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Bellows Falls and Saxton River Railraod

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  • Member since
    May 2011
  • From: Burlington Vt
  • 76 posts
Bellows Falls and Saxton River Railraod
Posted by Bering on Friday, September 7, 2018 7:16 AM

Hello, I am interested in the Bellows Falls and Saxton River Railroad.  It was a rural trolley line operated between 1900 and 1924 in southeastern Vermont.  The problem is that I cant seem to find much else out about it.  There are a couple old pictures put up by the rockingham library, but beyond that there seems to be almost no information about this little line floating around.  The line doesnt even appeer on the LOC sanbourn fire maps.  I emailed the Bellows Falls historical socity but they dont seem to have much.  Anybody have any idea where to find information?

http://rockinghamlibrary.org/history/files/original/679504886b8f6f08655ab4eb46accd4f.jpg

Lost in the snow

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: Morristown, NJ
  • 798 posts
Posted by nealknows on Friday, September 7, 2018 7:58 AM

This is all I found as I was curious about trolleys in that area. I've been to the area once, so it got the best of me. 

http://www.vizettes.com/kt/ne-interurbans/vt/s-vt.htm

Some small mention, not much. Good luck in your search.

Neal

 

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: Omaha, NE
  • 10,614 posts
Posted by dehusman on Friday, September 7, 2018 10:31 AM

I looked at Historic Aerials at the 1927 topo map and didn't see any trolley line or railroad line other than the steam railroads.  The earliest aerial photo is 1954 so the trolley is probably gone by then and if it ran in the street, there wouldn't be a separate right of way.  The terrain, based on the topo map doesn't allow for too many alternative right of ways, so it probably followed the road up the Saxton River.  You might use Google maps street view to look for signs of the trolley line (bracket on a light pole?)  or at least would see how it ran.

Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Central Vermont
  • 4,557 posts
Posted by cowman on Friday, September 7, 2018 11:24 PM

"Railroads of Vermont, Vol 1"  by Robert Jones has both photos and considerable text on the BF&SR from pages 34-46.

He has been at the Winooski show in the past,  not sure if he still goes.  His son has the videos at the show.

Good luck,

Richard

EDIT:  Published by the New England Press

  • Member since
    December 2013
  • 1 posts
Posted by Choo-Choo55 on Wednesday, November 6, 2019 2:45 PM

I used to go to school in Saxtons River (Vt Acad). Rte 121 from BF to SR follows part of the old roadbed. As you head west from BF and before the I-91 overpass you should be able to see the river left support for the trolley bridge. I don't know what happened to river right (heading downstream). The Saxtons River historical society has a photo of the trolley stop: http://rockinghamlibrary.org/history/items/show/1667#?c=0&m=0&s=0&cv=0&xywh=-167%2C-82%2C2666%2C1937.

 

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