In 1984, Guilford Rail Systems, owner of the Boston & Maine's Northern Division between Concord, NH, and White River Junction, VT, filed to abandon the line. For fear of losing the corridor, the State of New Hampshire stepped in and purchased the right of way, contracting the newly formed White River Southern Railroad to operate and maintain the railroad.

The White River Southern Railroad purchased the 55 miles of trackage between Lebanon NH, to Concord NH from the state in 1996. Trains west of Lebanon continued to run over trackage owned by the state and leased to the Claremont-Concord Railroad. Beginning in Summer 1997, the WRS began a massive infrastructure improvement project. Track upgrades began all over the system, with a new yard built in Lebanon, and 132 lb Welded Rail installed on most of the system, bringing track speeds up to 40 mph on most of the route.

Today the White River Southern Railroad operates 71 miles of track in the states of New Hampshire and Vermont. Railroad connections include Claremont-Concord Railroad, Vermont Rail Systems, New England Central Railroad, and Pan Am Railways in White River Junction VT, and Merrimack & Souhegan Railroad and New England Southern in Concord NH. Operations typically involve three crews; one each for road, yard, and wayfreight service.

You can contact the WRS at WRSRailroad@gmail.com.

(Click on photo to enlarge) As a late-afternoon thunderstorm recedes, CDWJ crests the summit of the Mascoma Lake Grade.