Touring the New England, Berkshire & Western

Our tour of the New England, Berkshire and Western model railroad begins with an Alco RS-3, one of the many on the line. It picks a car up at the Garnet Mine Shed. The switching move passes Sullivan’s Cole Company. At North Creek Station train 182 the Local is leaving for Chateaugay. When 182 reaches the creek on the edge of town, the sun is up.

At South Junction the branchline joins the NEB&W main bound for Chateaugay. It arrives in Hastings Bay at the approach to the tank farm on the outskirts of Chateaugay. The Local terminates here, but the milk car will be cut off and added onto train 88. At the South end of the town, train Number 1 arrives late with the northbound mail from New York City. The Canadian Pacific RPO will be dropped here.

Finally, Train Number 1 leaves. Chateaugay is a great place to watch trains and steam still runs here. Train Number 2 pulls into the station as AT-6 is switched for its trip South. With the switching done, AT-6 heads out. Some of the hoppers are empty and some are loaded with dense iron ore. At South Junction AT-6 crosses the Solomon River.

At Port Henry the ore train will do some switching at the Republic Steel Plant. It passes under a trussell that serves the steel plant. AT-6 stops at Port Henry so empties can be set out and a cut of loaded hoppers added. Around noon, AT-6 heads out with the Republic plant on the right. The 3 Alcos enter Vergennes and pass the Kennedy Furniture Factory and a creamery. Railfans on this next section of layout call it Red Rocks.

The track skirts the cliff high above the lake. Next it noves by the resort at Lake George. AT-6 will stop here and wait for the northbound express. When it arrives, it stops before heading North to Montreal. The sand beach at the resort cost a million dollars to install and is full of beach-goers. To hear and see more, view the video.