On the Road with Tom Donahue - Boston & Maine

John Garofalo

Photos by T.J. Donahue

Since steam ended early (1952) on Tom Donahue’s home railroad, the New Haven, he spent many vacations traveling around the U.S., Canada and Mexico with his camera in order to document the end of steam.  Rest days could be spent closer to home in New York and New Jersey shooting steam on the Erie, NYC and PRR.  

Another option was the Boston & Maine and that is the subject of this installment of “On the Road with Tom Donahue.”  Tom made numerous trips to the Boston area to catch B&M steam commuter trains.  Even after the steam ended, Tom liked to photograph along the B&M.

Enjoy a few examples of Tom’s work on the B&M.  Next time, Tom will give us a look at backwoods railroading on the Buffalo Creek & Gauley Railroad.

After steam ended on the New Haven in 1952, Tom had a few years to catch it on the diesels took over in 1956.  A 4-6-2 Pacific steam loco leads a train on the Woburn Loop near Winchester, MA – 6/1954

2-8-0 Consolidation 2403 speeds commuters along the Woburn Loop in Winchester, MA – 6/54

Odd Couple – Tom catches two trains passing at Wakefield Junction, MA, one pulled by a 4-6-2 Pacific steam locomotive and the other a single Budd RDC-1 – 1954.  Long, steam-hauled commuter trains would soon give way to diesel-powered Budd cars.  By 1958, the B&M will amass the largest Budd car fleet of any railroad, 109.  With 45, the New Haven Railroad had the second largest fleet of Budd cars.

E7 3803 wears popular Minuteman scheme as it brings a Portland, ME local into Wakefield Junction, MA – 5/1954

Versatile RS3 provides the power for a commuter train in Wakefield, MA - 5/1954                                                                               

The NH/B&M/CV/GT/CN teamed up to provide through New York-Montreal service.  By the mid-1960s, this service was down to one daylight train (Ambassador) and one overnight train (Montrealer).   B&M F3 4228 waits in Springfield, MA for a through coach to be handed off by the New Haven before taking the Ambassador north to Montreal – 8/66.  Shortly after this photo was taken, service north of Springfield was discontinued, eliminating both the Ambassador and the overnight sleeping car train Montrealer – 8/66

Most railfans are familiar with SS E-274/Spring Tower in Springfield, MA and how it lost its pagoda roof when I-91 was built just above the tower.  A little north of SS E-274/Spring Tower, on the B&M, stood the tiny WA Tower – 4/1968