IMPORTANT: This is the lore of my model railroad and as such is a work of fiction.
History
EARLY DAYS
The Leeds Hill Railroad started in Leeds, Massachusetts (a village of the city of Northampton) in 1960. The New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad had been struggling for a few years already, and everyone seemed to know that bankruptcy was imminent. A local businessman - who always wanted a railroad - took a chance and purchased a few miles of the railroad between Leeds village center and downtown Northampton. These few miles of track didn't provide much revenue, but The Businessman had a plan.
As the NYNHH continued to decline, The Businessman bought up more of the trackage, extending his small railroad to Northampton's Union Station and then on to Easthampton. By 1968, the New Haven was no more, but the section around Northampton was doing well under it's new name: The Leeds Hill Railroad. At this point, he had acquired a couple of engines, some freight stock, and a single passenger train from the late-1800s. His favorite of the engines is the railroad's Forney: #10 lettered for the Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad. The engine came from Philips, ME. This, too, was a purchase of great opportunity. The Businessman realized the need for stock shortly after his initial purchase of the Leeds/Northampton branch. He had asked around and heard of a man who was looking to sell a Forney. It needed some work, but the railroad no longer needed this engine. After a bit, The Businessman bought the engine and quickly thereafter found a pair of matching passenger coaches plus a combine unit. He decided that this stock would run as something of a heritage train. This train spent several years taking passengers between Leeds and Easthampton, primarily as a make-shift commuter train.
The Businessman also took ownership of some of the stations and other lands against the ROW of his railroad. This included the Easthampton Station, and a patch of land where he built a new station platform for the village of Leeds.
ACQUISITION OF NSR
In the '70s, the railroad was doing well, nearly poised to make a profit for the first time, when The Businessman heard whispers that citizens of Northampton were looking for public transit that was more short-distance than his heritage passenger train. This gave the man an idea. Back in the early 30s the Northampton Street Railway ceased operations due to declining revenue. But, the tracks were still there. So, he made a pitch to the city: He would buy the rights to the tracks, headquarters, necessary signs, and other related bits, and work with city officials to provide commuter-type passenger service to the community. The city agreed. However, while the tracks were still in decent shape, the equipment of the former NSR was in very poor condition. Restoring it would take money that the LHRR just didn't have. Instead, The Businessman started small. He sent a message to a friend he had met on a trip to Europe: He wanted to buy an engine which he grew fond of during his trip. A month later, Toby the Steam Engine and his coach Henrietta were brought to the NSR to run frequent passenger service between Williamsburg and Easthampton. The cities refused to let The Businessman do away with the "Northampton Street Railway" name and he was required to instead make the NSR a division of the Leeds Hill Railroad. But, soon he realized that this was for the best, as it prevented confusion for the passengers and allowed him to save costs associated with re-branding.
LHRR EXPANSION INTO AMHERST
Finally, it looked like the LHRR might make a profit, but, alas, The Businessman's advisor told him that they were still falling short and, after over a decade of service, the bank was growing restless. The Businessman, always looking for a new opportunity, spent weeks trying to figure out how to increase his profits.
In 1976, the Boston & Maine Railroad had already been suffering for several years and at this point the company was offered the chance to join Conrail. B&M declined the offer. However, in 1979, The Businessman offered B&M a smart sum for the tracks between Northampton's Union Station and Amherst's Passenger Depot. This sale included the Connecticut River RR bridge, the passenger stations at Hadley and Amherst, and a few pieces of stock. Unfortunately, this ex-BM section did not actually join the LHRR as a single route. They instead met at Union Station as separate lines. So, the LHRR convinced the bank to allow for another loan to build tracks that connected the bridge to Florence and into Leeds. This allowed for trains to travel directly from Leeds to Amherst. This service allowed for students from the local colleges to take trains to get between some campuses.
By the end of 1980 the railroad was finally making a decent profit. The new tracks were proving incredibly helpful to efficient rail service through the area. College students and commuter were using the system daily. In addition, some of these local businesses bought some rolling stock from other nearby railroads which they worked with the LHRR to get repainted and would run as part of LHRR trains. Existing customers were incredibly relieved that the railroad was going to be able to continue service to their businesses.
GROWTH OF THE NSR
The LHRR's trains from Leeds to Amherst worked alright for college students and daily commuters, but there was a push from the community in 1978 to expand the NSR to Amherst, restoring light rail service to points east of Northampton, similar to how it was in the 1920s. The old trolley tracks were long gone, the bridges demolished, and yet, The Businessman decided to work with the towns of Hadley and Amherst to accomplish this goal. It took 15 years for the extension of the Northampton Street Railway to be operational. But, once it was opened in 1993, it was an immediate success. The NSR bought a pair of diesel rail cars from the Boston & Maine and ran them along with Toby from Leeds to Amherst and down to Easthampton every day. Service is annually interrupted by parades in Florence, Northampton, and Hadley, but the communities deal with the inconvenience without much complaint.
