North Stratford Railroad
Encyclopedia
The North Stratford Railroad was an interstate railroad in northeastern Vermont
and northwestern New Hampshire
. It ran from the village of North Stratford in Stratford, New Hampshire
to the village of Beecher Falls in Canaan, Vermont
, a distance of approximately 23 miles (37 km).
. Starting in 1883, van Dyke obtained the following charters to build the line, listed from south to north:
Construction began in 1887 on the second section of the Upper Coos Railroad of New Hampshire between North Stratford, where the railroad connected to the Grand Trunk Railway
, and Stewartstown, New Hampshire
. Operations started the same year. A bridge across the Connecticut River
from Stewartstown to Beecher Falls was built in 1888, and the Upper Coos Railroad of Vermont was completed north to the border a few months later. In Canada, 34 miles (54.7 km) of track of the Hereford Railroad from the border near Beecher Falls north to Cookshire, Quebec were laid in 1889, allowing interchange with the Canadian Pacific Railway
. In 1890 the final 19 miles (30.6 km) of track in Quebec were laid to Lime Ridge, which allowed interchange with the Quebec Central Railway
in Dudswell, Quebec
. Construction south of North Stratford took longer, and the entire section went into service in 1891. In this area, the line connected to the Boston and Maine Railroad
in Lancaster, New Hampshire
, again at Waumbeck Junction in Jefferson, New Hampshire
, and then met the Maine Central Railroad
at Quebec Junction in Carroll, New Hampshire
.
and the Boston and Maine Railroad
between North Stratford and Lancaster. This rendered 12 miles (19.3 km) of track in Vermont and 7 miles (11.3 km) in New Hampshire redundant, and the rails were removed. Traffic on the section from North Stratford to Beecher Falls remained sufficient to keep the line open through the 1960s, but had declined enough by the early 1970s that the MEC embargoed the line after floods in 1973. The MEC filed for abandonment, but was forced to reopen the line in 1974.
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
and northwestern New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
. It ran from the village of North Stratford in Stratford, New Hampshire
Stratford, New Hampshire
Stratford is a town located on the Connecticut River in Coos County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 746 at the 2010 census. Within the town are the villages of North Stratford and Stratford Hollow. U.S...
to the village of Beecher Falls in Canaan, Vermont
Canaan, Vermont
Canaan is a town in Essex County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,078 at the 2000 census. Canaan contains the village of Beecher Falls, located at the confluence of the Connecticut River and Halls Stream...
, a distance of approximately 23 miles (37 km).
Origin of the line
The line was originally conceived by George van Dyke, who owned large tracts of forest in Vermont and QuebecQuebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. Starting in 1883, van Dyke obtained the following charters to build the line, listed from south to north:
- Upper Coos Railroad of New Hampshire (first section) - 14 miles (22.5 km) in New Hampshire
- Coos Valley Railroad - 12 miles (19.3 km) in Vermont
- Upper Coos Railroad of New Hampshire (second section) - 30 miles (48.3 km) in New Hampshire
- Upper Coos Railroad of Vermont - 2 miles (3.2 km) in Vermont
- Hereford Railroad - 53 miles (85.3 km) in Quebec, Canada
Construction began in 1887 on the second section of the Upper Coos Railroad of New Hampshire between North Stratford, where the railroad connected to the Grand Trunk Railway
Grand Trunk Railway
The Grand Trunk Railway was a railway system which operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, as well as the American states of Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The railway was operated from headquarters in Montreal, Quebec; however, corporate...
