1950's New Haven 8mm Films by Alan Thomas

[@dennissproul8722]

Fabulous, I was 7 years old when they shut down the Old Colony. Never got over it . Grew up to be Senior Communications Engineer for Commuter Rail (including the Old Colony)! Thanks very much for putting these out where we can see them.

[@suzannerickles6169]

Grew up in Norwalk ,CT and lived for a number of years in NewHaven as an adult.Used the New Haven a lot. Love pictures from a “golden age” of the railroad

[@fleetwin1]

Same here. Still remember those great NH FL9s, was such a thrill to ride into Grand Central. Can honestly say that my dream vacation would be to take an extended train trip today....

[@petermagoun7457]

These films are priceless. I grew up in North Abington in the 50s and 60s and was always fascinated with traffic on the Old Colony RR and even used to hop freights down the Hanover Branch which began in North Abington. Keep up the good work publishing material like this!

[@jeremypreece870]

Hello from the UK. This is a great capture of a moment in time, long past. Already you can see the decline of the railway: In some places there is single track where there was clearly double, some railway buildings such as the stations are already boarded up. It is such a shame that passenger use declined in the 50's and 60's on both sides of the pond. Here in the UK passenger rail traffic has been increasing since the 1980's.

[@merccadoosis8847]

Outstanding video! Amazing capture of the vintage trains and scenery. I especially loved the old Carnival train cars. Those old stations should have been preserved as historical landmarks. How I wish we could have audio in the background. That would have made this video beyond perfect. Keep up the good work!

[@diddy5678]

Terrific footage.Worked on the Old Colony lines in the 70's and always wondered how it looked before the old stations were demolished. Keep up the great work!

[@heatherrussell8255]

I'm from NL, Canada, and very familiar with some of the train/railway photos Mr. Thomas took in NL in 1967. Because many highways in NL were still gravel at this time (especially on the Bonavista Peninsula), Mr. Thomas often just barely made it from one grade crossing to the next in order to get photos of the train approaching the crossing.

[@brucedavison5203]

Very impressive. That DL-109 coming out of the East Providence tunnel was stunning. Thank you so much for making the effort to digitalize, these scenes are so much appreciated.

[@daveskinner5131]

WONDERFUL. Used a tripod, thank God. Thank you.

[@MaximusWard-z4g]

This is beautiful. Thank you for sharing this footage.. Fantastic footage! Thank you for posting .

[@fleetwin1]

This is so cool, thanks!! Boy, drivers sure didn't worry much about crossing in front of trains back then....

[@jillworthington6042]

I grew up right next to the tracks in Woods Hole,Mass., the end of the line for the New York New Haven and Hartford Railroad. Woods Hole is featured twice in this documentary, one time traveling past Little Harbor with my childhood home on the top right. I have been fascinated by trains my whole life and wish I'd become a Lady Train Engineer! Thank you for the fond memories!

[@raycooney7632]

A great nostalgic video. Thanks.

[@jaredfulcher116]

Someone shared this video with me. It was so awesome! Around the 6:00 mark is heading south over Pamet Harbor trestle in South Truro, then under the Holbrook Ave tunnel in Wellfleet and finally Wellfleet Harbor. Rail service ended north of Eastham in about 1957 or so.

[@jeremypreece870]

Here in the UK, we were still using steam in the 1950's the last steam service was withdrawn in 1968. You had a lot more diesel engines. I love the vintage passenger coaches. The place names remind me that so many towns in the US are named after English places, New Haven, Cornwall, Windsor, Taunton etc. I love historical videos like this, thank you for posting it.

[@kevincurtis6550]

Thanks for uploading & sharing this incredible & historic footage, William.

[@monolight1327]

Excellent! Great references for scenicking my layout!

[@eottoe2001]

1:50 -- #0753 is a DER-1c class ALCO DL-109. Wow! Seeing one in operation, too. TY. This made my day.

[@lorettacaputo6997]

My first train trip was as a child of the 50's from NYC to Boston on the NH. I distinctly remember standing next to the monstrous NH diesel engine and a time at which the engine broke down and we had to be transported by bus. This film brought to life all of the still shot photographs that I have seen over the years in the Shoreliner magazine. It was great to see a lot of the motive power and rolling stock in operation and the scenery that they coursed thru. This film is a treasure.