LOOK PARK & THE 1/4 SCALE RAILROAD
Going back to the '80s, the Businessman was attending a railroad sale in Rhode Island when he stumbled across a small collection of 1/4-scale rolling stock and engines. He bought up the whole lot, having no idea what he would do with them. Perhaps they could be used for the spur in Hadley or maybe for the NSR? It took three years for the purchase to amount to anything. The Frank Newhall Look Memorial Park had been open for many years at this point, and already had a train that ran around the park's zoo. The Businessman took a chance and approached the park about running his stock on their tracks as a seasonal event. They loved the idea. New trains would mean an increased interest in the park! For a while, the park allowed the LHRR to bring their stock to the park and run for special events. This was typically just a single engine and a few cars for passengers to sit in. This proved very expensive since transporting the large equipment regularly meant needing trailers and special supplies. Plus, maintaining the stock being done separately from where they ran was often inconvenient.
After a few successful seasons, The Businessman approached the park again. He had an idea to expand the train service regularly, which would add a yard, another station, and at least one additional main line to the existing circuit. Look Park has always been a non-profit operation, and to release control and financial burden of the train seemed like a good plan to them. Details were worked out between the two companies so that everyone made their fair share over the next year. Once the management rights to the park's railroad transferred to the LHRR, the new division to the company was opened, The 1/4-Scale Railroad. The first employee hired was named Groot. Once in a while, he will tell tales of his adventures through space, though, only The Businessman understands his repeated "I am Groot!". Everyone else just giggles, smiles, and waves at him.
TRANSITION TO NON-PROFIT
At this point, the Leeds Hill Railroad owned three separate divisions: The LHRR, The Northampton Street Railway, and The 1/4 Scale Railroad. Profits for the company were steady, but not by any means excessive. The Businessman was happy with this and, due to his unique collection of stock, decided to turn the entire company into a non-profit historical museum. The agreement was unique in court: The company would operate as a non-profit but still hold a few money-making clients, so long as all the profits go back into the company's new main goal: preserving the history of local railroads.
MODERN DAY
These days, the LHRR runs in a very similar way as it did decades ago. The Businessman has bought a little more equipment, such as a 25 ton switcher from the Providence & Worcester, used for yard switching duties. The railroad has also acquired a few new short-haul clients including Tandem Bagel. Overall, the railroad runs it's tracks from Williamsburg to Amherst and south to Easthampton. The NSR runs from Williamsburg to Easthampton with a spur stop at Union Station in Northampton. The railroad is also considering buying up more of the ex-NH track south of Easthampton. Time will tell...
The Leeds Hill Railroad started in Leeds, Massachusetts (a village of the city of Northampton) in 1960. The New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad had been struggling for a few years already, and everyone seemed to know that bankruptcy was imminent. A local businessman - who always wanted a railroad - took a chance and purchased a few miles of the railroad between Leeds village center and downtown Northampton. These few miles of track didn't provide much revenue, but The Businessman had a plan.
As the NYNHH continued to decline, The Businessman bought up more of the trackage, extending his small railroad to Northampton's Union Station and then on to Easthampton. By 1968, the New Haven was no more, but the section around Northampton was doing well under it's new name: The Leeds Hill Railroad. At this point, he had acquired a couple of engines, some freight stock, and a single passenger train from the late-1800s. His favorite of the engines is the railroad's Forney: #10 lettered for the Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad. The engine came from Philips, ME. This, too, was a purchase of great opportunity. The Businessman realized the need for stock shortly after his initial purchase of the Leeds/Northampton branch. He had asked around and heard of a man who was looking to sell a Forney. It needed some work, but the railroad no longer needed this engine. After a bit, The Businessman bought the engine and quickly thereafter found a pair of matching passenger coaches plus a combine unit. He decided that this stock would run as something of a heritage train. This train spent several years taking passengers between Leeds and Easthampton, primarily as a make-shift commuter train.
The Businessman also took ownership of some of the stations and other lands against the ROW of his railroad. This included the Easthampton Station, and a patch of land where he built a new station platform for the village of Leeds.
