Jesse Mazzie and one of his motorcars at Fernald on the ex-B&M Wolfeboro Branch.

In the conclusion of our interview with Jesse Mazzie, topics of discussion include his work with the new England Southern Railroad on the former B&M White Mountain branch, the nature of freight rail today and the possibilities the former B&M might hold for future rail prospects, and the legacy of the B&M and its impacts, both for the railroad and railfan worlds.

Jesse Mazzie and his childhood friends pose on Springfield Terminal GP7 #27 (ex-Maine Central #573) in the yard at Danvers, MA on the former Boston & Maine Newburyport Branch — just feet from his childhood home. Guilford operations on this now-abandoned line played a huge role in his railroading interest.

For many younger people today, the Boston & Maine Railroad is "gone but not forgotten" — the railroad and its legacy influence our lives in many ways. Jesse Mazzie of Danvers, Massachusetts grew up in the 1980s and 1990s alongside the former Boston & Maine Newburyport Branch, instilling in him a love for railroading. That love for railroading, and later the Boston & Maine, has followed him through his life, both as an enthusiast and eventually in a part-time freight railroading career on former B&M trackage. In part one of this interview, we talk to Jesse about the B&M, the Maine Central, and logging railroads of New Hampshire; his connections to the Wolfeboro Railroad; and his involvement in the motorcar enthusiast world and the Cotton Valley Rail Trail Club.

Jesse working as engineer on the New England Southern Railroad, operating on the former B&M White Mountain Branch.

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Jesse with one of his motorcars, BM #664, delivered to the Boston & Maine in 1957.

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SV 1 at Suncook Station, Pembroke, NH - August 26, 1946 - SV 3 (Combine) is on the rear of the train. Albert G. Hale Photo - Walker Transportation Collection - Beverly Historical Society Collection

SV 3 (Combine) at Suncook Station, Pembroke, NH - June 26, 1947 - The Chichester Station Agent is standing in the doorway. Albert G. Hale Photo - Walker Transportation Collection - Beverly Historical Society Collection

The ever-popular Suncook Valley Railroad was perhaps New Hampshire’s quintessential steam-era shortline railroad. Constructed between 1869 and 1889 (and operated by the Boston & Maine from 1895 to 1924) the Suncook Valley Railroad again became an independent entity in 1924. From then until its abandonment in 1952, the route of the “Blueberry Express” became famous for bucolic scenery, mixed freight and passenger trains, and its dawdling trek into the deepest reaches of rural New Hampshire.

For a time the Suncook Valley Railroad had its own historical society, and in today’s episode, we listen to its March 17, 1974 meeting. Well-known railroad enthusiast Norton D. “Skip” Clark (Sept. 23, 1932 – Mar. 15, 1992) describes his memories of the charming yankee shortline.

We would like to dedicate this episode to the late Brent S. Michiels (April 26, 1948 – March 7, 2021) of Suncook who tape-recorded this 1974 meeting for us to enjoy forever.

Lakeport, NH, June 1976 Bruce Davison conductor on the Wolfeboro Railroad Central Division. Colin G. Chisholm photo, Rick Kfoury Collection

In Part 2 of our interview with Bruce Davison, we continue to follow his shortline railroading career with the Wolfeboro Railroad’s Central Division, operating 1976 and 1977 on the state of New Hampshire-owned White Mountain Branch between Concord and Lincoln. Bruce also discusses his time with the New England Southern Railroad (July 1985 to December 8, 1994) operating on the White Mountain Branch as well as leased portions of the B&M-owned NH Division Mainline between Concord and Manchester, and the B&M-owned Northern Mainline to Penacook and Andover.

Bruce in the cab of New England Southern GP18 #503, 1991. Bruce Davison Collection.

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Hooksett Village, September 28, 1985. Maine Central GP7 #581, leased to New England Southern, southbound to Manchester. Bruce C. Davison conductor. Brent S. Michiels photo.

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Northfield, NH, March 1986. New England Southern #302 (GP7) derailed on the siding at Sargent Street. Bruce Davison with rerailing blocking. Leo Surowiec photo, Bruce Davison Collection.

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Bruce Davison, conductor, at West Claremont, NH, Oct. 3, 1977. William J. Madden photo, Michael C. Bump Collection.

As the Boston & Maine Railroad sought to shed its lesser profitable lines, several shortline railroad companies were formed to pick up the slack. One such famed shortline was the Claremont & Concord Railway, whose territory included both the former B&M Claremont Branch and the Claremont Electric Railway's industrial trackage weaving through the streets of Claremont. We are joined by well-known railroad historian, enthusiast, and former railroader Bruce Davison who got his first taste of railroading on the C&C in the 1970s.

