Serenska posted:Well, I'm still rummaging around my hard drive and I came up with two more photos of NH Budd cars. Like the photos above, these were also taken on the Providence, Warren & Bristol RR right of way.
I could write about the PWBRR all day long, but I'll keep my comments brief. A few interesting things about the PWBRR was that it was one of the first lines on which overhead electrification was deployed. As part of this process, the New Haven dug a 1-mile long tunnel underneath the city of Providence, RI to enable the trains to pass under "College Hill" in Providence.
The first photo below shows another railfan excusion with a NH Budd car either emerging from or going in to the tunnel. The photo is undated, but it must again be during the 1960s. I read somewhere that these excursions were run about twice a year around this time.
The next photo shows another excursion from around the same time. The bridge in the photo is over the Seekonk River just to the east of Providence, RI. You can see the catenary, formerly used for the electrified system over the RDCs.
The Old Colony RR leased the PWBRR for 99 years beginning in 1891. In 1893, the New Haven leased the entire Old Colony system, including the PWBRR, for 99 years.
Passenger service ended to Bristol, RI as of the 1938 hurricane. Freight service ended to Bristol in 1973. The entire line was abandoned in 1983 and is now a bike path. Many vestiges of the railroad can still be seen.
Steven J. Serenska
One of the apartments I lived in in college was located above the portal of the other end of this tunnel on Benifit Street in Providence. At that time the tracks were not in use and a door welded over the end but I have walked through it a few times. The lift bridge over the Seeconk still exists but is locked in the up position. I have ridden the bike path many times. Thank you for posting the pics.
