B&M #3713 Should be put on a mainline exursion when its restored, to run to New England. I wonder if it could be bought by some group of people in new england and be run on former B&M trackage. Possibly in Ayer, MA?
Trainman4, welcome to Trainboard! I like your idea for 3713. Wonder if Steamtown will ever finish the restoration? Their track record is dismal. :tb-sad:
Trainman4, Welcome to the TrainBoard. We're happy to have you aboard, especially me since you proudly display the best logo that there ever was...though there might be a few folks on TB who will disagree with me.....sorry Jim. :tb-tongue:
I show the "colors", too! It would be nice to see that loco under steam again but, I'm not holding my breath.
The last time I rode that trackage was on a Friday afternoon in mid-August 1951 from North Station to Ashland. I was in an open vestibule coach behind a smoky Mogul. Kinda sooty, but a great ride. :tb-cool: I assume the coal trains are still serving the power plant in Bow, but is there any other freight on the line? A while back I read there were still a few customers around Laconia. Who owns the line north of Concord, Pan Am, NH DOT, or both? I know Winnipesaukee is operating between Meredith and Lakeport, and Hobo is operating a few miles either side of Lincoln, but are any other sections of the line even serviceable?
Just quick question, what was that Mougul and was that the last steam locomotive on the line so far? anyways, yes there is other traffic besides the coal trains. The Traffic is the NA-1 which is the Nashua Local. New England Southern (NEGS) stoped comming to manchester recently because of Pan Am wanting the trackage between Manchester and Concord back. So yah, we have little frieght here. This sunday i saw an Empty Coal Train with Providence and Worchester Power on it, it had a newly aqired engine from BNSF on it so it was an awesome train to see.
I have no memory which Mogul was pulling, or how long after steam ran on that branch. I don't think passenger service lasted more than a few years, or that B&M ran any RDCs on that branch. I think it was summer 1953 when I saw the Allouette come through Plymouth on her way from Montreal to North Station. I believe the trackage between Plymouth and Woodsville was pulled years ago. This is sad because I read where a Boston/Montreal train is being discussed. That branch would cut at least an hour from going out to Springfield on the ex-Fitchburg, then up the River Line to White River Junction, assuming the trackage was brought up to at least Class-2 standards, if not Class-1. On the other hand decisions to re-establish trains always consider passenger market projections to be much more important than the opinions of a bunch of nostalgic B&M Foamers.....:tb-hissyfit:
