Wolfeboro Railroad

Eric B. NJMT · **Posted:** Mon Jun 13, 2005 1:03 pm

http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo=2002041221443025862.jpg&byrail%3A11%3AWolfeboro_Rail_RoadIn this link there is a picture of the Wolfeboro RR being scraped. However the caption says that these people are stealing the track. Did this really happen. Did people come in and steal a section of track from the Wolfeboro RR and is so were they really not caught? I find this very hard to believe but it is really bothering me. Any info would help.-Eric

scrmcurator · **Posted:** Mon Jun 13, 2005 3:46 pm

Can't speak to the Wolfeboro incident, but something similar happened to "my" railroad. The rails were unbolted and rolled aside, and a large number of crossties were stolen. I'm told the perpetrators were known, but nothing could be done about it since the theft predated our ownership and we had no proof. Getting this track hooked back together was one of the first projects I worked on when I became active.

John E. McNamara · **Joined:** Sun Aug 29, 2004 9:21 pm **Posts:** 105

Eric,I don't know anything about that picture, but I do know that there is a speeder club that maintains some portion of the Wolfboro RR. Their website is www.cottonvalley.org. There are pictures on the nerail archive ("cars" 3,4,5,6) showing the present state of some of the Wolfboro track - a bit weedy, but maintained in a condition suitable for speeders. Lots of work!-John

Don C. · **Posted:** Mon Jun 13, 2005 4:14 pm

Sounds like a railfan "urban legend" to me. If the local police could not identify the perps in broad daylight and they couldn't trace the ownership of the boom truck, I would say that they were pretty inept. It is not like the track materials were spirited away in the darkness of night by aliens!Don C.

Stephen Hussar · **Posted:** Mon Jun 13, 2005 8:12 pm

No Eric, that's Rick Libby (former engineer on the Wolfeboro) trying to be funny. I'm sure he was heartbroken at the sight. I believe that section of track is basically right downtown, just east of the classic Wolfeboro depot.

John E. McNamara · **Joined:** Sun Aug 29, 2004 9:21 pm **Posts:** 105

Steve,Do you happen to know how much of the Wolfeboro track is still in place?-John

Eric B. NJMT · **Posted:** Tue Jun 14, 2005 8:57 am

OK i figured thats what it was. Its a shame, it looked like a nice railroad.-Eric

Stephen Hussar · **Posted:** Tue Jun 14, 2005 11:18 am

John, the switch for the Wolfeboro branch has been removed in Sanbornville (site of the extant turntable), though some yard trackage remains. The Route 16 crossing is paved over, but the line remains intact from the west side of that crossing all the way past Fernald, the site of the Wolfeboro enginehouse. I believe speeders can operate across Lake Wentworth, but I'm not sure what happens beyond that. I'm guessing that 9 to 10 miles are intact.This photo was taken at Wolfeboro Falls in 1973, where a working excelsior factory used the railroad to ship several cars per year (back in the days before styrofoam "popcorn" existed). I"m not sure if speeders can operate on this portion.

Pat Fahey · **Posted:** Tue Jun 14, 2005 12:09 pm

what i would like too know after the railroad got turned part way into a bike trail,,,,What ever happen too # 250 tender ,,,,that was repleced with another,,,???????Where did her old tender go?? that was at the enginehouse??? thanks Pat

Stephen Hussar · **Posted:** Tue Jun 14, 2005 5:09 pm

Here's a shot from 1980 of Rick running #250 -- not sure who the fireman is. (photo: Frank Hagenbuch)