Whitefield, Lancashire Cotton Town
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A Lamoille Valley crew has grabbed its cars in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, and is departing to travel over the former Maine Central Mountain Division to Whitefield, New Hampshire.
While the lightning striped GP9 is certainly out of place in Whitefield, catching any movement by the diamond and ball signals is a good catch. The Conway Scenic recently acquired the two cars being towed behind the 1751, and so with a New Hampshire Central crew aboard, they brought the 1751 up to pick them, which necessitated running past the famous diamond here between the old Boston & Maine Berlin Branch, and the Maine Central's Mountain Division. With the cars gathered, they're now beginning the long trek back to Conway with the pair (note the first car is a Maine Central bulkhead flat for pulp service, one of twenty converted from 40' gondolas, and now the only one left).
Ex-Maine Central 252 at the Whitefield diamond on ex-Boston and Maine tracks. The signal shows two highballs, which would give a Maine Central train the right of way. Conway Scenic ran this special from North Conway through Fabyan, and made rare mileage to Whitefield.
Whitefield is a storied location in New Hampshire, being the location of the diamond where the Maine Central's Mountain Division crossed the Boston & Maine's Berlin Branch, and also the location of the last ball signal in the US. Although trains don't regularly cross this diamond anymore, the tracks down to it are still maintained to a degree for the New Hampshire Central to store cars, and this year Conway Scenic ran their Notch Train from North Conway to Whitefield, marking the first time a passenger train has been to Whitefield since the early 80s. The 252, seen leading, is no stranger to this location, having passed it many times over the course of its career on the Maine Central, but this time they're running on the Boston & Maine side of the diamond, rather than the Maine Central side.
Ivatt 41298 photographed at Whitefield Crossing on the Isle of Wight Steam Railway on the 25th of October 2021.
A shot I was never happy with, but 10 years later have decided to upload it. Southern E4 B473 was visiting the Isle of Wight Steam Railway, and was seen in action at Whitefield Crossing on the 28th of May 2011.
The Conway Scenic's Railfan Weekend special to the Whitefield Diamond is just arriving at Whitefield. Ex B&M 4266 leads the notch train down the Boston & Maine side of the Diamond since the Maine Central side isn't clear. The will cross the diamond and allow passengers off the train for a photo opp of Ex MEC 252 by the ball signals before beginning the trip back to North Conway.
The ball signal in Whitefield sits quietly at the diamond of the Maine Central and the Boston & Maine Railroads. To my knowledge it's been several years since any trains have called on Whitefield, with the last being an excursion by Conway Scenic.
The New Hampshire Central's run down to Whitefield is almost complete as they make their way down the long straightaway paralleling the Mt. Washington Regional airport. They have leased Pan Am GP9 52, in a Maine Central heritage scheme, leading a boxcar spacer, and eighteen empty 1267 crude oil tanks. Interestingly enough, the 52 operating on the NHCR line between Groveton and Whitefield is a reunion of sorts - the 52 previously served the Boston & Maine as their 1726, and the line they are operating on is a former B&M branch. I don't have any evidence that it did operate on this line on the B&M, but it probably did at least once, given that the B&M's fleet of 50 GP9s basically went everywhere on the system during their 25 years of operation on that railroad.
Edit: Here's a picture of her at Whitefield after being rebuilt and renumbered to the 1826. Credit to Gil Ford for the picture.
The famous Whitefield Ball signal stands tall on a clear Thursday morning, displaying two highballs which would be for the MEC side. One would be for the B&M. The Andromeda galaxy can also be seen to the right of the signal
Ivatt 41313 makes a nice surprise at Whitefield crossing on the Isle of Wight Steam Railway. The locomotive moved over to the Island back in 2006, but this is the first time I have seen it in operation after it`s renovation.
