Description of the route between Meredith and Lincoln

The trackage between Northfield and Lincoln is operated by The Hobo and Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroads and was part of the Boston, Concord and Montreal Railroad, with construction beginning in 1846. The line reached Tilton on May 22, 1848, Laconia August 8, 1848, Meredith March 19,1849 and Plymouth June 21, 1850. The main line of the BC&M continued on to Wells River, Vt. reaching that point on May 10, 1853.

The line from Plymouth to Lincoln was constructed as the Pemigewasset Valley Railroad which was chartered July 9, 1874. Construction began in 1882, with the line opened to Woodstock March 1, 1883. It was leased to the BC&M a month later.

In 1884 the Boston and Lowell RR leased the BC&M, which was later combined with the Concord RR in 1889 to form the Concord and Montreal RR. The BC&M was leased to the Boston and Maine RR in 1895, being subsequently purchased by and merged into the B&M on December 1, 1919.

In the early part of the twentieth century, the line hosted many passenger trains as well as local freights serving the on line towns and continuing to northern New Hampshire, Vermont and Canada, however the favored route for through traffic was the former Northern RR between Concord and White River Jct, Vt. The trackage between Plymouth and North Haverhill, N.H. was abandoned on October l, 1954. Passenger service was cut back from Plymouth to Laconia (Meredith in the summer) and eventually ceased altogether on January 5, 1965.

In June 1970, the Franconia Paper Co. mill at Lincoln shut down for the first of several times due to pollution control problems. The B&M continued service as required, but heavy rains in the summer of 1973 caused several washouts north of Meredith which the B&M could not justify repairing, thus the northern portion of the line was embargoed.

In 1975, the Profile Paper Co. announced intentions to re-open the mill at Lincoln provided that rail service was available. The State of New Hampshire purchased the Concord to Lincoln trackage on October 30, 1975, repaired it, and resumed service with the Wolfeboro Railroad serving as the first of several operators. The Lincoln paper mill closed for good in 1977, with much of the mill site becoming condominiums and outlet stores in the years since then. Freight service, as required, is provided by the Concord based New England Southern Railroad, and passenger excursions are operated by the Clark family of Lincoln as the Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad between Meredith and Laconia and the Hobo Railroad in the Lincoln - Woodstock area.

In 1986 the Plymouth and Lincoln Railroad was formed with the purpose of operating a theme park and railroad out of Lincoln NH. Edward Clark and his wife Brenda Clark were the owners. Trains have been operating since then between Lincoln and Woodstock a distance of 7 miles. The former Wolfboro Railroad S-1 Alco 1186 was utilized with State of NH owned 1008 following soon. The third Alco was added after the demise of the Strattford Railroad of northern NH. This engine was Maine Central 959 which was owned by Edward Clark's father. It was quickly repainted and completed the stable of 3 Alco's.

After a few years of operating the railroad in Lincoln, The Hobo Railroad was invited to bid on the lease for the state owned trackage from Tilton to Plymouth which would give the two railroads a 54 mile main line. They won the bid and The Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad was formed. They operated between Meredith Station and Lakeport siding at the end of Paugus Bay [ Lake Winnipesaukee ]. Intermediate stops were made at Weirs Beach.


     
A usual Fall Day at Meredith NH. Station                               Interior of the two passenger cars used for Coach Class.


Ashland Trestle from below

Ashland Trestle towards Ashland Downtown


Ashland Trestle from inside our comfortable passenger cars

     
Bonnie Brae Deer Farm                                                       Plymouth Station


At Noon our train reaches the lunch Stop at the Common Man at trackside in Plymouth


Passengers disembark for the Hot Buffet Lunch


A selection of good food served in a friendly and comfortable atmosphere

     
A restored wooden beam from the former Plymouth Mfg Co.                               A quiet time after eating to enjoy good company.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

The following is a brief description of the route of the trackage operated by the Hobo Railroad and the Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad between Meredith New Hampshire and Lincoln New Hampshire, a distance of 38 miles. NOTE: Mileage from Meredith to Plymouth is measured from the former Concord Passenger Station:



37.70 MEREDITH The freight house, a baggage car, some cabooses occupy the yard area. This is the base of operations for the Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad and the most northern of its stations. Here trains turn for the return trip to Weirs Beach and then Lakeport. The former passenger station was relocated to the hill above the tracks at the Route 3 overpass years ago, and served as a restaurant. It burned several years ago and has not been replaced. The former passenger station site is marked by a curbed, paved platform on our right on the north side of Main St. Lake Waukewan is on our right as you leave town. Year-round passenger service to Meredith ended on October 25, 1959. Summer service from mid-June until mid-September continued until 1965.


41.06 WINONA Former station site in the Town of New Hampton, north of Winona Road which we cross on an overhead bridge. Winona Lake on right. Top of grade at 675 ft. above sea level at mileage C43.76 as a dirt road crosses overhead on a wooden bridge. We climb a 1.42% grade from mileage C42 to the summit. After passing the summit we descend a 1.13% grade for almost 3 miles.



45.78 ASHLAND The former passenger this station is on our right before we cross Depot Street, Route 132. In the summer of 1999, this station was rededicated by then Transportation Secretary Dole, after extensive renovations. Numerous Fall excursions and chartered dinner trains of the Ashland Historical Society now stop here to pick up passengers. Passengers keep warm in the restored station while waiting for the Winnipesaukee Scenic. Across Depot Street crossing, on our right, is the old former freight house owned by a local artist. We cross the Squam River on the high bridge. A former spur track ran down grade to the ruins of the Ashland Paper Co. and proceeded around the pond to a business across the street. A freight agent was stationed at Ashland until the early 1970's. We pass under the twin bridges of Rt I-93 on a new roadbed as the railroad and Route 3 were relocated in this area when the Rt I-93 interchange was constructed in the 1960's. The old road bed turned to our right.

