Posts Tagged: logging railroad



East Branch & Lincoln Railroad, Trestle 17

23 Aug
2018
Trestle 17, East Branch & Lincoln Railroad- trestle No. 17 was located along the Upper Branch of the railroad in today's Pemigewasset Wilderness. It spanned the East Branch of the Pemigewasset River near the site of logging Camp 17.
South-facing View, Trestle 17 – Courtesy of the Upper Pemigewasset Historical Society
 

East Branch & Lincoln Railroad, Trestle 17 – Built in the early 1900s, probably 1906-1908 (one source states 1908) trestle 17 was located along the Upper East Branch of the East Branch & Lincoln Railroad in New Hampshire. It spanned the East Branch of the Pemigewasset River near the site of logging Camp 17. Camp 17 was on the south side of the trestle. This trestle is within today’s 45,000-acre Pemigewasset Wilderness.

A log landing and a short siding for the landing were located on the north side of the river in the area where a hiking trail formerly accessed the 180 foot suspension bridge. The above undated photograph shows loaded log cars on the trestle with the log landing in the foreground. And the cutover slopes of a spur of Mount Hancock can be seen in the background.

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August 23, 2018 | Categories: White Mountains History | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

EB&L Railroad, Narrow Gauge Line

13 Jun
2018
This map shows the general layout of the East Branch & Lincoln Railroad’s “Narrow Gauge”. The EB&L Railroad was a standard gauge railroad, but in 1901 J.E. Henry and Sons attempted to use a narrow gauge line at Camp 8 to harvest timber from the slopes of Whaleback Mountain. This roughly 1.25 mile +/- long line, consisting of a series of switchbacks, traveled into the Osseo Brook drainage. It lasted only for a few years and was discontinued after a brakeman was killed when a loaded log car ran out control down the track.
1900s EB&L Narrow Gauge Railroad – Courtesy of the Upper Pemigewasset Historical Society
 

EB&L Railroad, Narrow Gauge Line – In operation from 1893-1948, the East Branch & Lincoln (EB&L) was a standard gauge railroad. But in 1901 J.E. Henry and Sons attempted to use a narrow gauge railroad to harvest timber from the Whaleback Mountain (Mt Osseo) area. With the exception of a May 1902 article by Albert W. Cooper and T.S. Woolsey, Jr. in Forestry & Irrigation little is known about this short-lived railroad. There are only a few photos (above) of the railroad, and over the years the actual location has been in question.

The difference between standard gauge and narrow gauge railroads is the spacing between the rails. The spacing on standard gauge railroads is 4 feet 8 1⁄2 inches, while the spacing on narrow gauge railroads is 3 feet 6 inches (this can range some). Narrow gauge railroads usually cost less to build and operate, but the major drawback is they can't handle heavy loads. The logging railroads in the White Mountains preferred the heavy standard gauge lines for hauling timber.

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June 13, 2018 | Categories: White Mountains History | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

East Branch & Lincoln Railroad, Trestle 7

08 Apr
2017
Foot bridge along the Lincoln Woods Trail which crosses Franconia Brook in Lincoln, New Hampshire. Hikers enter into the Pemigewasset Wilderness on the righthand side of this bridge. Old abutments from Trestle 7 of the East Branch & Lincoln Railroad (1893-1948) are used to support this foot bridge.
The First Trestle 7 – Courtesy of the Upper Pemigewasset Historical Society
 

East Branch & Lincoln Railroad, Trestle 7 – During the days of the East Branch & Lincoln (EB&L) Railroad, there were two trestles built at this crossing of Franconia Brook (above). And each trestle serviced different areas of the railroad in today’s Pemigewasset Wilderness. The first trestle 7, known as the original trestle 7, seen above, was unique because horses used the lower deck to cross the brook.

The first trestle was built in the early 1900s, probably 1902, and it serviced the Franconia Brook and Lincoln Brook Branches of the railroad. It was used until 1911. The second trestle was built, probably in 1905, just below the first one and it was abandoned in 1947. And it serviced the Upper East Branch of the railroad (the area surrounding the East and North Fork branches of the Pemigewasset River).