24th October 2018
CSRX 1751 prepares to cross back over the diamond in Whitefield, New Hampshire. They are currently on the former Boston & Maine line and will remain on the B&M until they get to Hazen's where they will get back onto the former Maine Central Mountain Division. Moves across the diamond are quite rare and this is the first freight move that has been made in quite some time. The New Hampshire Central crew that operated from Hazen's to Whitefield to pick up the former Maine Central bulkhead and former Boston Maine boxcar that the Conway Scenic bought from the state made a quick stop here so they could hop off the train and grab a few quick shots of this rare move. With their two newly acquired cars in tow, the 1751 is ready to head back to North Conway and do some brush trimming along the way so the dome car wouldn't break windows on the Notch Train's trip up for railfan's weekend.
Whitefield, New Hampshire.
6 Exposure HDR
Whitefield is a town in Coos County, New Hampshire, United States, in the White Mountains Region. The population was 2,306 at the 2010 census. Situated on the northern edge of the White Mountains, Whitefield is home to the Mount Washington Regional Airport and the White Mountains Regional High School.
Whitefield is part of the Berlin, NH–VT Micropolitan Statistical Area. The central village in the town, where 1,142 people resided at the 2010 census, is defined as the Whitefield census-designated place and is located at the junction of U.S. Route 3, New Hampshire Route 116 and NH Route 142.
The last town to be granted under the English provincial government, Whitefield was chartered on July 4, 1774, exactly two years before adoption of the Declaration of Independence. Some believe it was named for George Whitefield, a famous English evangelist, and a friend of William Legge, 2nd Earl of Dartmouth, the patron of Dartmouth College. Others believe the name originated from earlier references to the snowy white fields one would see upon approach through any of the surrounding mountain passages. The chartered name was "Whitefields," but the "s" was dropped on December 1, 1804—the date of incorporation. Early grantees included Jeremy Belknap, historian, and John Langdon, who succeeded John Wentworth as governor. (Wikipedia.)
PLEASE, NO GRAPHICS, BADGES, OR AWARDS IN COMMENTS, They will be deleted.
Conway Scenic 4266 is about to cross the diamond at Whitefield. 4266 is fittingly on Boston and Maine tracks. The intersecting track is formerly Maine Central. Just out of the frame is the ball signal that once directed BM and MEC trains over the diamond.
You can never take and never share to many photos of the Conway Scenic. Here is one from Railfans Weekend a couple years ago that I've always liked.
The rare mileage Whitefield extra has arrived at the end of its run from North Conway after climbing west on the old Maine Central Mountain Sub before crossing over to ex Boston and Maine rails for the run into town and over the diamond by the famed ball signal.
Just south (east) of the diamond the special stopped just shy of the US Route 302 crossing. B&M F7 4266 is right at home on the rails she ran on many times in her first career hauling freight for the Route of the Minuteman.
But I think the best part of this shot is the two local residents who are the proprietors of this little record shop who have come out on their porch to gawk at the train and all the railfans it brought aboard or in chase. What was once such a common site several times a day is now a rare treat in town only a few times a year...
Whitefield, New Hampshire
Saturday September 2, 2018
Just another frame from this fabulous time warp from three years ago.
On railfans weekend 2018 the Conway Scenic Railroad ran an ultra rare mileage excursion all the way into Whitefield. Conway Scenic's operating rights on the old Maine Central Mountain Subdivision end at Hazens, MP 101 which is 12 miiles beyond Fabyans which is the turnaround point for regular excursions. This is 2 1/2 miles further west and required a special pilot from the New Hampshire Central Railroad to ride with the crew all the way into town.
Boston and Maine F7 4266 passed through Whitefield countless times on these very rails leading freights between White River Jct., VT and Berlin, NH. She is crossing over the former Maine Central diamond with Saint Johnsbury to the left and Portland to the right. While the old Mountain Division is mostly intact all the way from Portland to St. J the only portion regularly in service beyond the mill in Westbrook, ME is the section operated by the Conway Scenic from North Conway up through Crawford Notch. Only the occasional equipment move or special charter take place beyond Fabyan, and movements all the way into Whitefield are exceptionally rare, this one pictured here being the last public trip to date. The B&M Berlin Main is unfortunately entirely removed between Wells River and Littleton and Waumbek Jct. to Berlin. While the rails remain for now between here and Littleton they haven't been in service for over two decades. Only the few miles between Hazens and Waumbek feel the occasional weight of a New Hampshire Central train.
