Whistler’s Western The Boston and Albany Railroad
SKU: DVD-AR-BA1Original price was: $29.95.$24.95Current price is: $24.95.
When the railroad-building craze hit the US in the 1830’s, the political and commercial interests in Boston sought to access the vast market potential in the burgeoning west. A rail charter was granted to build a line west from Boston to the New York line.
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| Producer | A&R Productions |
|---|---|
| Run Time | 60 Minutes |
| Technical Details | No Region Code |
When the railroad-building craze hit the US in the 1830’s, the political and commercial interests in Boston sought to access the vast market potential in the burgeoning west. A rail charter was granted to build a line west from Boston to the New York line. The first leg to Worcester, the Boston and Worcester, was rapidly completed. The rest of the line, the Western Railroad of Massachusetts, through the Berkshire Hills, was surveyed, designed and constructed by a talented civil engineer, George Washington Whistler- yes, he was “Whistler’s Father”.
His route was graded for double track right from the beginning. His marvelous stone arch viaducts, known today as “Whistler’s Arches”, between Chester and Middlefield, have been designated National Historical Landmarks. This video represents 55 years in the history of the B&A and the Western! From the B&A’s own “Hudsons” and “Berkshire” locomotives in 1934, to Conrail C32-8’s and Amtrak F40’s in 1990, with New York Central and Penn Central diesels in between, this is the definitive history of this busy line to Boston.
rickyfreni –
Originally released in 1991, this program covers a huge variety of steam & diesels both in vintage 8mm films, & also in modern videotape in Massachusetts at locations like Hindsdale with Conrail (now a CSX only route), a milepost sign referenced to a Susquehanna 2-8-2 in New Jersey, Newton, the hot spot of Palmer, Athol Junction, Rosevelt Ave Bridge with a triple-header, St. James Ave Bridge, downtown Springfield with the Armory St Bridge & Connecticut River Bridge, plus a presidential candidate special in 1940, West Springfield, Huntington in the Berkshire Mountains, Chester, Pittsfield with the route 20 bridge, Ware River Bridge, Newtonville, Framingham, Franklin Street in Worcester, West Brookfield, Brimfield, Westfield, Charlton, Jamesville, Milepost 100, North Grafton, Westborough, the Quabog river & Dam, Middlefield, Washington Cut, & ends at Castleton Bridge near the Hudson River.
Aside from the B&A, there are other road names making appearances as well, like Conrail of course, Erie Lackawanna, Penn Central, New York Central, Amtrak’s Lake Shore Limited, & New Haven.
In addition to the trackside runbys, there is also a Cab Ride on a U-Boat in the 60s while heading from Springfield to Worcester, as well as another Cab Ride this time from Selkirk to Ayer via Worcester while the Chester depot is being moved to the present location as well as going through the state line tunnel.
Like most A&R titles, Ted Dalakau did a marvelous job narrating this program.