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April 8, 2017 | Categories: White Mountains History | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Gordon Pond Railroad, New Hampshire

15 Feb
2016
Silhouette of mountains at sunrise along Route 112 in Woodstock, New Hampshire USA. This area was part of the Gordon Pond Railroad, which was a logging railroad in operation from 1905-1916.
Gordon Pond Railroad Territory – White Mountains, New Hampshire
 

Gordon Pond Railroad, New Hampshire – Owned by the Johnson Lumber Company (George Johnson) the Gordon Pond Railroad was a logging railroad in the towns of Lincoln and Woodstock New Hampshire. It was in operation from 1907-1916, and it was roughly fifteen miles long. And even though the railroad was only about fifteen miles long it is one of the more complicated logging railroads I have documented.

The history books cover the paper trail of the Gordon Pond Railroad fairly well, so there is no reason for me to repeat that information here. If interested, you can view a map of this railroad here. With that being said I will give you a quick run down on the abandoned Gordon Pond Railroad. And then take you on a photo tour of how the railroad looks today.

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February 15, 2016 | Categories: White Mountains History | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Personal Work, Help Identify This Artifact

13 Aug
2014
Artifact from the Gordon Pond Railroad in Kinsman Notch of the White Mountains, New Hampshire USA. This was a logging railroad in operation from 1905-1916.
Artifact – Gordon Pond Railroad, New Hampshire
 

Personal Work, Identify This Artifact – I have been working on one of my long term personal projects for the last few weeks. This project is focused on the abandoned railroads in the New Hampshire White Mountains. For the most part, I keep this work separated from my everyday photography business because there is not much interest for this type of imagery (or market in the photography world) outside of New England.

I have been documenting, with a camera, the abandoned logging railroads for over a decade and have been exploring them for as long as I can remember. This project has taken me into parts of the White Mountains I would have never visited or photographed under normal circumstances. And if you are wondering my favorite abandoned railroad is the East Branch & Lincoln Railroad in Lincoln, but that is for another day.

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August 13, 2014 | Categories: White Mountains History | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

East Branch & Lincoln Railroad, Lincoln

14 Oct
2013
Pemigewasset Wilderness - Abandoned rail-line deep in the Pemigewasset Wilderness in Lincoln, New Hampshire. This spur line was located along the East Branch & Lincoln logging railroad, which operated from 1893-1948.
East Branch & Lincoln Railroad – Abandoned Railroad Track
 

East Branch & Lincoln Railroad – The East Branch & Lincoln Railroad, built by timber baron James E. Henry, was a logging railroad that operated from 1893-1948 in the New Hampshire towns of Lincoln and Franconia. Much of the railroad was in the area we know today as the Pemigewasset Wilderness. If you venture into the Pemi, from the Lincoln Woods Trail, you will be walking the railroad bed of of Henry’s railroad.

During its existence, the East Branch & Lincoln Railroad was sold to the Parker Young Company and then to the Marcalus Manufacturing Company. The railroad was considered the "elite logging railroad" during the 19th & 20th century White Mountains logging era. And towards the end of its lifespan truck logging played a role in the logging operations.

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October 14, 2013 | Categories: White Mountains History | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

East Branch & Lincoln Railroad, Trestle 16

17 Sep
2013
Black Brook Trestle which crossed Black Brook. This trestle is located along the old East Branch & Lincoln Logging Railroad and operated from 1893-1948. The Wilderness Trail travels next to this trestle
East Branch & Lincoln Railroad – Trestle 16
 

East Branch & Lincoln Railroad, Trestle No. 16 – Trestle 16 is located along the abandoned East Branch & Lincoln Railroad in the Pemigewasset Wilderness of New Hampshire. It is also referred to as Black Brook Trestle and the J.E. Henry Trestle. Trestle 16 is one of the few remaining trestle artifacts that remind us of what took place in the area we know today as the Pemigewasset Wilderness.

From 1893 to 1948 the Pemigewasset Wilderness was the scene of massive logging operations by timber baron J.E. Henry and in later years the Parker Young Company. Both operated log trains over this trestle.

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September 17, 2013 | Categories: White Mountains History | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »