This is by far THE BEST New Haven video ever. Grainy? Got to be kidding? So many classic and iconic views it is hard to count. Most people think of the New Haven as 4 track mains, triangular catenary, Hell Gate, Cos Cob, commuters, etc. But this video depicts a Hard-Working railroad doing what it does best, and that is moving people and freight. This video shows post-WWII America and an aggressive New Haven RR answering the demand of a growing nation. Great to see those healthy Maybrook freights speeding perishables and goods eastward, strings of 40-foot boxcars - and those newly manuf. tractors on flats. Just delivered EP-5s, glossy paint PAs and hard-working wartime DLs and FMs. Many views of iconic New Haven locations such as those smooth curves at Boston Switch, classy Narragansett Park, Seekonk Draw, Northrop hump and those gorgeous, big blade NH semaphores. Sad to see them go. This was truly the New Haven's last great era. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
I can't stop watching this!! Being a Rhode Islander and seeing Providence from another time is killer to watch! Love seeing the Seekonk River Bridge in her glory!! Great video!!
This is so wonderful. My Dad worked as a conductor on the New Haven for 40 years and I would ride with him so many times between NY and Boston. many of my trips were in those diesels for hours at a time, and I remember sitting in the parlor cars in those swivel chairs as they were mostly empty, and riding in those day rooms. I remember riding on the Yankee Clipper and The Merchants Limited too. My memories of Providence were looking up the hill across from the station to a large domed building and how the tracks were on a curve through the station. I can remember more from the early 70's, riding in those big GG1's in the tunnels out from Penn Station over the Hell Gate bridge and having to get out in New Haven where the electrified line ended. I would often have my own bedroom when he was working the Night Owl out of Penn Station. Sure wish I had movies from those days. Thank you for sharing.
Domed building is the state house, statue on top is independent man ( I think). I wish I could see your dad's picture as I was well acquainted with Shoreline and New York Divisions trainmen.
Thank you for all of the wonderful footage of the Crook Point Bascule Bridge. I have been trying to hunt down video footage of the bridge in motion and trains going over that bridge for the last 10 years, but was unsuccessful until today. I have been researching a lot of Leo King's images and decided to do a Google search on NYNH & H Railroad in Providence and found this video. It has been a dream of mine to see the bridge go up and down...and just operate in general. The footage was incredible. Do you know if there is any other video footage of the bridge in operation? There must be other videos out there. Please let me know if you can point me in the right direction. I also wanted to thank you for posting the collection of videos from the north and south entrances to the Gano Street Tunnel. It's hard to believe what they once were vs. what they are today. Thanks again!
Being a New Haven Fan I have been searching for any kind of footage of the BayRidge line from the car floats to Fresh Pond yard in Queens New York. and even footage of when the Catenary was brought down in 1969..I live only 5 block from the line in Middle village..and remember when freight was active over there...part of the New York Connecting too..Those were the good days as a kid hanging out over there watching...even made a club house right near the right of way in 1968.....
My childhood bedroom faced out onto the Bay Ridge Branch near Brooklyn College. I remember seeing early diesels (ALCO, Trainmaster, etc.), the restoration of overhead catenary after the purchase of EF-4s from Virginian, and, ultimately, the end. I remember 100+ car trains passing at speed when it was still double track. It kills me that I have no pictures or movies.
Look up Bay Ridge car floats there is some footage also the street running NY Cross Harbor RR which ran through the army terminal down first ave to a small yard on the docks its still there but not used much and there car float is gone mostly sunk
19:31 Those are the old bridges that crossed over Branch Avenue in Providence (the one with the single structure) and the one with the 6 structures is Smithfield Avenue, Pawtucket. I remember those being old and rusty, just before they were replaced when I was a kid.
Thanks for posting this, The NYNHH seems to be forgotten in RR history, a lot of their ideas were 1st and then used by others, like being the first to use electric over head, the first piggy back service, first to use track pans for water and many others, it also owned many other roads when it was owned by J P Morgan including the BM, J P invisioned a national system owned by 1 company, he was trying to do this with the NH or the Hartford as he called it, because his home town was Hartford, its to bad the corp raiders destroyed this once proud road, and now RR historians have forgotten it all together,
+nfd1960 Not to burst bubbles, but: B&O used first catenary for electric supply, in Balt. tunnel. LNWR first used track pans in 1859, NYC followed, NHRR not. J.P. destroyed NHRR with his chicanery and help of Charles Mellen.
I recognize the bank building and Providence Station. I grabbed the Turbo Train there in (I think it was '73) for a ride to Stamford. Despite the train's high-speed capability, the tracks were so bad back then that the Turbo Train was limited to 65 MPH for most of the trip. IIRC, only the stretch between Warwick and Westerly was "high speed". That tall skyscraper belonged to the largest bank in Rhode Island up until the day USA went off the gold standard. One of the much smaller banks had huge gold reserves which propelled it (overnight) into the largest bank in Rhode Island and one of the largest banks in the country. Gosh my memory is fading. I think the big bank was Rhode Island Hospital Trust. And someone told me that the tall skyscraper was featured in the 1950s Superman TV Series in the opening credits as The Daily Planet Building.
