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THE AIR LINE
New Haven - Middletown - Willimantic - Putnam - Blackstone

NHRHTA Publications:

The NHRHTA has published the following items on the Charles River Line:

Books:

To see what books we currently have in print, see our publications sale page. To order books, please print our order form.

Includes:

Shoreliner®:

To see what Shoreliner® back issues we currently have in print, see our publications sale page. To order back issues, please print our order form.

Volume 4 Issue 3 (Summer) 1973
  • "N.Y. & N.E. - Part 1" -- A brief history of the New York & New England, including its predecessor lines. 4 pages with photos.
Volume 4 Issue 4 (Fall) 1973
  • "N.Y. & N.E. - Part 2" -- A brief history of the New York & New England, including its predecessor lines. 1-1/2 pages with photos.
Volume 13 Issue 3 1982
  • "The Charles River Line" -- The history of the Newton, MA - Woonsocket, RI rail line and connections. Includes a timeline chart of ownership for the lines extending between Brookline, MA - Medfield Junction - Woonsocket, RI - Harrisville - Douglas Junction, MA - Putnam, CT - Willimantic - Middletown - New Haven. 12 pages with photos and maps.
Volume 14 Issue 2 1983
  • Front cover photo of a meet at the Hampton, CT, siding on September 4, 1954..
Volume 15 Issue 4 1984
  • Inside cover photo of an R-1 covered in snow at Willimantic, CT, after it had cleared the line between Providence and Willimantic, circa 1946. 1/2 page.
Volume 21 Issue 4 1990
  • "Another Way to Boston -- The New York & New England in Northern Rhode Island -- Part 2" -- The history of the New York & New England Railroad and its predecessor lines in Rhode Island and nearby portions of Massachusetts and Connecticut. The article is focused on the Pascoag branch. 8 pages with photos and timetable.
Volume 22 Issue 1 1991
  • "Clear Block Camp -- Lake Chargoggagoggmanchaugagoggchaubunagungamaugg" -- The story of how an old New Haven combine bacame a summer camp along the old Webster branch. The car was moved from Readville via Blackstone, MA and East Thompson, CT. 1-1/2 pages with photo.
  • "Another Way to Boston -- The New York & New England in Northern Rhode Island -- Conclusion" -- The history of the New York & New England Railroad and its predecessor lines in Rhode Island and nearby portions of Massachusetts and Connecticut. The article is focused on the Pascoag line, but the Douglas Junction - East Thompson - Webster area is discussed. 16 pages with photos, map and timetables.
Volume 22 Issue 2 1991
  • Inside front cover photo of J-1 #3022 with a westbound freight between the Lyman and Rapello viaducts on the Air Line in April 1948.
Volume 22 Issue 4 1991
  • "Swill Cars" -- Memories by Fran Donovan of the brief operation of garbage trains from Boston to the state farm in Pomfret, CT. 1/3 page.
Volume 23 Issue 1 1992
  • "Bridge Street, Willimantic -- Summer of '54" -- Memories of Willimantic in the mid-1950s by T.J. Donohue. 4 pages, including color centerspread of DL-109 0727 at Bridge Street in the summer of 1954.
  • "Whistle Artist" -- John Wallace remembers engineers' artistry with the whistle around Middletown, CT, and a chance comparison between a K-1 mogul on a Valley local and an R-1 on an Air line local. 4 pages with photos.
Volume 24 Issue 3 1993
  • "What is So Rare as a Day in June" -- Memories of the June 19, 1949, New York Division, Railroad Enthusiasts excursion which ran from New York to New Haven, Middletown, Willimantic, Hartford, Waterbury, Bridgeport and back to New York. 3 pages with photos, including a color photo on the Lyman Viaduct fill.
Volume 28 Issue 1 1997
  • "Putnam -- Part 1" -- The history of the railroads in and around Putnam, CT. 26 pages, with timetables, map and photos, including covers and color centerspread.
  • "The Putnam Track Pan Debate" -- Short article recounting the question if the first railroad track pans were installed by the New York & New England at Putnam, CT. 2/3 page with photo.
Volume 28 Issue 2 1997
  • "Putnam -- Part 2" -- The history of the railroads in and around Putnam, CT. 32 pages, with timetables, maps and photos, including covers and color centerspread.
  • "Putnam and Fan Trips" -- Reviews fan trips run in 1952, '53 and '54 via Putnam. 1 page with photos.
Volume 31 Issue 1
  • "Some Signals on the New Haven" -- A review of the various signal types used on the New Haven, as told in photos taken by T.J. Donahue.  Includes a photo of the unusual signal used at Bridge Street in Willimantic.  9 pages.
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