[@mr.j2776]

Man - great to see this old footage. From time to time, I look at "The Harris Films" which is a series of old 8mm films that is being digitized. On some of them, a sound track was added that seems to match up well with the video. I enjoy seeing these priceless memories. This video is especially compelling because it was shot in areas that I am familiar with. Good luck with the project. Hope to see more on KZbin.

[@blainenodes8182]

Thanks so much for post❗❗did our ❤️good to re- view footage of great r.r. X's in merica'👍

[@williamralph5442]

Just came across this video. Brought back so many memories. The Alcos were the backbone of the Railroad. As a kid I lived in Mt. Carmel, next to the canal line from New Haven to North Hampton, Ma. Every day the consist would run a RT used Alcos. On weekend , Budd car excursions would make the run. My grandfather took the train to New York from Wallingford. I would ride along to see the train. Love the semaphores. The Housatonic line, which is still in service, running along the river, was really fascinating. Thanks so much for posting.

[@WAL_DC-6B]

New Haven RDC-3 #130 seen starting at 9:45 became Chicago & North Western #430 sometime in the mid to late 1970s. The C&NW converted it to a track geometry car to measure gage and elevation of the rails. I spent about three weeks operating the #430 in the late 1980s so a new employee could be broken in on the test equipment. Besides the large computer in the back of the RDC, a complete kitchen was added for the benefit of the crew (this included actual C&NW, serving dinner plates, cups etc,. in the cabinets). Two bedrooms were also added. Curiously, it still retained its unusual NH Hancock whistle at the passenger end. #430 now resides at a railroad museum in French Lick, Indiana.

[@gooseknack]

Footage like this is so very precious!

[@douglasalan5783]

Fantastic footage. Thank you for sharing it. I especially loved the scenes from the Berkshire sub.

[@ptz593443x]

Just a great film I enjoyed this . Go New Haven!

[@dock_yard1149]

This is incredible stuff, absolute GOLD, from all over the system. Incredible job compiling it, and thanks for sharing with us!!

[@tomkates9690]

So excited to see the footage starting at 5:36 showing the train in North Truro heading over Corn Hill and into Wellfleet. So little is left of that train experience now. As far as I know, this is the only footage shot in that area from the train. So great, thanks for sharing

[@colin5296]

Thanks for your work on this it's perfect and full of atmosphere .

[@countrypaul]

Stone cold wonderful!!!! Thank you, Bill.

[@wswartzell]

@13:04 that is Taft Tunnel! this must be the only footage on the internet of a passenger train going through it. most excellent!

[@GeorgeStar]

Amazing quality for 8mm.

[@bolte45]

Great work, glad you made it available.

[@tomy.1846]

Awesome footage! The photographer certainly had an eye for filming trains!!

[@steveb8819]

At 3:11 the scene is the former Hyannis end of track, about two car lengths south of the present bumper location. At this time the Hyannis station in use was the new one built by the New Haven a mile north, evidenced by the McGinnis paint on the RDC. The station location had already been changed when the RDC cars arrived several years earlier. I wonder why the RDC was at the bumper at this time.

[@diddy5678]

Lunch!

[@danielgannon9502]

This is amazing! Enjoyed it very much. Thank you for taking the time and making the effort!

[@scottsheehan1596]

Boston and Maine had lots of those Budd cars.rode them many many times

[@daf827]

Fantastic footage! Thank you for posting 🙏

[@snprout]

Great DL 109 shot at 8:20. Rare footage!

[@jackwalsh3830]

Loved it, thank you.

[@paulcrowshaw4232]

Thank you very much for sharing this footage. I especially liked the Canaan shots with the diamond in place. We stop in Canaan every summer for a Sunday breakfast "pitstop" after leaving Limerock Park. That crossing is all rebuilt now and looking great. They moved the switch a little north away from the road as well all new components too. I don't know if it was a race track special (Narragansett Park) or if it was a fan trip coming out of the East side tunnel (1908 on the East portal). Across the Seekonk river via SSK 315 is the town I grew up in. Thanks again and keep 'em coming!

[@m20c26]

Excellent. Good work. Thanks for sharing this footage.

[@ralphsanchico2452]

OK! That little girl in the red scared the crap out of me! I was like: WHERES THE ADULT?😱

[@robbcamp682]

GREAT VIDEO FROM BYGONE YEARS, i LOVED IT!!!

[@HNTRros]

This is beautiful. Thank you for sharing this footage.

[@philiphickman5085]

8mm stands up very well against some early video tape .

