Welcome to my B&MRR website. I'm Jim Fuller from Monson Mass. This layout was started way back in 1957 as a Lionel layout by my uncle as a birthday gift to me on a sheet of plywood but changed to HO and it has grown a lot over the last 50 years. Its now being put back together after being dis-mantled for the 4th time over its long history. There are 4 members in my group now but we need more so I'm looking for members to join our group to help on this project and you don't have to be an expert because none of us were when we first started.! I also enjoy toy train operation and have an O Gauge layout that runs around the room near the ceiling that needs work also. We most often meet on Tuesday nights from 7:00 till 10:00 pm or so but other nights are open including Saturdays. This HO Layout is nothing fancy and I often refer to it as the Busted & Mended Railroad as The B&M was in the late 70's and was just that.! Busted in more ways then one.!! Bankrupt, Equipment barely operational.!! I don't mean this as any dis-respect or criticism of the Boston & Maine RR because hard times fell on most all US railroads and they staid out of Conrail so that alone was a huge triumphant event in its long history. As a member of my group I will pay for your membership into the Amherst Railway Society each year and also pay for a years subscription to any cingle trade magazine such as MR, RMC because if your interested in Model Railroading you should join and it will get you a free one time pass yearly into the Big-E Train Show. Our group is always willing to help members with there layouts as well.!! If you would like to stop by and take a look and join us then by all means let me know by clicking onto the contact us to the left and leave your name and contact information or give me a call 413-267- 4881 and we will put you to workin on the Railroad. Thanks for taking a look.! Jim . |
| This Feb 2006 photo shows the East Portal of Hoosac Tunnel in the Berkshires of Western Mass at the point of where the B&M RR leaves the Deerfield river and plunges into the 4 3/4 mile long bore through the Hoosac mountain range beginning in the town of Florida Mass on its way to North Adams Mass and further on to Mechanicville NY. When I was a kid back in the 1950's this was double tracked and a lot less truck traffic and as many as 30 trains a day passed through it. Now your lucky to see even one.!! |
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I grew up in the Berkshire foot hills of Conway & Ashfield and lived in the town of Zoar about 4 miles from the Hoosac Tunnel and
spent a lot of time taking photos and filming trains in and out of both sides of this famous Tunnel. I also lived in Greenfield for many
years and spent a lot of time at East Deerfield Yard as a youngster and also as an employee for a short time.
Being that I had family & friends that worked for the B&M I got to get up close and personal and had a few cab rides and trips
through the Hoosac Tunnel both legal as a passenger, employee and not so legal on the Fitchburg Route. You cant believe what its
like in this tunnel.!!! A real engineering marvel.!!
Riding in the Caboose from Deerfield to Mechanicville up in the cupola was like nothing you have ever done before! Having hot dogs
& beans along the trip with the brakeman was as much fun as camping out!! Today all I have is the memory's of this once famous
Railroad and have re-created it in miniature
Warning.! Walking around on Railroad property is dangerous being that this is an active railroad and its also illegal and you could
be arrested.!! Its best to view it from a safe distance.!
spent a lot of time taking photos and filming trains in and out of both sides of this famous Tunnel. I also lived in Greenfield for many
years and spent a lot of time at East Deerfield Yard as a youngster and also as an employee for a short time.
Being that I had family & friends that worked for the B&M I got to get up close and personal and had a few cab rides and trips
through the Hoosac Tunnel both legal as a passenger, employee and not so legal on the Fitchburg Route. You cant believe what its
like in this tunnel.!!! A real engineering marvel.!!
Riding in the Caboose from Deerfield to Mechanicville up in the cupola was like nothing you have ever done before! Having hot dogs
& beans along the trip with the brakeman was as much fun as camping out!! Today all I have is the memory's of this once famous
Railroad and have re-created it in miniature
Warning.! Walking around on Railroad property is dangerous being that this is an active railroad and its also illegal and you could
be arrested.!! Its best to view it from a safe distance.!
9-3-07
Hoosac Tunnel East Portal
Hoosac Tunnel East Portal
| Hoosac Tunnel Deerfield River Valley Branch of the Boston & Maine Railroad The Hoosac Route |
| Click onto the contact us feature above and see more photos. |
| Two Geeps rumble out of the East Portal of Hoosac Tunnel with a 38 car extra in route to East Deerfield Yard. |
| I like to model the robust fall colors of the North western Berkshires and it helps the blue & white colors of the B&M locomotives stand out more. I model the 1950's to 1980's and have most all road colors that the B&M had in those years. |
| You all asked for a group photo and here it is from left to right Dean, Jim & Ed as we get together on our usual weekly Tuesday night building session. Sue couldn't be with us the past few weeks because her dogs had puppies and is keeping her quite busy.! This reconstruction project is coming along well but still has a long way to go. I couldn't begin to accomplish all that we have so far without the help from all of these members. They truly have brought this project a long way.! |
| Current members of my group Ed Richardson Sue Picone Dean McGranahan Brian Sklarski Without these peoples help on this project Id be months behind in construction time and what you see so far wouldn't even exist yet. A lot of thanks go out to these people.! |
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In this weeks session Dean worked once again on the riverbed area gluing in tufts of grass made from
paint brush bristles and painted in the muddy green paint in preparation for pouring out the liquid resin
water that will add a lot of realism to this area. This 4' square area has taken a lot of hours to construct
being that a great deal of this is hand glued into place and involves a lot of lairs in its rather slow
construction. We are hoping to pour the liquid water at the end of this month. I added the fishermen
and a few trees. Once finished the fly fishermen will be knee deep in water.
paint brush bristles and painted in the muddy green paint in preparation for pouring out the liquid resin
water that will add a lot of realism to this area. This 4' square area has taken a lot of hours to construct
being that a great deal of this is hand glued into place and involves a lot of lairs in its rather slow
construction. We are hoping to pour the liquid water at the end of this month. I added the fishermen
and a few trees. Once finished the fly fishermen will be knee deep in water.
| I worked on the roadways and grassy areas near the feed store. The roadway is constructed from real asphalt roof shingles glued down and painted. Seams are filled in with joint compound. Some trees, shrubs, light poles, people and clutter will liven up this scene. |