Housatonic Railroad Thread (Maybrook, Berkshire, Pittsfield)

[NaugyRR]

Google is your friend...
https://portal.ct.gov/DOT/Freight/CTDOT ... -Main-Page
That search took exactly 0.36 seconds

You could also contact DoT directly and inquire about exactly how much aid the state has provided each railroad
https://portal.ct.gov/DOT/Common-Elemen ... Contact-Us

Again, it's not like Connecticut has some kind of economic and political vendetta against freight rail

[lightbulb]

Old HHR still has a few large customers in Mass that generate several cars loads each per week. There is Oldcastle, Onyx Papers in Lee, Lenox Waster transfer, and Sheffield Plastics.

[shepaug]

I was looking at a you-tube video of New Milford and the engine and cars were wobbling to the sides like they were ready to fall over !!!! Take that much to fix track to small degree ?

[Gilbert B Norman]

Well Mr. Shepaug, South Kent School has set my 60th Reunion (61 years after graduation; thank you Mr. COVID) as well as other Classes for May 20, and for which I plan to come back.

I understand that they finally laid the welded rail along Hatch Pond that sat there for many years, but your report from New Milford is probably more like the rest of that sorry excuse for a railroad.

[Ridgefielder]

Well Mr. Shepaug, South Kent School has set my 60th Reunion (61 years after graduation; thank you Mr. COVID) as well as other Classes for May 20, and for which I plan to come back.

I understand that they finally laid the welded rail along Hatch Pond that sat there for many years, but your report from New Milford is probably more like the rest of that sorry excuse for a railroad.

Just think of it as an accurate historical re-creation of the New Haven Railroad... under the bankruptcy trustees ca. 1965.

[Ale Rider1]

Just think of it as an accurate historical re-creation of the New Haven Railroad... under the bankruptcy trustees ca. 1965.

Probably on the same rail!

[shepaug]

Forget exact where BUT stopped to watch the train and engine was wobbling to the left and right seeming like it was ready to fall over. I walked some of the Maybrook Line in Danbury last year and could not believe this was a major route. Not one sign of a new tie anywhere. (was in downtown area Danbury)

[Gilbert B Norman]

Just think of it as an accurate historical re-creation of the New Haven Railroad... under the bankruptcy trustees ca. 1965.

Mr. Ridgefield, the final New Haven bankruptcy petition was filed July 2, 1961. Prize Day at SKS, on which I graduated, was June 9, as I recall.

So I was no longer on The Hill for that event.

Had FRA track classes been in force, the Berkshire line would have been Class 2. I don't think that sorry excuse for a successor railroad could make that claim today.

[Scalziand]

Not sure if this deserves its own thread or not, but the Gunn Museum will be hosting a talk next month on the 21st on the history of the Shepaug line.

https://www.gunnlibrary.org/calendar/hi ... woodworth/
On Monday, March 21, 2022. at 6:30 the Gunn Historical Museum in Washington, CT will present the zoom guest lecture, “The History of the Shepuag Railroad” with Col. Donald A. Woodworth, Jr.

[shepaug]

Not to go too much off-topic but New Haven Railroad ? I do recall some of the passenger stations like Bridgeport Ct One might be scared to enter it Really badly deferred. -- and best spot to locate societies rejects....

The building was quite a nice antique one. -- but it oddly burned....not unusual for Bridgeport..

[Gilbert B Norman]

From South Kent School--

Alummi Weekend (my 60th)

The welded rail along Hatch Pond has now been laid. Have Photos, PM me if you want them.

Looks like Class 3. not saying anything for the rest of the road.

addendum: drove up to Kent for our Class Dinner. What I noted away from the new rail looked "same old sorry".

[Gilbert B Norman]

From New Milford Train Station--

Well, here it looks like what I'd expect from this sorry excuse of a railroad - Class 1 maybe!!!

Have photos here and Woodrow; contact me if want to see them.

[Ridgefielder]

Was up in the Berkshires/Litchfield Hills over the weekend for the first time since before the 'Ro. The track in Mass looks great-- nice clean ballast, welded rail. Long cut of ballast hoppers marked for Mass DOT on the siding in Stockbridge.

South of the Conn line though-- jeez Louise. The track in Canaan looked *rough* where you cross it on 7 just north of downtown. Stick rail visibly sagging at the joints, and weeds in the ballast, even though its obviously heavily used-- no rust on either track on Sunday noon even though it rained a couple days before.

[Gilbert B Norman]

Mr. Ridgefield, hope you enjoyed your drive along Route US7.

From Fife and Drum Restaurant in Kent to Rocky River Inn to the North of New Milford after dark, as the idiots driving their Porsches "a mite bit over" the posted 40/45 came out to "play", was enough for me.

So apparently there is enough business Pittsfield-Canaan (State Line was once the main B&A-NYNH&H interchange) for HRR to "shake the tin cop" and have the "Commonwealth of Tax" drop a "farthing or two" in it. Or might the Commonwealth have visions of extending the new (and reportedly over at the Amtrak Forum, "shaky") Albany-Pittsfield service Southward to Canaan to serve the various attractions (Stockbridge, Tanglewood, skiing) along the New Haven?

[New Haven 1]

Maybe the Housatonic should tell the state they are a rail trail.

This way the state would come up with endless millions with no questions asked.