[@electrictractiontrainsandt3063]

Amazing footage!👍

[@marka5478]

Mr. Thomas even caught the Dan'l Webster in Boston. That's rare!

[@bostoncorner8072]

Mr. Sternitzke: I reported the existence of this video to members of the New Haven Railroad Historical and Technical Society as well as to the head of the Barrington Institute which is spearheading the campaign to bring passenger service back to the Berkshire (Housatonic) Line. Everyone seems delighted by its existence. The engineer and conductor of the RDC shown running north to Pittsfield have been positively identified - it is the same engineer featured in the NHRHTA video 'Last Train to Pittsfield' released in 1976.

[@kevincurtis6550]

Boston Corner: Pete McLachlan in his younger years is the engineer on the RDC going North on the Berkshire Line. I'm wondering if Mr. Sternitske would be willing to donate the film to the NHRHTA archives?

[@bostoncorner8072]

@@kevincurtis6550 I do not know Mr. Sternitzke. Can not say whether he would or would not donate the film.

[@thomasabramson100]

Absolute gold RS3 s RDC s Caanan when passenger service still went there Danbury great pics

[@bostoncorner8072]

Awesome! Family members have lived in the Berkshires for many years; you provide an almost complete snapshot of the various stations along the line. The presence of an FL9 on the "armstrong" turntable in Pittsfield and the departure of an RDC from the Pittsfield freight station (because Union Station was abandoned by the NH) shows these scenes were filmed in the early 1960's. Sad to see that many stations were in serious disrepair.

[@discerningmind]

Some of this footage extends into the 1960s and as far as about late 1967 to 1968.

[@cruzcontrol1504]

Just subscribed, outstanding footage, pure Kodachrome, fantastic shots of the RDC'S, keep 'em coming !!!

[@dieseldragon6756]

Interesting (And unexpected) tid-bit at 08:45 - That's a Talgo set, and unusually configured into separable three-coach rakes at that! Were NewHaven the first company to use these in North America? 🚂🇪🇸🇺🇸😇 Other than that, the DMUs (Motor coaches) seen here look as if they had absolutely no damping on their suspension...So little in fact even our own Class 142s (The BR RailBus) probably gave a smoother ride! Did people ever get motion sickness on these? 😲 Many, many thanks for the upload! There's lots of UK footage from this period in history (Railfanning was a national hobby at the time!) but it's *so rare* to see footage of the US networks from this same point in history! 😇

[@leslieadkins5774]

Stations were magnificent...sorry to hear that many were demolished.

[@ruffian2952]

The jumper being worn by the engineman on his way through Canaan was manufactured by Thompson Cap in New Haven. His hat perhaps as they were popular with New Haven men. I had striped and blue denim jumpers. Chet Thompson who owned the cap company was an operating department employee which craft I am unsure. The company also did contract work for other garment manufacturers. The jumpers had denim cuffs and corduroy collars and striped or blue denim bodies. I was wearing my jumpers well into the 80s long after Thompson ceased operations.

[@billzaiser8741]

The engineer wearing the Thompson jumper was “Mr. Berkshire”, Pete Mclachlan (sp?) probably running one of the final weekday Berkshire Budd car runs to Pittsfield. These runs were replaced by bus but the weekend trains (with Parlor cars!) continued.

[@whereisthedollar]

James E. Strates Shows' still in existence.

[@LearnwithJanice]

Hello from Kansas 🇺🇸

[@EastEndProductionsArchiv-lm3lq]

Great footage!

[@jamesstuart3346]

I got the RDCs Disease...more RDCs please!😅

[@mysticrailroad]

great video.

[@alfredpaquin3563]

When I was 16, my dad had the commuters run from New Haven into Grand Central. I would go with him sometimes, and he would let me drive the budcar. I wonder what those people would have thought if they knew a kid was driving them to work!

[@glenbearh9109]

My goodness it is real country. Must look so different today.

[@stevenikitas8170]

I remember the old Budd cars from the 1950s, when the railroads were losing boatloads of money on passengers and decided to make the whole train one car. That circus train is awesome. When was the last time you saw a live tiger on a train...??

[@kiwitrainguy]

I hate to break it to you but that was a lion (lioness). The stripes on its body were cast by the bars on the cage.

[@johnsmythe131]

This is great; More captions and narration would be awesome.