The NH footage taken from inside the tunnel at Providence and from the tops of the box-car string qualifies this fellow as an honorary NMRO member! Thanks for the share.
The office building, Brayton Avenue Yard, Charles Street Engine House (engine crew dispatcher), Northrup Avenue with the hump yard, Silver Spring, turbo stored at Allyn's Ave. near Cranston Yard (OB-2 set off there)...I was a Providence Division brakeman later conductor (road freight, passenger, yard). Hugh Kiley in the stationmaster office. I had the time of my life during my time. Went to hell with the Penn. Tin Bridge near Pawtucket-Central Falls with overhead station. Boston Switch too with the State of Maine.
Thank you very much for these pieces of History, although the Providence that I grew up in being born in 1997 is very different from then, it's cool to see how the city looked and the functioning of the crook point bridge.
Nice American Airlines Convair 340 I think, wouldn't it be great to go back to the 1950-60s and shoot the NH and other roads with a modern digital video if we could !!!
The distinctive DL-109s appear early in the video in the pre-McInness livery which was olive with gold (yellow) trim. Gosh, the corrugated Budd coaches look really sharp and gleaming. But those PAs are so dingy.
This is by far THE BEST New Haven video ever. Grainy? Got to be kidding? So many classic and iconic views it is hard to count. Most people think of the New Haven as 4 track mains, triangular catenary, Hell Gate, Cos Cob, commuters, etc. But this video depicts a Hard-Working railroad doing what it does best, and that is moving people and freight. This video shows post-WWII America and an aggressive New Haven RR answering the demand of a growing nation. Great to see those healthy Maybrook freights speeding perishables and goods eastward, strings of 40-foot boxcars - and those newly manuf. tractors on flats. Just delivered EP-5s, glossy paint PAs and hard-working wartime DLs and FMs. Many views of iconic New Haven locations such as those smooth curves at Boston Switch, classy Narragansett Park, Seekonk Draw, Northrop hump and those gorgeous, big blade NH semaphores. Sad to see them go. This was truly the New Haven's last great era. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
I can't stop watching this!! Being a Rhode Islander and seeing Providence from another time is killer to watch! Love seeing the Seekonk River Bridge in her glory!! Great video!!
You are quite welcome. There is certainly an endless amount to see there. Sadly, the original footage has gone missing since this was posted.
Thanks for post ❗❗enjoyed every scene, MSP had #9r.r.1949...reminds me of home...🥶from MN
This is so wonderful. My Dad worked as a conductor on the New Haven for 40 years and I would ride with him so many times between NY and Boston. many of my trips were in those diesels for hours at a time, and I remember sitting in the parlor cars in those swivel chairs as they were mostly empty, and riding in those day rooms. I remember riding on the Yankee Clipper and The Merchants Limited too. My memories of Providence were looking up the hill across from the station to a large domed building and how the tracks were on a curve through the station. I can remember more from the early 70's, riding in those big GG1's in the tunnels out from Penn Station over the Hell Gate bridge and having to get out in New Haven where the electrified line ended. I would often have my own bedroom when he was working the Night Owl out of Penn Station. Sure wish I had movies from those days. Thank you for sharing.
Domed building is the state house, statue on top is independent man ( I think). I wish I could see your dad's picture as I was well acquainted with Shoreline and New York Divisions trainmen.
This footage is priceless!
Thank you for all of the wonderful footage of the Crook Point Bascule Bridge. I have been trying to hunt down video footage of the bridge in motion and trains going over that bridge for the last 10 years, but was unsuccessful until today. I have been researching a lot of Leo King's images and decided to do a Google search on NYNH & H Railroad in Providence and found this video. It has been a dream of mine to see the bridge go up and down...and just operate in general. The footage was incredible. Do you know if there is any other video footage of the bridge in operation? There must be other videos out there. Please let me know if you can point me in the right direction. I also wanted to thank you for posting the collection of videos from the north and south entrances to the Gano Street Tunnel. It's hard to believe what they once were vs. what they are today. Thanks again!
Love it. Great view off Poughkeepsie bridge. Miss watching trains cross the bridge. Now it's a pedestrian bridge.
Great footage! It is excellent that this historic material has been saved.
Being a New Haven Fan I have been searching for any kind of footage of the BayRidge line from the car floats to Fresh Pond yard in Queens New York. and even footage of when the Catenary was brought down in 1969..I live only 5 block from the line in Middle village..and remember when freight was active over there...part of the New York Connecting too..Those were the good days as a kid hanging out over there watching...even made a club house right near the right of way in 1968.....
