Suncook Valley Railroad
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Railroad |
| Founded | 1869 |
| Defunct | December 20, 1952 |
| Headquarters | Suncook, New Hampshire , United States |
Area served | Suncook River valley, New Hampshire |
| Products | Freight and passenger rail transport |
The Suncook Valley Railroad operated as a short-line railroad in New Hampshire, connecting Suncook with Barnstead. After a period under leased management, it gained independence on September 28, 1924, continuing until its closure marked by the last train on December 20, 1952. The line provided essential transportation to communities situated along the Suncook River valley, including Allenstown, Epsom, and Pittsfield.
History
The idea for what became known as the Blueberry Express was initiated in January 1849 when John Berry received a charter to construct a railroad extending eastward from Concord into the Suncook Valley reaching Pittsfield. Later that same year, a second charter aimed to extend this route from Pittsfield to link with the Dover and Winnipesogee Railroad near Alton Bay. Both charters ultimately lapsed due to difficulties securing easements and insufficient financing; progress was further postponed by the outbreak of the Civil War.
In 1863, fresh charters enabled the building of the Suncook Valley Railroad along with its extension from Pittsfield to Alton. Construction commenced on April 26, 1869. By November 11 of that year, the company was leased to the Concord Railroad, and service between Suncook and Pittsfield officially began on December 6.
The Concord Railroad constructed the Suncook Valley Extension Railroad in 1889 and held full ownership. Nevertheless, this extension only reached as far as Center Barnstead; the intended connection to Alton was never realized.
After a series of consolidations, the Concord Railroad merged into the Concord and Montreal Railroad in 1890, which itself was leased by the Boston and Maine Railroad (B&M) in 1895. Over time, lease agreements evolved: once the initial lease expired in 1912, subsequent renewals incorporated more flexible termination clauses advantageous to B&M. In an effort to cut operational expenses, B&M filed for abandonment of the line on July 26, 1924. The lease was formally ended following notification to Suncook Valley representatives; B&M’s final train departed Center Barnstead bound for Suncook on September 28, 1924.
Independent operation
With B&M ceasing operations, efforts commenced to maintain service independently. C.J. McDonough, an employee of B&M, was appointed general manager of the newly independent Suncook Valley (SV) while continuing his duties at B&M. SV leased both locomotive and passenger cars from B&M and inaugurated New Hampshire’s first autonomous shortline on September 28, 1924.
On January 27, 1925, Frank P. Fosgate succeeded McDonough as General Manager. In March of that year, the ICC authorized SV’s control over the Suncook Valley Extension Railroad after B&M relinquished ownership of this section.
Between 1924 and June 6, 1936, SV operated two daily round trips linking Center Barnstead and Suncook. Morning and evening services were dedicated to passengers exclusively; midday runs combined both passenger and freight transport.
Following Fosgate’s passing in November 1932, George S. Fowler assumed leadership. During the early 1930s, B&M aimed to reduce losses incurred by unprofitable branch lines. Passenger service on the Suncook Loop at Hooksett ended in January 1935 due to deteriorating wooden bridge conditions; freight service was similarly curtailed. After SV arranged a lease for the Loop, trains resumed operations into Concord on June 8, 1936.
Edmund J. Stapleton became General Manager in 1943. During World War II, SV discontinued service between Suncook and Hooksett after its last customer moved away. In March 1947, SV abandoned tracks north of Pittsfield on its extension line. Following an embargo crisis in 1949, SV acquired full ownership of the Suncook Loop in 1950, extending operations up to the Merrimack River crossing at Bow Junction. A tie replacement initiative completed in 1951 saw one out of every eight ties replaced.
In late 1952, Samuel Pinsly of Pinsly Railroad Company proposed purchasing the financially troubled railroad. Local investors approved his commitment to continue operations, and Pinsly assumed control in October. One of his initial actions was filing for abandonment. Despite concerns over losing the mail contract, SV maintained mail transportation via Pittsfield & Concord RPO until shutting down. The final inbound train arrived at Pittsfield on December 15, 1952; a concluding trip reached Concord on December 20. Pinsly recouped his investment through resale value from locomotives and scrap materials salvaged from rails and bridges. By spring of 1953, all iron components had been dismantled.
Excursions
During the 1930s, the Suncook Valley Railroad became a popular site for railfan excursions, which provided additional income and involved the use of leased rolling stock. The inaugural event took place on November 4, 1934, organized by the National Association of Railway Enthusiasts (NARE) as their second official outing. Subsequently, B&M conducted Hike-and-Bike excursions on October 20, 1935, and November 11, 1936. NARE revisited the line with another excursion on October 10, 1937.
Equipment
At its inception, the shortline operated using locomotives and passenger cars rented from B&M. On March 21, 1927, Baldwin Locomotive Works delivered a new lightweight Model 8-30-D steam engine (#1) with a 2-6-0 wheel arrangement, which remained in service until April 1949. This unit was succeeded by SV #2, a former Army GE 43-ton diesel switcher dating from 1940; however, it did not meet operational needs adequately. In July 1951, the railroad acquired a GE 44-ton switcher (#3), which remained active until the line ceased operations and later served other Pinsly-owned shortlines.
Early in its history, Suncook Valley purchased secondhand combination RPO/baggage/passenger car #1 and coach #2 from B&M. In August 1930, combine #3 was introduced after being rebuilt at B&M’s Concord Shops to include additional passenger seating. During the final year of service, B&M leased RPO/baggage combine #2373 to Suncook Valley because combine #3 was out of commission due to a fractured truck frame.
The railroad maintained only a small roster of freight cars and primarily depended on B&M’s equipment from Concord. Shortly after commencing independent operations in 1924, it obtained two 36-foot boxcars with truss-rod underframes for local less-than-carload shipments and milk transport starting in 1930.
Suncook Valley possessed three ex-B&M snow plows: #500 and #501 arrived early during independent operation years, with an unnumbered plow referred to as "502" added in 1946.
On June 24, 1937, a fire at the engine house inflicted severe damage on much of the rolling stock. The remaining equipment—including Combine #3 and Plow "502"—was destroyed several years following abandonment. Engine #1 was dismantled in 1950; #2 found use with a construction aggregate company; and #3 operated across various Pinsly shortlines before being scrapped in Canada around 1995.
Traffic
The initial impetus for building the line in 1869 stemmed from Pittsfield’s textile and shoe manufacturing sectors. Over time, key inbound commodities included fuel, lumber, and feed, while outbound shipments comprised stone, aggregate materials, and wood products such as box shooks and furniture components. As textile production waned during the Great Depression and with larger commercial hubs like Concord and Manchester nearby, wartime freight shifted predominantly toward inbound carload shipments of coal, lumber, and feed necessary for supporting local poultry farming.
Passenger services and milk shipments experienced an early downturn due to competition from automobiles and improved road infrastructure that enabled quicker travel over short distances.
Legacy
The Suncook Valley Railroad is notable for its extended reliance on steam locomotives until 1949, its distinctive switchback within Suncook village, its status as an independently operated line, and its embodiment of the resourceful thrift characteristic of rural New Hampshire enterprises.
Literature
- Topper Hamblett: The Suncook Valley Railroad, 1867-68. Suncook Valley Sun, April 17, 1974.
- John C. Hutchins: The Blueberry Express - A History of the Suncook Valley Railroad. Flying Yankee Enterprises.
- David K. Johnson: Twice Daily Except Sunday. New Hampshire Profiles, April 1952.
- John W. Merrill: Suncook Valley Railroad. The Enthusiast, January 1935.
- William S. Young: Seven Short-Lines, Their Lives and Times. 1961.