Just read News Wire Item wherein the Housatonic Railroad is studying establishment of rail passenger service from Pittsfield to Danbury.
Interestingly enough back in 1968 I took a job in Pittsfield, MA and from my apartment I could see a Budd RDC parked on a siding just west and south from the station on the line to Danbury. A little research found that passenger service from NY Grand Central Station to Pittsfield did exist on Friday evening and returned on Sunday afternoon. I am not sure if that service lasted until the dawn of Amtrak. I sure wanted to ride that route then and hope re-establishment of service will come to fruition.
Another example of why rail lines should not be torn up for salvage because the line is not utilized or under utilized at present. Tomorrow may make any forlorn line viable and very useful again.
To the Housatonic Railroad I say good luck!
Welcome to the forum, "C2XCin2006." Hope that you enjoy or participate in the contributed posts hereon, and perchance able to offer more yourself. I myself started posting just a couple of weeks or so ago, and do find occasional topics of interest, but right now am clearing up a backlog of subjects about which I need advice and information. Many good and knowledgable folks here.
Again, WELCOME.
I rode the line from Lenox or Lee, the first stop south of Pittsfield, to GCT in July 1962. Very scenic line. No hassle standing on the vestibule platform of the rear car, the parlor car, bu the conductor did sell me an upgrade for the parlor seat. An FL-9, baggage car, to 8200-series American Flyers, and a post-war parlor at the rear. Sunday evening, train about half full going into Danbury, and almost every coach seat taken going into Bridgeport. No enchine change, with the FL-9 going into GCT. Alger Hiss of Richard Nixon Whitticker Chambers fame was a fellow Parlor car passenger. He also wished to ride the rear platform when he saw me doing it. I do not know how long he had been out of jail and did not ask.
Were not the FL-9 locos just retired a few years ago from Metro North un-electric routes? Great story with Hiss and all.
Would be a great feat if passenger service could be instituted on line north of Danbury!
When I was in Pittsfield the once grand and very spacious station was in sad shape but one could see that it once was very nice.
Our family built a ski house in South Egremont in 1968 so I am very familiar with the area. I recall the New Haven sign that hung from the Stockbridge station until Amtrak day I think. I never did see any passenger service on that line but do remember the occasional B & M freight. The Housatonic has upgraded the line quite a lot; it was washed out south of Canaan, Connecticut but it has all been restored. I recall the head of the Housatonic (I don't recall his name) saying over twenty years ago that his long-term goal was passenger service from Grand Central. I hope they succeed, but ever since the Harlem line was extended to Wassaic, traffic congestion in Great Barrington and environs has grown a lot, since it is now feasible to live in G.B. and work in New York.
An excellant idea! I can recall recall the days of fishing the Housatonic River there in Cornwall, CT just above the US RT 7 bridge and accross from the station there in Cornwall, CT. I can remember on Sundays there would be a lonely Budd car from Danbury to Pittsfield and back. I am surprised that there hasn't been a tourist line opened by the present day Housatonic RR. It is one beautiful ride through the valley along the river especially in the fall time. I wish them all the luck and success in this endeavour.
Bob
Great idea! I think part of the depot in Canaan was partially burned though. I hope they've fixed it as from the photos, it's a nice looking depot.
There was a tourist line running between Stockbridge and Lee over 20 years ago. They used those old green Erie Lackawanna cars that used to run from Hoboken Terminal. There also used to be excursions south from Canaan during Canaan Railroad Days, but this stopped as the freight traffic got to be too heavy, or so I was told. I think maybe they ran every weekend and when they stopped running them the town seemed to suffer. Canaan Union Station was a great old place, for sure. There's a nice model train shop near by also; Berkshire Hills Model Trains and the owner is depicted in Sam Posey's memoir "Playing with Trains."
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