, and Stewartstown, New Hampshire
Stewartstown, New Hampshire
Stewartstown is a town in Coos County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,004 at the 2010 census. It includes the village of West Stewartstown and is part of the Berlin, NH–VT Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
. Operations started the same year. A bridge across the Connecticut River
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
from Stewartstown to Beecher Falls was built in 1888, and the Upper Coos Railroad of Vermont was completed north to the border a few months later. In Canada, 34 miles (54.7 km) of track of the Hereford Railroad from the border near Beecher Falls north to Cookshire, Quebec were laid in 1889, allowing interchange with the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
. In 1890 the final 19 miles (30.6 km) of track in Quebec were laid to Lime Ridge, which allowed interchange with the Quebec Central Railway
Quebec Central Railway
The Quebec Central Railway was a railway in the Canadian province of Quebec, that served the area of Quebec called the Eastern Townships, south of the St. Lawrence River. Its headquarters was in Sherbrooke. It was originally incorporated in 1869 as the Sherbrooke, Eastern Townships and Kennebec...
in Dudswell, Quebec
Dudswell, Quebec
Dudswell is a municipality of 1,600 people in Le Haut-Saint-François Regional County Municipality, in Quebec, Canada....
. Construction south of North Stratford took longer, and the entire section went into service in 1891. In this area, the line connected to the Boston and Maine Railroad
Boston and Maine Railroad
The Boston and Maine Corporation , known as the Boston and Maine Railroad until 1964, was the dominant railroad of the northern New England region of the United States for a century...
in Lancaster, New Hampshire
Lancaster, New Hampshire
Lancaster is a town in Coos County, New Hampshire, USA, on the Connecticut River named after Lancaster, England. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 3,507, the second largest in the county after Berlin. It is the county seat of Coos County and gateway to the Great North Woods Region...
, again at Waumbeck Junction in Jefferson, New Hampshire
Jefferson, New Hampshire
Jefferson is a town in Coos County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,107 at the 2010 census. It is home to parts of the White Mountain National Forest in the south and northeast and to two theme parks: Santa's Village and...
, and then met the Maine Central Railroad
Maine Central Railroad
The Maine Central Railroad Company was a railroad in central and southern Maine. It was chartered in 1856 and began operations in 1862. It operated a mainline between South Portland, Maine, east to the Canada-U.S...
at Quebec Junction in Carroll, New Hampshire
Carroll, New Hampshire
Carroll is a town in Coos County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 763 at the 2010 census. The two largest villages are Twin Mountain and Bretton Woods. Carroll is an important access point for recreational areas in the White Mountains, including many 4,000-footers, the Zealand...
.
Maine Central Railroad
In 1890, the Maine Central Railroad gained control of the line through a series of leases. The MEC operated the line without fanfare until 1925, when it canceled its lease with the Hereford Railroad. After an extended legal battle, the tracks from the border north to Malvina, Quebec were removed. In 1948, the MEC negotiated trackage rights with the Grand Trunk RailwayGrand Trunk Railway
The Grand Trunk Railway was a railway system which operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, as well as the American states of Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The railway was operated from headquarters in Montreal, Quebec; however, corporate...
and the Boston and Maine Railroad
Boston and Maine Railroad
The Boston and Maine Corporation , known as the Boston and Maine Railroad until 1964, was the dominant railroad of the northern New England region of the United States for a century...
between North Stratford and Lancaster. This rendered 12 miles (19.3 km) of track in Vermont and 7 miles (11.3 km) in New Hampshire redundant, and the rails were removed. Traffic on the section from North Stratford to Beecher Falls remained sufficient to keep the line open through the 1960s, but had declined enough by the early 1970s that the MEC embargoed the line after floods in 1973. The MEC filed for abandonment, but was forced to reopen the line in 1974.
North Stratford Railroad
In 1976 the state of New Hampshire bought the track between North Stratford and Beecher Falls from MEC, which had finally obtained permission to abandon it. A separate, short section of track between Waumbeck Junction and Quebec Junction was abandoned by the MEC at this time as well. The state chartered the North Stratford Railroad Corporation to operate the line, which primarily serviced a furniture plant in Beecher Falls. Traffic tappered off as the main shipper moved more and more goods by truck, and the line was embargoed in 1989.Stations
This list is incomplete.- Guildhall, VermontGuildhall, Vermont-External links:* http://www.flickr.com/photos/dougtone/sets/72157624844998996/with/4943890976/...
- Stevens, Vermont
- Maidstone, Vermont
- Beecher Falls, Vermont