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. 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 Livermore Falls.
37.70 MEREDITH The freight house, a baggage car, 41.06 WINONA 45.78 ASHLAND The former passenger
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 ].
A usual Fall Day at Meredith NH. Station Interior of the two passenger cars used for Coach Class.
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.
NOTE: Mileage from Meredith to Plymouth is measured from the former Concord Passenger
Station:
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.
a 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.
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. Just over the bridge we pass by a wood chip fired electric generating station built in the 70's during a shortage of foreign oil. Soon after is the Bonnie Brae Deer Farm on both sides of the track and a half mile further we enter the Glove Hollow Christmas Tree Farm.
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. 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. A paper mill was located here
until the 1950's as depicted in the images of the gorge area of the river. The remnants of a crumbling former steel truss from a highway overpass is visible to the south.
The four hour fall foliage trains of the Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad stop here for a few moments before returning to Meredith. Lincoln, the terminus of the line is just 20 miles ahead and only our all day foliage tours carry passengers over this stretch of track on two days a year. Located off Route 93 at Exit 32 in Lincoln is our sister railroad, the Hobo Railroad which operates a 14 mile round trip out of Hobo Jct Station. Lincoln, NH is in the heart of the White Mountains, near Franconia Notch and the scenic Kancamagus Highway.
