Locomotive build authorizations were interesting throughout the war. Following up on my "Fun Fact" on the L&HR's purchase of copies B&M 4-8-2s in 1944, the L&HR didn't have much choice. The War Department favored proven designs and the B&M's were on deck.
As I recall, the MILW "S" class 4-8-4 steam and Rock Island's version are related for a similar reason.
And C&O and Pennsy 2-10-4s, CB&Q and Frisco 4-8-4s. The War Department would let the Frisco diverge far enough to order Coffin feedwater heaters, but the Pennsy didn't get Belpaire fireboxes. Not that any of that relates to New England...
On May 23, 1949, the New Haven launched their Cranberry service for summertime rail service to the Cape from Boston.
Harp switch stand of the abandoned Beebe River Railroad. The Beebe River was a logging railroad operated by the Draper Corporation, Campton, NH. The Beebe had 26 miles of track in the Sandwich Mountains.
Draper Corporation purchased a new Climax in 1920 to operate on the Beebe River. The Climax is now owned by the White Mountain Central as its #6. White Mountain Central is a tourist railroad operated by Clark's Trading Post, Lincoln, NH.
Not so old a photo, yet the fall colors are kind of appropriate for this time of year. Train coming into Conway NH from the north. October 2008 Dean Straw Photo.
The Old Colony Railroad mostly served an area south of Boston, including Cape Cod. It was taken over by the New Haven in the late 1890s. We lived south of Boston when I was very young. A long-gone line of the former Old Colony once ran past the school playground area and in my little kid mind, I still somehow hoped that I'd see a train during recesses. It was of course, not to be.
Old Colony map from 1875. Note connecting steamship service to Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket and towards New York. I'm thinking there was not a NYNH&H Shore Line at this time.
The last operational ball signal in America controlled the Maine Central/Boston & Maine diamond in Whitefield, NH. Conway Scenic Railroad can access it from their Mountaineer tours through Crawford Notch. I visited it during the special (extra fare) Conway Scenic Ball Signal Excursion Labor Day 2017. Usually both balls remained low. The first train arriving at the diamond would raise the ball for their track, giving them the "Highball". An opposing train would see their ball low and the opposite ball high, so would stop. When the diamond was cleared by the original train, their ball would be lowered. Then the opposing train would raise their ball showing they now controlled the diamond. So it was in days of rural railroading when life was slower before automation.
I was mistaken. Both balls are normally left high. (Especially in winter, LOL) The first train to arrive lowers the opposing ball to block any late comer. Once across the diamond, that train raises the lowered ball to open the diamond for any train following.
As a kid growing up in Milford, New Hampshire (5-7th grades) we used to play ice hockey on this pond. Sometimes we would use the trestle as a goal. That could get a little painful at times.