating primarily in Vermont and New York State until its closure in the early 1960s. The late Steve Mumley (November 8, 1946 — January 29, 2023) knew and loved the Rutland Railroad perhaps more than anyone, and his father, George “Bud” Mumley, worked for the Rutland beginning in 1937. Thanks to Jim Dufour who loaned us this cassette recording, we hear a discussion from 1991 between Steve and George about the latter’s time working on the Rutland Railroad. Topics include milk trains; the wayfreight to Malone, NY; operations between Alburgh, VT and Ogdensburg, NY; and much more.

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/vnews/name/stephen-mumley-obituary?id=39342443

Fitzwilliam, NH, as seen from the cab of a westbound Budd RDC in the 1950s. Preston S. Johnson slide from the Preston S. Johnson Collection, B&MRRHS Archives.

In this episode of High Green, we continue with cassette tapes recorded and loaned by B&MRRHS member and modeler Jim Dufour. On September 10, 2005, Jim recorded Fitzwilliam, NH resident and former B&M employee Ladde Russell. Topics of conversation include the Cheshire Branch, milk trains, the last snowplow run on the Cheshire in 1971, local freights, and many colorful stories and memories from Mr. Russell’s 30-year career on the B&M from 1955 to 1987.

BM 3025 at East Deerfield Yard, Deerfield, MA - July 15, 1939. The powerful 2-10-2s, nicknamed “Mudsuckers” on the Boston & Maine, are one type of locomotive Walter Dunn speaks of in his reminiscing. Robert E. Chaffin Photo - Boston and Maine Railroad Historical Society Collection.

In today’s episode of High Green, we continue our oral history series with a presentation given before the B&MRRHS on March 9, 1985 by former B&M employee Walter Dunn. Dunn recounts the hiring practices of the B&M, the difficulties of the steam to diesel transition of the 1950s, and many humorous stories from his 40-year career on the Fitchburg Division.

This recording was captured by, and graciously loaned to us for release, by B&MRRHS member Jim Dufour. You can view Jim’s masterful HO-scale layout of the B&M’s Cheshire Branch here: https://www.youtube.com/user/cheshirebranch/videos

Hinsdale, NH, May 15, 1950. Train #73 nears Brattleboro, VT on the Northbound Mainline of the Connecticut River Line. 4224 A and B lead. George Hill photo, B&MRR PR Department (Hutchinson/MacMillan Collection, B&MRRHS Archives).

In today’s episode of High Green, we continue the oral history memories of longtime employee Loyd MacNair, recorded October 1987. Additional topics of conversation include various incidents and wrecks, memories of firing steam locomotives and working with early diesels, railroad operations on the Connecticut River Line, and much more.

Embellishing Mr. MacNair’s comments are authentic sounds of B&M steam, recorded by Preston Johnson from the record “Vanishing Vapors”.

BM 3685 on train #72, the "Day White Mountains Express", southbound on the Connecticut River Main Line departing White River Junction, Hartford, VT - August 26, 1946. Albert G. Hale photo, Walker Transportation Collection.

In today’s episode of High Green, we hear the oral history memories of longtime employee Loyd MacNair, recorded October 1987. MacNair describes the start of his B&M career as a fireman on the Conn River Line in the 1940s. Additional topics of conversation include firing stoker and hand-fired steam locomotives, the steam-to diesel-transition, the floods of 1955, recollections of various passenger and freight jobs, and many colorful stories of railroading on the Boston & Maine during this interesting period.

Embellishing Mr. MacNair’s comments are authentic sounds of B&M steam, recorded by Preston Johnson from the record “Vanishing Vapors”.

Keene, NH, 1982 – Engineer Scott Whitney prepares depart Keene with ALCO S-4 #305 and train. Scott J. Whitney photo.

By 1982, the city of Keene, New Hampshire – once a rail major rail hub – had only one rail connection to the outside world left: the Boston & Maine's Ashuelot and Fort Hill Branches. Seeking to keep freight to the Elm City viable, the Boston & Maine leased these branches to the Green Mountain Railroad and for just under two years they provided the last gasp of freight to the area. Join us as former GMRC employee Scott Whitney describes this colorful operation and his experiences as one of the last railroad employees to run freight to and from Keene.

