Does anyone have B&M ETT covering the 1960s? I have a question concerning Fitchburg, Massachusetts. At one time there were two train offices in that town- The depot, and a tower. There was "Fitchburg" from the depot, and "BX Tower". The depot was closed, and all orders copied thereafter at the tower. I would like to know when the depot was closed as a train order office. Supposedly circa early 1960s. And, was the "BX" designator thereafter dropped at that tower, as my example dated 1969 is from there, and only shows as "Fitchburg". Anyone? Boxcab E50
Ken, Someone on the B&M Historical Society Forum, http://www.network54.com/Forum/43027/, might be able to answer your question. I don't know if you have to "sign up" to post a question as we do here at TB, but it's worth a shot. Good luck, Hank
Managed to find a fellow who woked for B&M. Posed my question to him. Hoping he will know, or be able to locate the answer. Boxcab E50
I've posted your question to the B&M Yahoo list. Should have answer for you within a day or so. Duane Goodman
Well so far there have been a couple of replies to your query which I've put below. Looks like they don't totally answer your questions yet. However, some of the list members only check the site occasionally. So there might be more info coming. Duane Goodman #1 I spoke with Carl Senftleben, and below is his response. "BX" was definitely the tower, I worked it in 1970. "FG" was the yard. The Tower interlockings were "OX" east end of yard, "FG" west end of yard, still an interlocking, "BX" at the tower just east of the middle yard, now a new interlocking on the westbound track only, "Rollstone Street" near U Coop in West Fitchburg, and "Westminster" still an interlocking. The station was closed and gone when I started in 1967! I would think all orders were delivered from the tower as it was listed until its retirement as a "N" (continuously open) station in the timetable. #2 A definitive answer would be nice. However, I suspect the depot closed sometime 1958-1960. Through passenger service beyond Greenfield ended in 1958. There were still 90-series Mail/REX trains running Boston-Springfield via Greenfield late in 1958 (they ran the Loop and backed into Greenfield depot on the Conn. River side). Everything else on the Fitchburg by then was RDC's. When the Mail/REX disappeared there wouldn't have been much use for Fitchburg depot. Given that was the era when PBM was furiously turning anything not welded down (and quite a lot of that, too...!!) into greenbacks, significant unused real estate like that meant R.E. taxes B&M was in a hurry to eliminate as well.
BM50- Interesting information! One tidbit I would like to know with certainty- After the depot was closed, and all train orders were copied at the tower, what little paper I have seems to indicate that "BX" was dropped from train orders. And they were just copied simply as Fitchburg. Is my guess correct? Boxcab E50
There has been another post in reference to the station's demolishing. In addition, I've posted your question concerning the train orders. Duane Goodman According to "Boston & Maine In Color Vol 2: The Final Five Decades," by Carl Byron, page 67, The Fitchburg station met the wrecking ball in 1961.
Duane- Thanks. I hope someone will know. It can be great fun to learn some of these details. Boxcab E50
Here's a reply from a gentleman who I hoped would respond to your question. He worked as an operator/dispatcher during that time frame. I should point out as I have in the past, with due respect to Trainboard if you want in-depth details about anything to do with a favorite railroad, I highly recommend checking to see if there is a Yahoo Group forum for it. I belong to several, and they all have past and present railroaders who have first hand knowledge and are always willing to share with those of us (like me) with many questions. His response is below. Duane Goodman I worked BX from 1964 until it closed in 1980. We always addressed the train orders as BX Fitchburg. That was normal practice on the B&M where you would use the telegraph call letters in front of any station which had multiple offices. BX was opened in 1931 with a then state-of-the-art GRS CTC machine. A wonder of the world, and in the very early years rail officials from around the country and around the world would trudge up those concrete steps. Not many folks perhaps, but those who made the journey were impressed. In 1931, for a few months, the B&M had more CTC track miles than any railroad in the world. The diamonds served the NYNH&H psgr trains and they stopped, I think, it was 1932 or '33. Then the diamonds were a liability rather than an asset and were replaced by multiple switches. A most delightful place to work. Until the rocks started coming thru the windows. And that was because of a certain grumpy train director whom I need not name. I never had any trouble with the neighborhood kids and would park my truck right at the door. 73