The famous Ball Signal still guards the diamond though it serves no real purpose today with all the lines in each direction out of service. But the signal remains in its original location as a source of community pride and is nicely preserved. Amazingly it was the last in daily service in the United States and into the 1980s B&M and MEC timetables carried a special instruction entry reading:
Whitefield.--One ball or one red light at masthead will allow trains of the Boston & Maine R. R. to cross the Maine Central track.
Two balls or two red lights will allow trains of the Maine Central R.R. to cross Boston & Maine track.
Whitefield, New Hampshire
Saturday September 2, 2018
Pan Am's Maine Central heritage unit, the 52, heads back to Groveton through a small snow flurry, crossing Carroll Stream on an old wooden pile bridge. The 52 is being leased to the New Hampshire Central for several months to help move storage cars from the SLR connection in Groveton down to Whitefield. The single boxcar is being brought back to Groveton, after being used as a spacer for the eighteen empty 1267 tank cars they brought down to store for the winter.
driving back home noticed these hay bales all dressed up an couldn't resist taking a photograph as they made me and my daughter laugh
Strathardle, Scotland. 16th Century small Tower House partially dismantled early 19th century for its slates and stone.
© I m a g e D a v e F o r b e s
Engagement 1,300+
A site for wildlife very close to Lennoxtown Town Centre with the Campsie Fells as a great backdrop in East Dunbartonshire
Marikuppam bound Swarna Passenger takes a gentle shower at Whitefield, while a passenger awaits the all clear signal during a short refreshing break
Er, no! The Museum of Transport's 3065 is currently at a preservation base 'somewhere in England' for some faults to be cleared, and after a successful test run piloted by yours truly it was parked up with some friends for this photo.
On railfans weekend 2018 the Conway Scenic Railroad ran an ultra rare mileage excursion all the way into Whitefield. Conway Scenic's operating rights on the old Maine Central Mountain Subdivision end at Hazens, MP 101 which is 12 miiles beyond Fabyans which is the turnaround point for regular excursions. This is 2 1/2 miles further west and required a special pilot from the New Hampshire Central Railroad to ride with the crew all the way into town.
Boston and Maine F7 4266 passed through Whitefield countless times on these very rails leading freights between White River Jct., VT and Berlin, NH. She is crossing over the former Maine Central diamond with Saint Johnsbury to the left and Portland to the right. While the old Mountain Division is mostly intact all the way from Portland to St. J the only portion regularly in service beyond the mill in Westbrook, ME is the section operated by the Conway Scenic from North Conway up through Crawford Notch. Only the occasional equipment move or special charter take place beyond Fabyan, and movements all the way into Whitefield are exceptionally rare, this one pictured here being the last public trip to date. The B&M Berlin Main is unfortunately entirely removed between Wells River and Littleton and Waumbek Jct. to Berlin. While the rails remain for now between here and Littleton they haven't been in service for over two decades. Only the few miles between Hazens and Waumbek feel the occasional weight of a New Hampshire Central train.
The famous Ball Signal still guards the diamond though it serves no real purpose today with all the lines in each direction out of service. But the signal remains in its original location as a source of community pride and is nicely preserved. Amazingly it was the last in daily service in the United States and into the 1980s B&M and MEC timetables carried a special instruction entry reading:
Whitefield.--One ball or one red light at masthead will allow trains of the Boston & Maine R. R. to cross the Maine Central track.
Two balls or two red lights will allow trains of the Maine Central R.R. to cross Boston & Maine track.
Whitefield, New Hampshire
Saturday September 2, 2018