ACQUISITION OF NSR
In the '70s, the railroad was doing well, nearly poised to make a profit for the first time, when The Businessman heard whispers that citizens of Northampton were looking for public transit that was more short-distance than his heritage passenger train. This gave the man an idea. Back in the early 30s the Northampton Street Railway ceased operations due to declining revenue. But, the tracks were still there. So, he made a pitch to the city: He would buy the rights to the tracks, headquarters, necessary signs, and other related bits, and work with city officials to provide commuter-type passenger service to the community. The city agreed. However, while the tracks were still in decent shape, the equipment of the former NSR was in very poor condition. Restoring it would take money that the LHRR just didn't have. Instead, The Businessman started small. He sent a message to a friend he had met on a trip to Europe: He wanted to buy an engine which he grew fond of during his trip. A month later, Toby the Steam Engine and his coach Henrietta were brought to the NSR to run frequent passenger service between Williamsburg and Easthampton. The cities refused to let The Businessman do away with the "Northampton Street Railway" name and he was required to instead make the NSR a division of the Leeds Hill Railroad. But, soon he realized that this was for the best, as it prevented confusion for the passengers and allowed him to save costs associated with re-branding.
LHRR EXPANSION INTO AMHERST
Finally, it looked like the LHRR might make a profit, but, alas, The Businessman's advisor told him that they were still falling short and, after over a decade of service, the bank was growing restless. The Businessman, always looking for a new opportunity, spent weeks trying to figure out how to increase his profits.
In 1976, the Boston & Maine Railroad had already been suffering for several years and at this point the company was offered the chance to join Conrail. B&M declined the offer. However, in 1979, The Businessman offered B&M a smart sum for the tracks between Northampton's Union Station and Amherst's Passenger Depot. This sale included the Connecticut River RR bridge, the passenger stations at Hadley and Amherst, and a few pieces of stock. Unfortunately, this ex-BM section did not actually join the LHRR as a single route. They instead met at Union Station as separate lines. So, the LHRR convinced the bank to allow for another loan to build tracks that connected the bridge to Florence and into Leeds. This allowed for trains to travel directly from Leeds to Amherst. This service allowed for students from the local colleges to take trains to get between some campuses.
By the end of 1980 the railroad was finally making a decent profit. The new tracks were proving incredibly helpful to efficient rail service through the area. College students and commuter were using the system daily. In addition, some of these local businesses bought some rolling stock from other nearby railroads which they worked with the LHRR to get repainted and would run as part of LHRR trains. Existing customers were incredibly relieved that the railroad was going to be able to continue service to their businesses.
GROWTH OF THE NSR
The LHRR's trains from Leeds to Amherst worked alright for college students and daily commuters, but there was a push from the community in 1978 to expand the NSR to Amherst, restoring light rail service to points east of Northampton, similar to how it was in the 1920s. The old trolley tracks were long gone, the bridges demolished, and yet, The Businessman decided to work with the towns of Hadley and Amherst to accomplish this goal. It took 15 years for the extension of the Northampton Street Railway to be operational. But, once it was opened in 1993, it was an immediate success. The NSR bought a pair of diesel rail cars from the Boston & Maine and ran them along with Toby from Leeds to Amherst and down to Easthampton every day. Service is annually interrupted by parades in Florence, Northampton, and Hadley, but the communities deal with the inconvenience without much complaint.
LOOK PARK & THE 1/4 SCALE RAILROAD
Going back to the '80s, the Businessman was attending a railroad sale in Rhode Island when he stumbled across a small collection of 1/4-scale rolling stock and engines. He bought up the whole lot, having no idea what he would do with them. Perhaps they could be used for the spur in Hadley or maybe for the NSR? It took three years for the purchase to amount to anything. The Frank Newhall Look Memorial Park had been open for many years at this point, and already had a train that ran around the park's zoo. The Businessman took a chance and approached the park about running his stock on their tracks as a seasonal event. They loved the idea. New trains would mean an increased interest in the park! For a while, the park allowed the LHRR to bring their stock to the park and run for special events. This was typically just a single engine and a few cars for passengers to sit in. This proved very expensive since transporting the large equipment regularly meant needing trailers and special supplies. Plus, maintaining the stock being done separately from where they ran was often inconvenient.
After a few successful seasons, The Businessman approached the park again. He had an idea to expand the train service regularly, which would add a yard, another station, and at least one additional main line to the existing circuit. Look Park has always been a non-profit operation, and to release control and financial burden of the train seemed like a good plan to them. Details were worked out between the two companies so that everyone made their fair share over the next year. Once the management rights to the park's railroad transferred to the LHRR, the new division to the company was opened, The 1/4-Scale Railroad. The first employee hired was named Groot. Once in a while, he will tell tales of his adventures through space, though, only The Businessman understands his repeated "I am Groot!". Everyone else just giggles, smiles, and waves at him.
