The Carleton Railway is getting ready for Fundy Rail Fest 2023!

 

Potatoes and the Carleton Railway

The potato industry is very important in Carleton County, and the string of six line-side potato houses in Rosedale are an important source of freight for the Carleton Railway.

  

 

These photos show some of the scenery progress this fall in the "Big Lake" area between Millville and Hawkins Corner. Lots of details need to be added, but the track was ready for the operating session in late September.

Big Lake, in spite of its name, is actually a very small lake.  It is a quiet relaxing spot until a train crosses the bridge!  

The Carleton-York Peddler is powered by two RS3s as it passes the covered bridge near Big Lake. 

The Fast Freight West crosses the brook on its way from Millville to Avondale. 

 

More Stations of the Carleton Railway

Here are some photos of more stations on the Carleton Railway:

The old station in Deerville was once a busy stop, but only the local train stops here now.  The freight yard tracks have all been removed and what remains of the station track is used to store MOW equipment.  

The station in Waterville is surrounded by the industries that make this rural community an important source of revenue for the railway.

The old station in Wakefield is not very busy--other nearby stations now handle most of the work.  Only the daily passenger local still stops here.

The station in Pembroke is almost deserted.  Only pressure from local politicians keeps it open.  

The tiny Mulheron Street station is a flag stop for folks on the mixed train from Northampton who want a convenient stop for shopping in downtown South Newbridge.  The much busier South Newbridge station is located in an industrial area to the east of the main town.  

This view of the old station in South Newbridge shows how busy it can be when one of the limited passenger trains is due!

A very busy freight agent works at the depot in Northampton (built by Bob Boudreau).  The local industries here in Northampton and in nearby Grafton provide a lot of freight traffic for the Carleton Railway.  Northampton is located at the end of a branch line that joins with the Avondale Subdivision at South Newbridge.  

Here is another shot of the little station in Bull Lake.  Although trains don't even slow down here during most of the year, it is well maintained for those summer vacationers who travel by train to cool off during the hottest days of summer.   

The large Union Station has just been relocated to its new spot alongside the large yard in Millville.  It serves passengers for both the Carleton Railway and the Canadian Pacific Railway (Gibson subdivision).  More details and scenery will be added soon.  

Stations of the Carleton Railway

These photos show some of the railway stations in Carleton and York Counties.  

The first photo shows the eastbound Nor'Easter arriving in Rosedale on its way to Fredericton.  Rosedale is a rural farming community, but its long passing siding and its location between Woodstock and Hartland (with bus connections) make it an important stop.  During harvest season, Rosedale can be one of the busiest places on the railway with six large trackside potato sheds.  

Another long passing siding is at Clarkville--a very tiny settlement where only the local passenger train slows down to stop.  Meets between trains are often scheduled here.

Avondale is the busiest station and yard on the railway.  Six passenger trains (three in each direction) stop here daily while the yard crew works to keep freight traffic on time while switching local industries.  

The tiny station in South Newbridge sees very little activity.  There are no scheduled passenger trains, but occasionally a special order will send a coach to deliver students coming home for the holidays.

  

A daily commuter train leaves Lakeville early each morning and returns in the early evening.  

The old station at South Newbridge is located at an important junction with the Northampton Subdivision.  Both freight and passenger traffic keep the yard crew busy here.  A sleeping car is spotted in the early evening on the station track so passengers heading to Montreal can board early and settle in before the train arrives to pick up the sleeper late at night.  

The station in Nortondale is of a European design that matches the railway's posh resort in the community. The railway's owner maintains an apartment on the second floor of the station, and his extensive model railway fills the attic level.  

The little station in Bull Lake is only open seasonally--from the long weekend in May until Thanksgiving.  Vacationing families arrive on the daily local to spend time relaxing at the lake.  

The tiny station in Silverdale (on the far right in the photo below) sees minimal passenger traffic, but the nearby potato houses and farm-related industry make the station an important spot.  

The station in Lane's Creek is served by the local passenger train.  

The station in Millville is currently under construction (having been moved from its previous location in Hawkins Corner) and a brand new station (courtesy of Bob Kane) will soon be constructed in Hawkins Corner.  A station is still required in Maplewood.  Also not shown are the stations in Deerville, Waterville, Wakefield, Pembroke, and Nortondale, along with the tiny Mulheron Street flag stop between Grafton and South Newbridge.  

Millville Classification Yard

I am now laying track for the Millville Yard -- a double-ended terminal yard at the east east end of the railway.  This section of the layout will actually have three levels, with the Millville yard at the lowest level.  In the photo below you can see the CPR Gibson Subdivision main line on the far left, with a siding, two Arrival/Departure tracks, four double-ended classification tracks, and a bypass track.  The engine terminal and yard lead will be at the far end of the yard (just around the corner to the right). Beyond the yard will be east-end staging tracks (representing the Gibson Subdivision toward Fredericton).  

Layout Progress: Bull Lake

The ice has just melted on Bull Lake and although the cottages still look deserted, in a couple of months the lake will be busy with families enjoying a relaxing getaway.  The 12 daily trains on the line normally do not even slow down as they travel through Bull Lake--there isn't even a passing siding in the community--but from June to early September the local passenger trains stop at the little station.  Bull Lake is a tiny community, with few year-round residents, located along a rural road (NB Route 595) near the Carleton/York county line

With the completion of the scenery in the Bull Lake section of the layout, the scenery is now basically complete on the two levels in the new section of the layout.  However, the benchwork for the third and lowest level was installed this week and the track is about to be laid for the Millville terminal yard and east-end staging.  That will complete the layout.  Then I can focus on maintenance, on updates to the older parts of the layout, and on the installation of a signalling system.  I am hoping/planning for regular operating sessions beginning in the fall.