Not sure if it's good news, but something appears to be happening on the G&U. The Grafton & Upton Railroad is a 135 year old shortline located approximately 40 miles west of Boston. While the line has a new owner and new motive power on the way (purportedly to replace the Alco's), some of the railroad's relics may soon be history.

The caboose in the linked photo was scrapped in the last 24 hours. The ex-CV flanger may be next. http://www.geocities.com/daninhopedale/gu08-05-08bs.jpg
Anyone know if any attempt at preservation was made?
http://www.geocities.com/daninhopedale/gu08-05-08.html
http://www.p-vector.com/g-and-u/hopedal ... 05-09.html

I will say that the 1001 is about the best example of a unintentially "preserved" locomotive in America. It'll be a shame to see it get scrapped. I looked at it today and it is quite obvious that it was put indoors every day of its life. This engine is like finding a Model T in a barn, I kid you not. It has had alot of parts pulled off of it but nothing that not replaceable, mostly brake parts some control stand stuff and the windows. Spots where you would see normal rust and wear on a locomotive are non existent because it hasn't been outside. I will also dare say that it is in its original paint and it looks darn good. I don't know if anyones interested but I will be making some calls to certain people to see. It'll be difficult to remove however because most of the branch is over grown and I don't know if trucking it out would be an option. I've been waiting over 10 years to see that engine and it sucks that I get to see it before its demise. This would probably be the biggest loss in diesel preservation in the last 10 years if it goes to the scrapper.

I seem to remember that the 1001 had an air whistle, not a Hancock air whistle. It looked like a steam whistle.

Two views of the 1001. Saturday 5-10-08, and another from 1973.

http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo ... 26%20Upton
http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo ... 26%20Upton

And yet I was told the new owner recently bought a wooden NH baggage car. Interesting...

Rob

I am confused about this history of the caboose recently scrapped at the Grafton & Upton.

By all accounts I can find, it was ex Raritan River. This picture of the car on the G&U proves that:

http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo=200512122052168559.jpg&order=byrail&page=20&key=Grafton%20%26%20Upton

I have read that the RRRR sent ex Rutland #35 to the G&U. In this picture, the car on the G&U appears to be that RUT car:

http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo=2004021817360721689.jpg&order=byrail&page=25&key=Grafton%20%26%20Upton

That is not the same caboose in the first photo, unless the trucks were changed, the cupola relocated and a fourth window added (#35 was a 3 window hack).

The car in question could be one of the ex DL&W cabooses the RRRR had, but all of them had center cupolas. The window pattern does match, the trucks do not, however:

http://www.raritanriver-rr.com/Cabooses_files/image007.jpg


It appears to me the G&U had two ex RRRR cars. The Rut #35 and one of the DL&W hacks. Anyone know if this is true? And if so, what happened to #35?

Rob Davis

I beleive the Rutland one is part of an ice cream shop. Check the G&U discussion on railroad.net for photos.

Hi,

So after some help and a lot of info sorting, it seems that car that was scrapped was Raritan River caboose #6, formerly a DL&W car.

Rutland #35 (former Raritan River #7 (2nd) is indeed at the ice cream shop on Cape Cod.

Very interesting. I had no idea #35 was still with us.

Rob

Meanwhile, word has it that their GE Centercab (#9), the Alco 1001, and the Flanger will all be scrapped by the end of the week. Only the in-service Alco (212) will be kept.

Can't save them all,

-Ed Lecuyer

Scrap that confirmation of second #7. This is a real mystery.


Here is where it stands now.

We know that Rutland #35 was a three window caboose built in 1924 to a NYC design. It was never a NYC car, however, it was always RUT #35.

It went to the Vermont Railway in the early 1960's and then was part of a three-way deal that saw original Raritan River caboose #7 go to Allaire State Park, NJ while Rutland #35 became Raritan River #7 the second.

Photos online show #7 in Raritan River red in New Jersey as late as 1976. Published rosters show it being sold in 1980 and online accounts have it and #6 going to the Grafton & Upton around 1980.

And that is where things get fishy.

The G&U had a three-window, NYC design car just like #35 but photos online show it on the G&U in 1971.

Since #35 was still in New Jersey, they cannot be same car - if the dates are correct.

Apparently, a NYC style caboose on the G&U had the body stripped off its underframe in the early 1970's. The underframe and trucks languished at the G&U. Contradictory stories say this car burned, or that it was made into the ice cream stand in South Yarmouth, MA.

Now, throw in the fact that the caboose scrapped over the weekend does not match the exact profile of either Raritan River #6 or RUT #35. The body matches #6, but the cupola is off-center which would mean it was moved. The cupola is in the right place for #35, but that would mean it had an extra window (as the car as four windows) and a new cupola added since it is steel and high, while #35's was low and wood.

I am beginning to think there is a third caboose in this saga.

Rob

Photo is purported to be the remains of the flanger and caboose.
Photo by Alex, aka "Guilford Guy"

Some may wish to not click on this link -- the remains of G&U Alco S-2 No 1001. Kept indoors all these years, and just when things are starting to look up she gets rolled outside and scrapped. Amazing. http://rjgrubin.rrpicturearchives.net/s ... id=1162280

Hi all -

Rumor has it that the Grafton & Upton *may* be scrapping their remaining Alco at some point in the future:
http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopi ... 50#p595601

This is the #212, still in "Saint Louis Station" colors:
http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo ... 26%20Upton

Just thought I'd post this, in case someone here is in a position to perhaps rescue it.