TRANSITION TO NON-PROFIT
At this point, the Leeds Hill Railroad owned three separate divisions: The LHRR, The Northampton Street Railway, and The 1/4 Scale Railroad. Profits for the company were steady, but not by any means excessive. The Businessman was happy with this and, due to his unique collection of stock, decided to turn the entire company into a non-profit historical museum. The agreement was unique in court: The company would operate as a non-profit but still hold a few money-making clients, so long as all the profits go back into the company's new main goal: preserving the history of local railroads.
MODERN DAY
These days, the LHRR runs in a very similar way as it did decades ago. The Businessman has bought a little more equipment, such as a 25 ton switcher from the Providence & Worcester, used for yard switching duties. The railroad has also acquired a few new short-haul clients including Tandem Bagel. Overall, the railroad runs it's tracks from Williamsburg to Amherst and south to Easthampton. The NSR runs from Williamsburg to Easthampton with a spur stop at Union Station in Northampton. The railroad is also considering buying up more of the ex-NH track south of Easthampton. Time will tell...
Leeds Hill Railroad Mainline, Northampton Street Railway, & Rail Bikes
Leeds Hill Railroad :: Responsible for short-haul freight clients through all five towns where the railroad operates and works with other local railroads to transfer freight to points farther. Also handles heritage and seasonal excursion trains originating in the same area. Express passenger trains run when needed.
Northampton Street Railway :: Division of LHRR; Responsible for short-line commuter stops from Williamsburg to Easthampton and Amherst
1/4-Scale Railroad :: Division of LHRR; An amusement park-style railroad at the Frank Newhall Look Memorial Park. LHRR is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the line.
Northampton Street Railway :: Division of LHRR; Responsible for short-line commuter stops from Williamsburg to Easthampton and Amherst
1/4-Scale Railroad :: Division of LHRR; An amusement park-style railroad at the Frank Newhall Look Memorial Park. LHRR is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the line.
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Here is a metro-style map of the LHRR system. The mainline runs from Williamsburg to Northampton, where the company's main yard is located, south to Easthampton and east to Amherst. The LHRR makes connections with CSX and Amtrak at Northampton. Easthampton used to be a transfer station with the New Haven up until they shut down, and Amherst is a transfer station with the Central Vermont. Equipment from all these companies is easily found on the LHRR tracks. The B&M has usage rights through the LHRR yard.
When expanding to Amherst, the LHRR bought all of the original Central Mass RR right-of-way to Norwottuck. However, a decision was made early to turn the CV's Amherst Station into a junction and do away with sharing Norwottuck, as the former was closer to the city's center. The resulting spur is used for rail excursions. The new section is owned by LHRR, but the CV did help get it built. The CV no longer use Norwottuck, and the building is exclusively used for rail bike trips (mostly storage). The only other trackage the LHRR has had to construct was the track north of the yard that makes direct travel from Williamsburg to Hadley possible. This new track also allows train travel from Hadley to Hatfield, but, so far, the two companies have not figured out how to utilize that option. As noted, the Northampton Street Railway runs parallel to almost the entire Mainline between Easthampton, Williamsburg, and Amherst's freight depot. While the east end may seem an odd choice, it was done this way for proximity to both UMass and Amherst College. The NSR runs regular daily service, which is slower, while the Mainline runs Express Commuter services periodically through the day. The majority of riders are college-age or younger (such as teens who cannot yet drive), but more working adults are beginning to use the service and leaving the cars at home. The newest development on the railroad is the plan to purchase track rights from Easthampton to Westfield Yard, greatly expanding the reach of the railroad. But, this is still pending approval of the board. The disused track, as seen south of Easthampton was once part of the New Haven. |
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The 1/4 Scale Railroad
LHRR's 1/4 Scale Railroad @ Look Park has several different trains. Some are for passengers, others are for maintenence, and still others are just for fun, to run when passengers aren't active, or during special events to give an extra draw to the park. (Sometimes The Businessman just likes to watch his cable car run round.) Passenger service runs daily during park hours of operation, last train departure is 30 minutes before closing.
THE TRAINS
THE TRAINS
- The Steamliner - passenger train
- The UP - passenger train, looks like a cargo train
- Hogwarts Express - runs as a Special, does not currently take passengers (cars need modification)
- Powell & Market Cable Car - runs as a Special, battery-operated model cable car, no passengers
- Work Train - pulled by our UP switcher, this train is used for railroad maintenance, sometimes it can be seen operating before and after park hours
