Thursday, February 24, 2011

RAILROAD BRIDGES

During World War Two, many of the various railroad bridges were guarded in New England, especially in what were crucial ones for transporting goods and war materials as well as troops,etc. THE IRON BRIDGE in Claremont was not exception and this bridge, which is still standing, still have trains going to and from Canada with freight and a few passenger trains to upper Vermont...... This bridge was guarded by some 'Negro" soldiers who had a sort of 'shack' near the bridge on the right hand side of the road, up the hill, from the road that passed under the bridge on its way to Vermont. My grandmother, who often did things for others and also for the War Effort in various ways, used to take clothes, food, and books,etc. up to the guards. At that time, the road was narrow and winding and went an entirely different way than it does today.......The guards are long forgotten....by nearly all those who now live in Claremont, but I did not forget them.....More on bridges and the war another time...

HOBO JUNGLE

When I lived on Kenyon Street, off Maple Avenue,not far from the JUNCTION in Claremont, New Hampshire, a few tramps and hobos came around and knocked on the doors of houses, sometimes offering to do chores or work but usually looking for some food or a handout....... As you went down the avenue towards the JUNCTION where railroads from Concord, the State Capital, and some from Massachusetts to the South or some trains from WRJCT(WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, VERMONT) came from the North and all met or passed through there, there was in the wooded area(now near a condo group and some other houses) on the right, near the line from Concord, a 'hobo jungle' as it was called, where makeshift structures were erected in some manner by those 'KNIGHTS OF THE OPEN ROAD'...this was in late 30's as the DEPRESSION had not abated or 'ended' until the beginning of WWII....

RIDING THE RAILS

This blog has taken much effort to start up due to internet problems and certain other things too numerous to mention, but I decided to start this up for several reasons,one being that I have always liked train rides since childhood, when my grandmother took me on many such and when I was also in high school and college and worked a while in Concord, New Hampshire for Railway Express where my Welsh Uncle by marriage to my aunt(Father's sister) was express agent... I hope to mention more about railways and the like in future topics.