47.85 BRIDGEWATER We cross the Pemigewasset River on a three span through truss bridge. This is not the original bridge which was built of wood. It was destroyed by a derailment on the bridge which left the remains of a flatcar in the water on the West side of the truss. It is on its back, minus trucks, but can still be seen under proper light conditions. The station site was located on the left after we pass under US Route 3 at the end of River Road. Just to the right before the bridge, the smell of cedar wood was from the large stack on hand of Cedar by the firm that makes "Shoe Trees" at the Rochester Shoe Tree Co.


51.26 PLYMOUTH The track lies between the Pemigewasset River and Route 3 for several miles. Plymouth State College is located in this town of 5000. We pass the freight house on our left before arriving at the former passenger station, now a senior citizens center. A small yard is located here. Plymouth was once the junction of the Pemigewasset Valley Branch to Lincoln and the former main line to Woodsville. The main line was abandoned on October 31,1954, with subsequent highway and flood control construction obliterating much of the roadbed toward Woodsville along the Baker River. A municipal parking lot and court house now occupies some of the former yard area. Bridge Street is scheduled to be realigned with a new bridge over the river. This will also include new grade crossing signals for that busy crossing. Mileage is now measured from Plymouth. Regular passenger service on the Pemigewasset Valley Branch was discontinued September 21, 1938. Actually service was to be discontinued about a week later, but was hastened by the "Hurricane of 1938", which rendered the tracks impassable. B&M busses replaced the train, operating until 1952. Plymouth freight agency closed about 1965, Lincoln in the 1970's.

As we leave the station area we cross Bridge St., the local access to I-93. The former main line to Woodsville went to the left shortly before the semaphore which was the one that protected the main line from the White Mountain Branch. We then cross - the Baker River on a through truss bridge adjacent to the Route 3 bridge. This is the first bridge on the White Mountain Branch.
Mileages are now measured from Plymouth Station.
We climb a 1.12% grade from MP 1 to MP 2.



2.25 LIVERMORE FALLS In the town of Campton. A paper mill was located here until the 1950's. The remnants of a crumbling former steel truss from a highway overpass is visible to the south. THe trains of the Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad stop here for a few moments before returning to Meredith during the "Fall Foliage Specials".




4.24 BLAIR We cross the Pemigewasset at mile 3.07 on a two span bridge built in 1928, replacing an earlier structure damaged by the 1927 floods. Damage from the 1927 floods resulted in passenger train interruption for a whole year. We pass through Blair State Forest, coming to the station site at Blair Road. A piece of granite foundation mark the site. On the left can bee seen a covered bridge that crosses the Pemigewasset River. This one of the largest spans of its kind in New Hampshire.



5.82 BEEBE RIVER We follow the Beebe River, a tributary of the Pemigewaset for a short distance before arriving at the community of Beebe River, a former company town for the sawmill complex located here. A long unused spur track to the mill continued on to a 15 mile logging railroad up the valley of the Beebe River which operated between 1917 and 1933 using a pair of Shays and a Climax geared locomotive. Smaller engines were used to switch the mill into the 1960's. The Climax now runs on the White Mountain Central Railroad in Lincoln.

7.37 CAMPTON Development of near-by Waterville Valley has awakened the once sleepy town of Campton. We pass under I-93 and pass the Campton station site, marked by an unused, and recently removed, siding. At one time a spur track ran up the Mad River Valley to Campton Village, but was apparently discontinued in the 1930's. We pass under I-93 again and enter the Town of Thornton.

8.93 LYFORD'S We pass over the Pemigewasset again at mileage 8.73 and come to the the Silsby Lumber Company mill from 1916 to the 1920's. Construction of I-93 has obliterated most of this site.

10.56 THORNTON the site of this flag station is just as we turn away from Route 3.

13.50 WEST THORNTON This station was located at a dirt road crossing. A logging railroad ran northwest about a mile to the site of Veazey's Mill on Mirror Lake. We enter the Town of Woodstock as we pass the golf course of the Jack-O-Lantern resort. The golf course is the turning point for the Hobo Railroad which starts seven miles away at the Hobo Junction Station in Lincoln. 4000 ties were replaced here to Lincoln in 1997. The ballasting and alignment was completed in 2001.


16.60 WOODSTOCK I-93 again crosses overhead. We remain on the west shore of the river with Route 3 as the Interstate crosses to the East Bank.

18.31 MOUNTAIN PARK (not shown)We cross the Pemigewasset about a mile and a half beyond Woodstock Village. A flag station was located here to serve the Mountain Park Hotel. The Woodstock and Thornton Gore Railroad, owned by the Woodstock Lumber Company operated from here to Tripoli Mill in the Town of Livermore between 1909 and 1916.

19.37 FAIRVIEW (not shown) A flag station was located at the location where we cross Route 175.

20.61 NORTH WOODSTOCK We cross the Pemigewasset for the final time on a two span bridge. The station site is marked by a curved remnant of concrete platform alongside Route 112 directly opposite the ramp to I-93. Presently the new siding there is the new home of The Cafe Lafayette Dinner Train.We traverse the west leg of the B&M Wye track to arrive at the HOBO Station.


LINCOLN This station marked the end of the line for the White Mountain Branch. The B&M main line continued on to the Lincoln Paper Mill, but this trackage has either been removed or is disappearing to the ravages of time. It continued along the East Branch of the Pemigewasset, until it ceased operating in 1948. After that time the East Branch and Lincoln continued to switch the mill using a GE 45 Tonner until 1963.



History by George L Kenson, Webmaster FoliageTains.Com & HoboRailroad.Com