The Addison Road

A History of the Addison Railroad

by Frank L. Webster

Foreward

The history of the Addison Railroad seems to be avoided by historians. Back in 1971 I set out to put this history together. July 12th I visited The Tuttle Book store in Rutland, Vermont. The white-haired gentleman at the desk said they did not have anything written about the ADDISON RAILROAD. He spoke about the way the ground lay - it should have been the mail-line of The Rutland Railroad. He thought someone should write about it. This friendly cooperative gentleman has long since passed away. It was his suggestions that enabled me to get the information you can now read in this historical account.

Much information was read into my tape recorder in the University of Vermont library at Burlington and the newspaper items at the Sheldon Museum library in Middlebury.

I am indebted to Jim Shaughnessy for the use of the map and pictures from The Rutland Road book.

The Capital Stock Share Certificate was given to me by Gordon Cutler.

I am extremely proud of the pictures furnished by my cousin Chester Platt taken by his father, my uncle E. B. Platt. The carefully detailed map. "The Route of the Addison Railroad", was taken out of a book authored by another cousin, H. B. Webster.

The Addison Road

November 2, 1869 - The principal topic of conversation in Whiting is "railroad," "Early Rose" and "No. 4's" being at a discount. The third survey through Shoreham for the new railroad is in progress and it ought to be the final one as we presume it is.

The Rutland R.R.'s goal to obtain under friendly control a connection with the Ogdensburg and Grand Trunk railroads seems to be progressing smoothly as indicated by the above newspaper item. A large group, mostly Rutland stockholders, had purchased the Plattsburg and Montreal R.R. The steamer Oakes Ames was built by the Burlington Steamboat Company and under contract operated in connection with the road. Early in 1868 this steamboat had started plying the lake between Burlington and Plattsburg carrying railroad cars, passengers and freight. Some months, as many as 1,100 cars were transferred across the lake. An April 27, 1869 news item announced the completion of the Whitehall and Plattsburg line from Plattsburg to Ausable River Station near Ausable Forks. Less than a month later Rutland interests leased it. Because the Rutland R.R. was running it, the term Plattsburg and Rutland was often used, leaving Whitehall out in the cold.

The completion of the Addison R.R. and the Whitehall and Plattsburg R.R. already building from Ticonderoga to Port Henry, to connect through to Ausable would see Rutland trains rolling into Plattsburg. The connections with the Ogdensburg and the Grand Trunk would be affected and the embargo over the foot of the lake would be avoided. The Oakes Ames steamboat had made this connection but it was seasonal, having to close down during the time the lake was frozen over. Also, the cars and freight had to be loaded and unloaded.

Earlier in 1869 in February, books of subscription to the capital stock of the Addison R.R. was opened for subscription in many towns and the city of Rutland. Then in March the stockholders of the Addison R.R. assembled at the office of directors: John B. Page, George A. Merrill, Peter Butler, John M. Dyer and Gaska Rich. The same day Gov. Page was elected President and John Howe of Brandon, clerk.

About this time, the Rutland R.R. managers opened negotiations in connection with the Ogdensburg Road to secure a connection by rail south from Plattsburg crossing Lake Champlain at Ticonderoga, New York. An accurate survey was made of the line from Port Henry to Ausable (34 miles). The charter for the Addison R.R. was procured and active measures were taken to secure its construction. These arrangements were about perfected when The Vermont Central and The Vermont and Canada proposed terms to the Ogdensburg manager so manifestly for their interests that they were accepted and that road changed hands. (March 1, 1870) As a result of this change the Rutland managers could no longer expect aid from the Ogdensburg Road to complete the line south from Plattsburg.

After a few months, arrangements were entered into to perfect the Montreal line and connections with the Grand Trunk road. They found friendly aid in Canada and procured a charter for a few miles of road to enable their business to cross the Victoria bridge. Parties in interest in Canada undertook the construction of that part in season for the opening of a through-line. Again they set to work in the construction of the Addison Road and secured the lease of the southern division of the Whitehall and Plattsburg road. (September 26, 1870). Negotiations were entered into to put under contract the road from Port Henry to Ausable and had nearly perfected the arrangements for that purpose, as also for the lease of the branch of the Vermont and Massachusetts railroad when the negotiations opened that ended in the contract (20 year lease) with the Vermont Central and the Vermont and Canada managers.