Part 2 of this episode will air next week (8/27) and will include Bruce's recollections working for two other shortlines on former B&M trackage, the Wolfeboro Railroad Central Division, and the New England Southern Railroad.

West Claremont, NH, Bruce installs a “stiff shackle” between the locomotive and the freight car in order to negotiate the tight curve into Coy Paper.

Bruce’s early love for railroads led to a lifelong hobby and a memorable career.

In today’s episode of High Green, we hear a taped interview from 1976 in which well-known railroad enthusiasts Dana D. Goodwin and H. Arnold Wilder speak with former Boston & Maine fireman Bill Fletcher. Fletcher hired on with the Boston & Maine in 1910, working with the railroad until 1927. Topics of conversation include the Vermont & Massachusetts Railroad, Alvah Crocker, the Cheshire Railroad, the Stony Brook, and the perils of the early days of railroading.

Wolfeboro, NH, 1974. Dana D. Goodwin photo, B&MRRHS Archives.

In the early 1970s, Donald Hallock of the Strasburg Railroad endeavored to start a tourist and freight railroad on the 12-mile Wolfeboro Branch of the Boston & Maine Railroad. In doing so, he helped start a beloved institution wherein many railroaders cut their teeth. One such railroader was Brian Dame of Rochester, whose close affiliation with railroading began on the Wolfeboro; both at the operation in Wolfeboro and with the short-lived passenger and freight “Central Division” operating on the state-owned line between Concord and Lincoln. Follow along as Brian talks the people, equipment and stories of the gone, but not forgotten, Wolfeboro Railroad.

Brian Dame

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Wolfeboro Railroad Alco RS3 #101 at Lincoln, NH April 4, 1976. During the Wolfeboro’s brief operation of their “Central Division” from Concord to Lincoln. Bruce Davison photo.

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The former Wolfeboro Railroad station, dating back to the original Wolfeboro Railroad in 1872. The station was later used by successors the Eastern Railroad and the Boston & Maine, and finally by the reincarnated Wolfeboro Railroads of the 1970s and 1980s. Neil Rousseau photo.

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Robert Willoughby Jones' three-volume series on the Boston & Maine, "Three Colorful Decades of New England Railroading" (1991), "City and Shore" (1999) and "Forest, River and Mountain" (2000) rank among the most informative, best illustrated and best-received books ever published on the B&M.

In this episode we are joined by Mr. Jones as we discuss his own memories of the Boston & Maine growing up around Marblehead, Massachusetts; the story behind his books; and some of the interesting historical anecdotes he discovered while researching.

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Russell F. Munroe, Jr., 1987. David Hutchinson photo.

In this episode of High Green we interview longtime B&MRRHS member, former B&M employee and prolific railroad photographer Russell F. Munroe, Jr.

Born on June 28, 1932, Russell was fascinated with trains from a young age and took his first photograph in and soon became one of the most recognized railroad photographers in New England, capturing the final days of steam on the Boston & Maine. After serving in the U.S. Navy from 1953-1954 and working in a machine shop, Russell hired out on the Boston & Maine in 1968, initially working freight. Some of his early freight jobs included including switchers in East Somerville and Lawrence, the North Conway local freight, and road freights up the Northern Mainline to White River Junction, VT. After an injury he transferred to passenger service and retired in 1998 after 30 years.

Listen along as Russell recounts his long history with railroading, and some of the more colorful memories of his career!

Boston & Maine Osgood-Bradley “American Flyer” coach #4590. B&MRRHS Archives.

In the mid-1950s, the Boston & Maine began to modernize their passenger roster with the purchase of the world’s largest fleet of Budd Rail Diesel Cars (RDCs). As a result, much of their conventional passenger equipment was now obsolete. Many of those coaches were sold off or converted to work train service, including the railroad’s recognizable Osgood-Bradley “American Flyer” coaches.

Many of the Osgood-Bradleys found a new home on the Long Island Railroad, serving well into the 1970s and after as storage or work coaches. Today, the Twin Forks Chapter of the NRHS (National Railway Historical Society) has begun work to restore one of these famed coaches, former Boston & Maine #4590. Listen along as chapter president Adam Brower and vice-president Gerard Jewels discuss the project, and how you can get involved!

Twin Forks NRHS: https://www.facebook.com/twinforksnrhs

GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/restoration-of-bm-american-flyer-car?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer