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Hoods Trackmap.jpg (482.83K)
Number of downloads: 40
The early years of the B&H.e.r.
Hoods is one of the places with a big Railroad history on the New Holland Riverland lines and was once served by 2 different railroads. The (Boston & Maine) New Holland and Riverland Electric Railroad and the Bakerfield & Hoods Electric Railroad. The Railroads stayed sepperate railroads untill 1943, when a new Bridge got constructed over the River that runs through Hoods. The old bridge was a wooden bridge that was not suitable to hold any heavy trains.
The B&H.e.r. Started ther operations officialy at 1898, with building a line between Bakerfield and Hoods. The line was finnished 2 years later and was powered by a 3rd rail system. The station in Hoods was situated at the BridgeRd and the Carbarn was build at the Riverfront Rd. The Barn had 3 tracks, one of the tracks was just for mainantance and nothing more, altough sometumes they would also park a unused streetcar there. Without and connection to the B&M line, Freight operation was scares on the line. The B&M connected a factory on the other side of the river in 1909 but never connected the line up to the B&H.e.r, even not after some talks between the B&M. Because of this, Freight traffic never got an chance on the Bakerfield line in the early years.
The South Hoods Station (NH&R.e.r)
The south hoods station was opened in 1899 and gave an direct connection to the City of Woodland and the town of Millcreek and ofcourse also New Holland, although the Railroads where two seperate lines in the begin. The New Holland line ran to the B&M station in Millcreeck, while the line to Woodland started at the position of the current NHT terminal. This changed in in 1909, when the line got connected with the line to New Holland, so that the trains could directly run from Woodland to New Holland. The South station of Hoods was officaly situated at the Mainstreet, but after some accidents the street was removed from the tracks and the Railroad had it's own seperate peace of ground in 1912.
The South Hoods Station had more freight than his northern counter part. Being part of the B&M network it saw a lot of freight, but the freight glory days where over in 1950, most factories where abandoned and demolished, the same happened with the tracks. as seen in the trackmap of 1952, most tracks are not in use anymore, the only track still in use is the one going to the factory (Which is still running today). The NHT ordered to remove all unused trackage in Hoods in 1963, which resulted in the current situation as seen in the 1963 trackchart.
North and South Woods
The north and South were still devided in the 20's, wich wasn't good for the B&H.e.r. With passengers dropping, the company tried to talk to the B&M for track usagerights to Millcreek. The B&M didn't really feel anything for competition on it's own tracks and denied it. 20 years later, the town constructed a new bridge, because the old one was too old and needed to be replaced. The B&M saw an opertunity to connect their tracks to the B&H.e.r. tracks and took advantage of it. The B&M would gain all rights for Freight services on the bakerfield line and the B&H.e.r. was going to get their longly awaited connection with Millcreek. The deal was made and the connection between North and south was opened in 1941. Although the station remained at the norther part for another 2 years, it was moved down to the NH&R.e.r. station in 1943, giving the people a connection to Woodland.
The downside of all of this was that the B&H.e.r. lost all the right for Freight services to the B&M, but the B&M was already too late... Most duties where already taken over by trucks. Because of that, the B&M deal was ended in a couple of years and with that also the Right to use the B&M tracks to Millcreek. This resulted that the trains of the B&H.e.r. couldn't drive any further than the new station at the South station.
The end of a Railroad
The B&H.e.r. went bankrupt in 1947. The Amound of people traveling on the railroad dropped and with almost no freight at all, the railroad closed down in August 1947. The B&M bought over everything for almost nothing. The Rivival of the Bakerfield line as the Bakerfield Branch as a succes with the Pullman cars. Trains would drive all the way from Bakerfield to New Holland. The old B&H.e.r. station that was builded next to the B&M station was still used untill 1952, when they made a new connection with the main railroad of the NH&R.e.r. The old connection was rotten away and most tracks weren't used anymore. There where also some problems with freight operations delaying the passenger trains on their way to New Holland.
The Carbarn got officialy closed in 1946, the NH&R.e.r. still used one track to station some Rushour stock that would run from Bakerfield to New Holland. The Barn was demolished in 1951 and became a spot for family homes, just like everything else north of the River. There are no traces left behind...
The Current Days in Hoods
Hoods is Currently one of the few stations left where trains still stop on their way to Woodland. The Bakerfield branch is served by 4 local trains each direction every day and 2 Rushour trains. In the morning from Bakerfield to New Holland and in the evening from New Holland to Bakerfield. The mainline to Woodland has a hourly service of express trains. and some additional Rushhour trains and a tourist train in the summer. The line is currently operated by the NHT after the B&M sold the line to some local investors.
NHT101.jpg (836.15K)
Number of downloads: 30
Local traind from Bakerfield to Millcreek and Express train to Woodland at the Hoods Station.
And about the future of the line? no one can be surtain, but for now on, the trains keep running on the Bakerfield branch and the Riverland Mainline.
The END
Well, i hope everybody likes this piece of fictional Railroad history, i tend to do more of other stations if there is enough interest for it. It does take up a lot of time though, but i like doing it :)
Cheers,
Bobbie