My childhood bedroom faced out onto the Bay Ridge Branch near Brooklyn College. I remember seeing early diesels (ALCO, Trainmaster, etc.), the restoration of overhead catenary after the purchase of EF-4s from Virginian, and, ultimately, the end. I remember 100+ car trains passing at speed when it was still double track. It kills me that I have no pictures or movies.
Look up Bay Ridge car floats there is some footage also the street running NY Cross Harbor RR which ran through the army terminal down first ave to a small yard on the docks its still there but not used much and there car float is gone mostly sunk
19:31 Those are the old bridges that crossed over Branch Avenue in Providence (the one with the single structure) and the one with the 6 structures is Smithfield Avenue, Pawtucket. I remember those being old and rusty, just before they were replaced when I was a kid.
pro tip: you can watch series at flixzone. I've been using them for watching lots of of movies during the lockdown.
Can't fathom how anyone would thumbs down this let alone 6 people. Such awesome footage!
those would be rails to trails boosters who want to eradicate rail transportation
Can't fathom how people would vote for Biden. They hate history, which is why they want to erase it. NEW America they call it.
Thanks for posting this, The NYNHH seems to be forgotten in RR history, a lot of their ideas were 1st and then used by others, like being the first to use electric over head, the first piggy back service, first to use track pans for water and many others, it also owned many other roads when it was owned by J P Morgan including the BM, J P invisioned a national system owned by 1 company, he was trying to do this with the NH or the Hartford as he called it, because his home town was Hartford, its to bad the corp raiders destroyed this once proud road, and now RR historians have forgotten it all together,
+nfd1960 Not to burst bubbles, but:
B&O used first catenary for electric supply, in Balt. tunnel.
LNWR first used track pans in 1859, NYC followed, NHRR not.
J.P. destroyed NHRR with his chicanery and help of Charles Mellen.
@@jacquesblaque7728 McGinnis definitely had a big hand in destroying the NH, even though he made the locomotives look real pretty before he did.
I recognize the bank building and Providence Station. I grabbed the Turbo Train there in (I think it was '73) for a ride to Stamford. Despite the train's high-speed capability, the tracks were so bad back then that the Turbo Train was limited to 65 MPH for most of the trip. IIRC, only the stretch between Warwick and Westerly was "high speed".
That tall skyscraper belonged to the largest bank in Rhode Island up until the day USA went off the gold standard. One of the much smaller banks had huge gold reserves which propelled it (overnight) into the largest bank in Rhode Island and one of the largest banks in the country. Gosh my memory is fading. I think the big bank was Rhode Island Hospital Trust. And someone told me that the tall skyscraper was featured in the 1950s Superman TV Series in the opening credits as The Daily Planet Building.
The NH footage taken from inside the tunnel at Providence and from the tops of the box-car string qualifies this fellow as an honorary NMRO member! Thanks for the share.
The office building, Brayton Avenue Yard, Charles Street Engine House (engine crew dispatcher), Northrup Avenue with the hump yard, Silver Spring, turbo stored at Allyn's Ave. near Cranston Yard (OB-2 set off there)...I was a Providence Division brakeman later conductor (road freight, passenger, yard). Hugh Kiley in the stationmaster office. I had the time of my life during my time. Went to hell with the Penn. Tin Bridge near Pawtucket-Central Falls with overhead station. Boston Switch too with the State of Maine.
Thank you very much for these pieces of History, although the Providence that I grew up in being born in 1997 is very different from then, it's cool to see how the city looked and the functioning of the crook point bridge.
Great vid! Would love to hear those things rumble! I'm not complaining tho! Thanks for posting! Cheers.
Nice American Airlines Convair 340 I think, wouldn't it be great to go back to the 1950-60s and shoot the NH and other roads with a modern digital video if we could !!!
Alco dl109- most beautiful diesel ever built.
With a face only its mother could love. I'd put the DL109 in the all-ugly bucket with any similar Baldwins.
I do wish for narration or perhaps a "lower third" to identify the places I can't - but otherwise, this is absolutely wonderful. Thank you!
The distinctive DL-109s appear early in the video in the pre-McInness livery which was olive with gold (yellow) trim. Gosh, the corrugated Budd coaches look really sharp and gleaming. But those PAs are so dingy.
Love this video... used to handout at Providence Union Station and just watch trains...
8:03 They even put Hancock 4700s on DL-109s? That’s interesting.
Wonderful stuff!!
Very good in spite of the ancient technology. Thanks for posting this..
Thank you for posting this
Go to Derby Conn. Somewhere in that town is switching yard full of New Haven RR rolling stock
Where is that tunnel at 10:10 ?
@ 33:33 I'm thinkin' a '53 or a '54 Chevy?
How unfortunate that this footage is so grainy. A considerable amount of restoration will be required before it is acceptable for release.