Franklin Line Discussion

Regarding

many moons ago from a deal regarding the land

I spent a couple hours yesterday, browsing through the Norfolk County Registry of Deeds, to no avail. I'd appreciate any clues, if anyone has any and then I'll do some more digging.

charding wrote: ↑Thu Jan 23, 2020 9:18 am ...Tom, his name was Bob Stewart...a hero to commuters...Bob was never shy about strapping on unusual causes...for years, he was Walpole’s veterans agent...a favorite of my folks...

Bob Stewart, yes! Thanks, charding!

He passed away in 2014. Plimptonville is mentioned in his obituary found here.

https://www.currentobituary.com/obit/137129

The obit states: "For those of you depending on Plimptonville as your local train stop in Walpole, you can thank Bob for securing it as a permanent stop for perpetuity". I wonder if he negotiated a written agreement with the "T"?

For a couple of years, Bob supplied a Christmas wreath which was hung on the front of the cab car leading the train that made its twice daily stops at Plimptonville.

Tom Coughlin
Stow, MA.

charding wrote: ↑Thu Oct 24, 2019 9:06 am ...actually, at one time the Franklin Line did extend to Blackstone...but a bridge out west of Franklin and cost to repair stopped the service...but a good idea...

Commuter service between Franklin and Blackstone ended in 1966 for funding reasons at a time when the New Haven was dropping all non-subsidized Boston trains. Blackstone was outside the MBTA district and no alternative funding mechanism was available. The line west of Franklin remained active for freight until Penn Central killed it in 1969.

This unhappy incident happened in the City Mills area of Norfolk, Ma. in 1926. I understand there were no injuries. I'm trying to find more info if possible. Any and all leads or info appreciated.

MaineCoonCat wrote: ↑Sat Jan 25, 2020 5:22 pm I'm trying to find more info if possible.

Hello, - librarian here - Can you share what information you do have? Perhaps the rail road, direction the train was headed or anything thing else?

From the style of dress I can tell it was between May 15th and September 15th. Back then most men hung up their felts and put on their straw hats around May 15 and swapped back out on September 15th.

This would be the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad in 1926. From just knowing the area somewhat and from nosing around with Google Earth, I've deduced (quite possibly wrongly) that the bridge seen in the photo is the Grove Street Bridge just by it's intersection with Main Street. The terrain sloping suggests (again, quite possibly wrongly) that the photo was taken from the north side of the tracks, looking west-southwest. Looking at the photo, it looks to me like two trains were ultimately involved. The photo was given me by my aunt-in-law who is a member of the Norfolk Historical Commission. They have no further info.

Adams_Umass_Boston wrote: ↑Sat Jan 25, 2020 6:12 pmFrom the style of dress I can tell it was between May 15th and September 15th. Back then most men hung up their felts and put on their straw hats around May 15 and swapped back out on September 15th.

When I started in the PRR's Boston office in 1956 it was still the practice. Of course appearing in public without a hat was out of the question.

I can't find any mention of it in the Globe.

Wonder if the Attleboro Sun-Chronicle archives would have anything..

Could this have been in Mansfield? https://books.google.com/books?id=vyXNm ... 26&f=false

Not according to the Norfolk Historical Commission..
. .
https://norfolk.ma.us/boards-committees ... 0-to-1999/

I found that many of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad records are at the University of Connecticut

https://www.ctdigitalarchive.org/island ... A860127985

I noticed they have a box "Accident reports, business forms, service reports, regulations, undated, 1875-1986 box 22"

I would contact them with your query. They should be able to help. Good luck!

Re: phase 3 of the Franklin Line double tracking project - will the 2nd track pass through Walpole station requiring not only a new platform but also a second diamond across the Framingham secondary and two tracks through the Main St tunnel area? If so, it's not clear to me how two tracks can be squeezed through the 100 ft tunnel while preserving clearances likely needed for CSX freight trains.

In ancient times, the tunnel under Main St. was double track. When equipment got larger, the double track was replaced by a gauntlet through the tunnel protected by “armstrong” interlocking signals controlled from interlocking station SS 232. This 2 story tower was located in the SE corner of the diamond, the Union Station being in the NE quadrant.

I’ve heard accounts from old time operators that the westbound home signal for the tunnel required a lot of strength to operate the lever In the tower that controlled it. Just imagine the length of the pipe and crank run from the tower out to the home signal. The gauntlet was removed when the line was single tracked in the early 1940’s.

I haven’t heard what the plan is for the tunnel. One option would be to widen the tunnel. The other would be to install remote control equilateral turnouts on the approaches and keep the tunnel single track.

Tom Coughlin
Stow, MA (and Walpole native)

...old enough to remember the double-tracks thru Walpole...on going thru the Main St tunnel, bet they do another gauntlet track...much too expensive to redo the bridge/tunnel...as Yogi would say, ‘deja vu all over again'...