User:CommanderMcBragg/North Brookfield Railroad
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The North Brookfield Railroad (reporting mark N/A) is a 4.2 mile railroad right-of-way connecting North Brookfield, Massachusetts to the CSX mainline at East Brookfield, Massachusetts. The railroad operated from 1876 to 1972. Plans to rebuild the railroad are "on schedule" to have it operating "by summer" 2012.[1]
| File:Nbrr.png | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | North Brookfield, Massachusetts |
| Reporting mark | None |
| Locale | Massachusetts |
| Dates of operation | 1876–1972 |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
History
[edit]The North Brookfield Railroad was chartered 1874 and construction began in 1875. The line was leased from January 1, 1876, to the Boston and Albany Railroad, and its successor Penn Central Railroad. Freight service was discontinued in 1972 and tracks subsequently removed.
- Original organization
The railroad was 90% owned by the Town of North Brookfield.
- Construction
- Leased for ten years
- Leased for fifty years
The railroad was leased for fifty years from January 1, 1886 at $3,000 per year.[2]
- One year lease, automatically renewing
A new lease with the Boston and Albany (by this time itself leased to the New York Central) was dated December 31, 1935, effective January 1, 1936, providing freight service only, terminable with 30-days' notice by either party. [3]
- Demise
- Proposed conversion to Rail Trail
On July 21, 2011, the Selectmen appointed a rail trail study committee. Conversion to a rail trail has been suspended in favor of reactivation as a railroad.
- Present status
The railroad presently exists as a railbed with one or more "no trespassing" signs. The station building in North Brookfield still stands.
The North Brookfield Railroad Corporation is owned by the Town of North Brookfield. The three town selectmen and Attorney Blaise Berthiaume act as the board of directors. Berthiaume is the treasurer.
- Reconstruction plans and new leasee.
The town signed a non-disclosure agreement.
Daniel Bigda[4] was appointed president of the North Brookfield Railroad Companyin October 2011. The "Company" is to rebuild and lease the railroad property from the town owned "Corporation"
Investors have provided up to $5 Million for construction. Mr. Bigda claims to have six customers lined up for service, with other customers possible. Mr. Bigda's company Boxcar Services would provide engines and rolling stock.
Mark Bourgeois III appointed constable for the railroad 1/3/2012 [5]
Stations
[edit]The brick North Brookfield station building still exists, located at Elm and School St [6]. The National Historic Landmark East Brookfield Station, on the Boston and Albany line, designed by Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge, burned down by arson on September 18, 2010, and was later demolished.
References
[edit]- ^ http://www.telegram.com/article/20120210/NEWS/102109650/0/FRONTPAGE Concern small over rail spur being resurrected
- ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=PVgaAQAAIAAJ&dq=north%20brookfield%20railroad%20leased%20boston%20albany%20ten%20years&pg=PA17-IA20&ci=95%2C732%2C758%2C34&source=bookclip Annual Report of the Directors of the Boston & Albany Railroad Company to the Stockholders, 1897
- ^ http://www.canadasouthern.com/caso/images/annual-nyc-1936.pdf The New York Central Railroad Company Report of the Board of Directors to the Stockholders for the year ended December 31, 1936 , pp 14
- ^ http://www.linkedin.com/pub/bigda-daniel-m/13/634/1b7
- ^ http://www.northbrookfield.net/documents/Selectmens%20Minutes/2012/010312.pdf
- ^ http://dlib.cwmars.org/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/nbrookfield&CISOPTR=12&CISOBOX=1&REC=1 North Brookfield Station, c. 1905
http://www.canadasouthern.com/caso/images/annual-nyc-1936.pdf
The New York Central Railroad Company Report of the Board of Directors to the Stockholders for the year ended December 31, 1936
pp 14
North Brookfield Railroad Operating Agreement Prior to January 1, 1936, the Company, as lessee of the Boston and Albany Railroad, operated the North Brookfield Railroad under the terms of a lease made by the North Brook- field Railroad Company to the Boston and Albany Railroad Company. This lease expired on December 31, 1935, and a new agreement bearing that date was made by the North Brook- field Railroad Company with the Boston and Albany Railroad Company for the continued operation of the property, in freight service only, for a term of one year from January 1, 1936, and thereafter until terminated by either party on 30 days' notice. All the rights and liabilities of the Boston and Albany Railroad Company under the new agreement were assumed by this Company for the duration of its lease of the Boston and Albany Railroad.
Annual Report of the Directors of the Boston & Albany Railroad Company to the Stockholders, 1897 Lease North Brookfield Railroad Company for fifty years from January 1 1886 rental $3,000 per annum <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=PVgaAQAAIAAJ&dq=north%20brookfield%20railroad%20leased%20boston%20albany%20ten%20years&pg=PA17-IA20&ci=95%2C732%2C758%2C34&source=bookclip"><img src="http://books.google.com/books?id=PVgaAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA17-IA20&img=1&zoom=3&hl=en&sig=ACfU3U3S21DXYXeGXcz8Q_em-RJt7JBLAA&ci=95%2C732%2C758%2C34&edge=0"/></a>
http://books.google.com/books/about/Lease_of_the_North_Brookfield_Railroad.html?id=2UA8qAAACAAJ
community master plan 2007, north brookfield massachusetts, pages 95-96 (transportation chapter)
inaccuracies: states that east brookfield owns their portion.
Report
By Massachusetts. Tax Commissioner's Dept 1897
North Brookfield Railroad Company North Brookfield Organized June 24 1875 under 1872 c 53 1874 c 372
<a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=-VLOAAAAMAAJ&vq=%22north%20brookfield%20railroad%22%20charter%201874&dq=%22north%20brookfield%20railroad%22%20charter%201874&pg=PA110&ci=133%2C766%2C761%2C50&source=bookclip"><img src="http://books.google.com/books?id=-VLOAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA110&img=1&zoom=3&hl=en&sig=ACfU3U3oAUI0Ee8cDkZXGaL0Omf7UITrxQ&ci=133%2C766%2C761%2C50&edge=0"/></a>
http://qje.oxfordjournals.org/content/23/1/137.abstract Two Experiments in Public Ownership of Steam Railroads
Fred Wilbur Powell
New York
Summary
Troy financed the construction of Schenectady & Troy Railroad when individuals withheld support, 138.—City owned all stock and operated road for ten years, 141.—A losing venture, hampered by legislation and lack of friendly connections, 142.—Mismanaged by political appointees, but must have failed under any management, 145.—North Brookfield, unable to obtain rail connection with a trunk line, built North Brookfield Railroad by means of company in which it took nine-tenths of stock, but arranged for operation by Boston & Albany under lease, 149. —A success in every particular, 150.
External links
[edit]Further reading
[edit]http://www.archive.org/stream/incidentsappalli00hill/incidentsappalli00hill_djvu.txt Fatality where NBRR crossed West Main (MA 9) http://www.eastbrookfieldma.us/Then%20and%20Now/Then%20and%20Now-Auto-Train-Accident.htm
Category:Defunct Massachusetts railroads
Category:Railway companies established in 1874
Category:Railway companies disestablished in 1972
Category:Standard gauge railways in the United States