The Keene Sentinel from Nov. 13, 1982 noted the last Green Mountain train to depart Keene, hauling empty 40-foot boxcars that had been stored in town. The Boston & Maine did run several scrap trains up into Keene in 1983 and 1984.

Scott Whitney at North Walpole, NH, September 1983. Douglas F. Kydd photo.

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Keene, NH, 1982. Keene became a handy place to store the Green Mountain' Railroad’s obsolete 40-foot boxcars. Here ALCO S-4 #305 has a long string approaching Island Street. Scott J. Whitney photo.

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Fort Hill, NH, 1982. Scott Whitney photo.

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Hinsdale, NH, 1982. Taking over the Ashuelot Branch in the middle of the winter was no easy task for the Green Mountain Railroad. Scott J. Whitney photo.

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Keene, NH, 1982. Scott J. Whitney photo.

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Keene, NH, 1982. Scott J. Whitney photo.

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Last B&M freight out of Keene, January 4, 1982. The last B&M freight prepares to depart Keene for Brattleboro after delivering Green Mountain ALCO S-4 #305 and caboose #50 for the new operations. Scott J. Whitney photo.

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Last B&M freight to leave Keene, January 4, 1982. The last B&M freight prepares to depart Keene for Brattleboro after delivering Green Mountain ALCO S-4 #305 and caboose #50 for the new operations. Scott J. Whitney photo.

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Route 10, Winchester, NH. Scott J. Whitney photo.

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Keene, NH. Green Mountain Railroad #303 retrieving stored boxcars from behind Wetterau Foods near Eastern Avenue. The Green Mountain pulled out of Keene by November 1982, but continued to serve the Ashuelot Branch as far as Pisgah Switch until November 1983. Scott J. Whitney photo.

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Keene, NH, 1982. Approaching Main Street crossing. Scott J. Whitney photo.

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Paper Service Co. mill, 1982. Scott J. Whitney photo.

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Paper Service Co. mill, 1982. Scott J. Whitney photo.

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Keene Wye, 1982. Scott J. Whitney photo.

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Keene's East Yard, 1982. Looking east from Main Street crossing. Scott J. Whitney photo.

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Backing into Wetterau Foods, Keene, NH, 1982. Scott J. Whitney photo.

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A.C. Lawrence Tannery, Winchester, NH. Scott J. Whitney photo.

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Keene, NH, 1982. Scott J. Whitney photo.

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Dole Junction, NH, 1982. This is the junction between the Ashuelot Branch (left) and the Fort Hill Branch. The Fort Hill Branch was once the B&M’s northbound Conn River Mainline but was severed when the Connecticut River bridge at East Northfield, MA was condemned in 1970. It became a dead-end branch from Brattleboro to Fort Hill to reach the Ashuelot Branch and Keene. Scott J. Whitney photo.

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Winchester, NH. Scott J. Whitney photo.

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Ashuelot Paper, 1982. Notice part of the siding is on a trestle. Scott J. Whitney photo.

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Meredith, NH; Andrew Riedl photo, January 14, 2012

Ken Jackman

Have you ever noticed the granite or concrete mileposts lining rights of way on the Boston & Maine? As it turns out, these important artifacts have a fascinating story, as does their pursuit and documentation. Joining Andrew in this episode is teacher and Downeast Scenic Railroad volunteer Ken Jackman, who has made the documentation and research of railroad mileposts one of his largest railroad pursuits. Topics of discussion concern unique mileposts on various lines, what happens when a milepost “disappears”, and where you can look for them.

In this gem of an interview recorded by Brian Dame on September 6, 2001, we hear the story of Janet Shea (1928–2002). Janet worked as a freight agent for the Boston & Maine from 1945 to 1987 and talks of her career working nearly every station on the B&M’s Conway Branch.

BM 1457 on extra freight train X1457 southbound on the Conway Branch approaching Rochester Station, Rochester, NH - June 8, 1949. Albert G. Hale photo, Walker Transportation Collection.