Branchville Gets RR Service Again
The first Lackawanna Railroad freight
train pulled into Branchville Monday [October 10] since the
flash flood of Aug. 19 washed out the one-track line.
Almost a mile of track and roadbed was
washed out when hit by an eight-foot wave of water from Culver Brook
and Dry Brook eight weeks ago. Tracks south of the Hoos and Fletcher
lumber yard were twisted and broken and left suspended in mid-air
in many places where fill was completely washed away.
The first train in since the flood included
a diesel engine, a mail car and two passenger and express cars. It
arrived in Branchville, the end of the line, about 9 a.m., and left
about 30 minutes later with a tank car, mail car and the passenger-express
cars.
Since the flood, passenger service stopped
at Newton, but freight trains went as far as the Henry Becker and
Son creamery at Augusta. Daniel Plant, of Andover, station agent at
Branchville, carried express from Newton to Branchville in his car
on his way to work.
A ten-car freight train moved into Branchville
later on Monday, and Passenger service was resumed Monday evening.