Ludlow, MA; Palmer, MA RR??

[Anonymous]

hi
i am loe tita okin for some info on a railroad the used to run throught Ludlow Mass and into Palmer Mass. The railroad was the Hamden RR. i cannot find very much on this. i kno that it has been refered to as the titanic RR. i have i have found somw topographical maps fron 1939, they show the roadbed, but no trackage. Anyone who can help, it woulb be greatly appritiated.

here is the link to the topographical maps:
Ludlow, MA S/W corner http://docs.unh.edu/MA/ludw39sw.jpg
Ludlow, MA S/E corner http://docs.unh.edu/MA/ludw39se.jpg
Palmer, MA S/W corner http://docs.unh.edu/MA/palm46sw.jpg

PLEASE COPY PASTE INTO BROWSER

the MASSPIKE does folloe the roadbed for a good length in both ludlow and some of chicopee.

thanks
MATT

[jchnhtfd]

Someone else probably can answer this better, but... I am familiar with the right of way and embankments you mention (some of them rather impressive). I can't be sure, but I don't think the line was ever actually completed as a conventional railroad. It may, however, just possibly have been an interurban line. There are some aspects of the right of way and embankment construction which suggest that...

[coalminer3]

The "Titanic" Railroad was the Southern New England. It got it's nickname not from it's size but because the money man behind it perished when the Titanic went down.

There is an excellent book by Larry Lowenthal titled: Titanic Railroad: The Southern New England. A fascinating story.

Hope this helps

work safe

[Anonymous]

well, my house was origionally built on land that the right of way ran on. i do have a postcard the shows a crossing what i belive is harris brook. i was driving through palmer today, and along one of the adbutments was a stone, looked like a grave stone which said "Hampden Railroad, the railroad that was never finished." i do know that there was track layed in ludlow bnecause one of my neighbors grew up here and remembered crossing the to walk to school everyday. i am most interested in findin a photo of the chicopee river crossing, which must have an impressive bridge.

thanks
MATT