THE FICTITIOUS HISTORY OF THE FICTITIOUS PETERBORO RAILROAD

The Peterboro Railroad had its rather modest beginnings on a bright sunny New Hampshire day in 1890. During several previous decades a spider web of railroads had spread across the New England landscape. These railroads were instrumental in the industrial growth of the region which in turn helped the Northern States to win the Civil War due to area’s manufacturing strength. Now representatives of two southern New Hampshire towns, Jaffrey and Peterboro, were meeting  to discuss building a railroad of their own. It seems the mighty Boston & Maine and other railroads had built rail lines both north and south of their towns but choose not to build  branch lines to their municipalities. This angered many of the local industrialists and merchants as they felt they had been snubbed by the regional railroads. 

At the meeting, chaired by  Frederick Baier, owner of the JaffreyFabric Mill, the townspeople voted to explore building a railroad that would connect with the B & M at Winchendon, Massachusetts and then head 20 miles north thru Jaffrey to terminate at Peterboro. Several hours and many speeches later, a Board of Directors, chaired by Frederick Baier, was elected. Representatives were also selected to sell shares of stock in the new venture. 

Selling stock in the new line proved more difficult that anticipated as  many people were not willing to invest in the new line. But New Englanders are stubborn and persistent and after three years and lots of arm twisting the Board of Directors felt they had raised enough funds to start building The Peterboro Railroad. A survey of the line was commissioned. However, when the survey was complete, including an estimate of construction costs, the Board realized that they were still short of the funds needed to construct a standard gauge railroad. An emergency meeting of the Board was called. At that meeting, Steve Fisher, of Fisher's Fasteners in Jaffrey, suggested that the line be built to two foot gauge. Fisher had just returned from a visit to relatives in Phillips, Maine. While in Phillips, Mr. Fisher had observed the two foot gauge Sandy River Railroad and was told that two foot gauge was cheaper to build and that the equipment cost less as well. A vote was taken and the Board voted unanimously to build the new railroad as two foot gauge. Frederick  Baier, in addition to his duties as Chairman of the Board of Directors, was charged with supervising the line's construction and acquiring its motive power and rolling stock. 

Baier hired a crew of local men to begin the process of grading the right of way. He also hired a Boston-based  bridge building firm to construct the bridges and culverts needed to cross the many streams, rivers, and ravines along the surveyed route. His next task was to write all of the locomotive building companies that were supplying motive power to the Maine two foot railroads. Steve Fisher had nothing but praise for the little forney type engines he had seen in Phillips, Maine, so Baier asked specifically for estimates to build a forney for The Peterboro Railroad. When the locomotive builders' proposals came back, he was shocked. The estimates exceeded his budget for a locomotive by two fold. He was beside himself trying to figure out what to do. As he re-read each of the builders' proposals he noticed that the Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia had included a foot note saying that they had available a 30 inch gauge forney type locomotive for a very modest price. Apparently it had been traded in by a Louisiana sugar cane plantation as a down payment on a new forney. That was it! Baier immediately sent a telegram to Baldwin telling them he wanted to purchase the used 30 inch gauge engine. He then sent a telegram to the Billmeyer and Small Company of York, PA instructing them to put 30 inch gauge trucks under the modest fleet of freight and passenger cars that he had already ordered.

As no rail had yet been laid, Baier directed the construction crew that when they did start to lay rail to make sure they did so to a gauge of 30 inches. This made the crossties that had already been laid appear to be too short but they would be more than adequate to support the tiny locomotive and cars. The little 30 inch forney arrived at Winchendon, Junction a few weeks later on a Boston & Maine flat car. She was unloaded and given road number 1. Almost immediately #1 started her new career powering the work train being used to construct the line. Over the next few weeks the line's diminutive rolling stock begin to arrive at the junction. Within six months the line to Peterboro was finished and the occasion was marked with a three band parade and a big dance. 

The Peterboro Railroad started a rather humdrum existence. Every day there was at least one freight train  to and from the businesses and industries along the line and Winchendon Junction. With easier access to the standard gauge and lower shipping costs, many of the businesses using line began to prosper as their products were now being sold and shipped to more customers outside of the local area. Passenger traffic was also brisk as many people along the line rode it down to Winchendon Junction and then boarded standard gauge coaches to Worchester, Massachusetts and Keene, New Hampshire on shopping trips.

With the outbreak of the Spanish American War and the additional demand for many of the products manufactured by industries served by the Peterboro Railroad, it became apparent that one locomotive was not sufficient to handle all of the traffic.  Mr Baier sent a telegram to Baldwin asking if they had any more bargain 30 inch gauge locomotives in stock. The reply surprised him. Baldwin said that had a 2-4-0 tender locomotive that had been built before the customer had cancelled the order. Baldwin offered it at a price that Baier could not turn down and he bought it.

After the new 2-4-0 arrived a month later she went to work hauling the passenger trains. She was given the number 2. The crews soon realized that the locomotive's tender made vision to the rear more difficult and it often derailed when backing up. The crews complained to Baier and made him promise that any future locomotive purchases would only be forney type engines.  It was a promise he would have to keep a decade later.

As the calendar rolled over to the year 1906, businesses along the Peterboro Railroad continued to grow and the demand for freight cars and trains to pull them outstripped the supply of rolling stock and locomotives. Baier hurriedly sent another telegram to Baldwin and ordered a brand new 0-4-4T forney. She would be given road number 6. Just as she arrived two months later, the freight boom diminished and the road settled into a lazy existence for the next  decade. 

As the United States approached entry into World War 1 businesses and industries throughout New England were experiencing a surge in business. This increase in orders meant more traffic for The Peterboro Railroad. Once the U.S. actually entered the war the demand for war materials and supplies put a huge strain on the little line as many of the manufacturing companies along the line were given big orders by War Department and the Army.  Once again the road looked to Baldwin for new motive power. Two new big  2-4-4t forneys (numbers 8 & 9) were ordered and they soon arrived on the property. After the war was over the Peterboro continued to prosper as the country was experiencing an economic boom and the demand for home building supplies was rising. The railroad once again settled into a routine of operating one northbound and one southbound freight train each day. Passenger traffic was cut back to one round trip daily as the automobile had begun to become more commonplace in the area. 

The stock market crash of 1929 and the great depression that followed nearly finished the Peterboro Railroad. There were some weeks when only the daily passenger train was run as there was no freight traffic. Train crews were cut back and only called when needed. The station agents were let go and all business was conducted through the Superintendent's office as he was the only full time employee. Slowly as line eased into the 1930s business started to return to the railroad as the New Deal programs began to take effect locally. Two full time train crews were hired back and on most days a freight was run both northbound and southbound in addition to the almost empty passenger train which was kept running to a fulfill a government mail contract. And this is where we find our railroad firmly planted in 1934.