[@videothen]

Engrossing. I just wish more locations were identified. And what was that train at 5:00? - with the streamlined diner and observation car in its consist? I note another comment on here saying rail service beyond Eastham ended around 1957. But I have a New Haven route map from 1960 and a Penn Central from 1971, and they both show the line still going all the way to Provincetown.

[@MrJMS814]

Passenger service to the outer Cape ended in 1938. This was definitely a special excursion. The tracks were torn up in 1960 from Provincetown to Eastham and then back to Orleans in 1965.

[@rhythmsoftherailroad6484]

Great clip! Thanks for sharing. I remember some scenes in it. I would love to see Massachusetts acquire a couple dozen of those Bud cars for their Lowell to Mansfield Passenger Train Services. I wonder how long it would take for the line to outgrown a single bud car?

[@jerrys9226]

At the 5:05 mark looks like coming out of Woods Hole.

[@seangall123]

I agree. I have rode the Shining Sea Bikeway countless times and that sure looks like WH to me.

[@SouthCoastRailVideos]

Makes me wonder where 4:17 was. Perhaps in Falmouth at Great Sippiwissett marsh?

[@seangall123]

@@SouthCoastRailVideos Very well could be, good eye! What a find this video is

[@vernemattson3300]

The whole film is great, but I especially love the Cape Cod footage. We’ve walked the rail trail through Eastham and I wondered what it was like when the trains ran. One thing for sure-it looks like the right of way was in pretty terrible shape when the film was shot. That line must have been on the NH chopping block for quite some time.

[@jimwinchester339]

Yikes!! Did you see the jog in the track at 6:23? I'm surprised the train didn't derail right there.

[@AndreiTupolev]

I love mom 👩 at the beginning hoiking her kids out of the way of the train 🤭

[@kvn5659]

Floods of memories, was Neponset bridge there?

[@maureenpatten8867]

The circus animals are heartbreaking

[@johnsmythe131]

The tiger looked like he was enjoying the view

[@billzaiser8741]

Why? They were not circus animals. They did not perform. This was a carnival, not a circus. They were part of a traveling zoo that Strates provided for the edification of children. They were well cared for.

[@kiwitrainguy]

I hate to break it to you but that was a lion (lioness). The stripes on its body were cast by the bars on the cage.@@johnsmythe131

[@MichaelBeeny]

I don't think any 8MM films used the 16 x 9 ratio.

[@MrJMS814]

This is obviously cropped

[@TheOldSalt]

3:08 Hyannis

[@joewood1335]

do you know yard limit dugan ( obviously not gonna use his actual name ) hes a family friend who works for amtrak in albany , but hes been coaching me to get a job on the rails for awhile safe to say it finally happened

[@Thunder_6278]

If you can stabilize these scenes, it would be a vast improvement.

[@MrJMS814]

No. You lose resolution this way, which we are already very short on. It also warps the image, usually ruining it, especially in the hands of an inexperienced editor.

[@robertsantamauro4866]

Soooo Even though it’s caption New Haven it doesn’t seem to be a lot of New Haven in the film

[@MrJMS814]

The entire video is New Haven Railroad

[@davesouza6079]

The Daniel Webster not being towed by a GP-9

[@suppylarue220]

that woman who pulled the boy back really jerked his arm.

[@pfflyer3381]

And no one though the camera person was a trouble maker ?

[@diddy5678]

Can anyone Identify the station in the first scene?.

[@diddy5678]

Never mind. Just ID'd it as Stoughton!

[@DavidSantos-pd2or]

Stoughton...then North Easton

[@albertcyphers1532]

Quite a bit of that rolling stock still exists. It's parked in an old marshaling yard in Derby Connecticut. All seized by the state for back taxes owed

[@dmtm1111]

Love how clean the trains are. Back when you’d be shot if someone caught you trying to deface a train with that graffiti filth!!

[@leftylou6070]

Well, there you have it folks, the Northeast! Just as dank, dirty, and nasty, as I remember it. I'm glad my folks pulled up stakes in the 50's, and moved the Hell away. Thanks for the Video!

[@countrypaul]

To each their own. I live in NJ now and like it, but as a long time RI and CT resident, I miss them. It is great to see these New Haven running scenes, especially the vanished Cape Cod tracks. I wish they were better identified on the film, but it's okay....

[@interstellarphred]

Wherever that is, it is sure that you are heavily taxpayer subsidized in more ways you will ever admit; or perceive.

[@patrickbutler5037]

Bud car I was in a accident. Vandalized