Besides all the negotiations going on the last part of 1870 was the stockholders meeting Oct. 13th at the office of George A. Merrill. At this meeting of the Addison R.R. stockholders the following directors were elected for the year ensuing: John B. Page, George A. Merrill - Rutland, Peter Butler - Boston, Gaska Rich - Shoreham, A. D. Waldo - Port Henry, N.Y. Then on Saturday, November 5th, ground was broken on the Addison Railroad near Whiting Station (later renamed Leicester Junction) and work was commenced with the intention to have the road complete and ready for use in one year. That construction had started was confirmed at a meeting Dec. 7th replacing Peter Butler, Esq. who resigned with E. A. Birchard, also of Boston, as director. The directors had been instructed to proceed and make all contracts so as to insure completion of the railroad during the coming year. Although the charter had been secured earlier that year and active measures taken to secure its construction, the Rutland Railroad formally leased the Addison Railroad for 99 years on the date of this meeting (December 7, 1870).

Effective Dec. 30, 1870 the entire Rutland System came under lease to the Vermont Central and Vermont and Canada railroads. The section of road, the Rutland managers had nearly completed the contract to build from Port Henry to Ausable would never be built. But the Addison Railroad, already under construction was included in the 20 year lease and would be completed.

To connect across the lake with the isolated southern section of the Whitehall and Plattsburg, already under lease offered access to the iron mines near Crown Point and Port Henry, a monopoly of all rail traffic to New England and even the Hudson Valley and when navigation was closed on the lake it would be the only outlet. Hence the great pressure to complete the ADDISON ROAD within one year.

To strengthen the Rutland image, the Rutland Herald newspaper was making extensive arrangements for local correspondence and news items from along the lines of railroads entering into Rutland, including the Addison and the Whitehall and Plattsburg railroads. Strong opposition to bridge the lake is seen in this newspaper item: Tuesday, Jan. 17, 1871 -"Addison R.R. - A large and enthusiastic meeting was held at Whitehall on Saturday evening for the purpose of protesting against the work which has already been commenced of bridging Lake Champlain in Shoreham near Ticonderoga. A committee was appointed and every legal measure possible will be resorted to, to prevent the completion of this bridge." That this opposition did not stop the building of the bridge is shown in a later news item: Tuesday, May 9, 1871 - Lake Champlain bridge - Notwithstanding the repeal of the law in the New York legislature granting a charter, workmen are still engaged at the bridge.

During February a news item noted the great number of workmen getting out ties, posts, shingles and wood for the railroad company. Then in May were reports of drunkenness and its accompanying disturbances along the line of the Addison R.R. Another report of workmen leaving because a subcontractor absconded. An Aug. 8th item noted contractors were putting down rails. Aug. 29th noted the railroad was in running condition from Leicester Junction to the Lemon Fair and that the bridge across that stream would be ready in about two weeks.

An article the later part of September 1871 in the Rutland Herald newspaper gives the following information about the progress being made in the construction of the road, also describes the trestle and floating drawbridge and the impact the road would have if completed from Port Henry to Ausable.

The road is graded the entire length about 14 miles to be laid this week. *The rail is of a new T type 1/2 inch higher that ordinary rails, weighing 60 lbs. per yard, supporting by 14 ties of average faces of 6 inches. The rail is graveled about three miles and the whole will be graveled by Nov. 1st. The bridges are all permanent except one. (*Actually, only 4 miles was laid with the 60 lb. steel rail, the remainder was laid with 56 lb. iron rail.)

The boat 300 ft. long, 30 ft. wide and 12 ft. high weighs about 300 tons and is expected to draw 2 ft. of water. An average of 50 men at work on it since the 1st of June under Supt. George White, who has done everything possible to make the launch a success. To build the trestle on each side of the lake to the channel that the boat is to fill, required 800 piles eighty feet long. The boat to be hung on a hinge like a door by one corner to a pier, to be operated by a 12 h.p. engine inside with two drums one for each chain, one chain in and the other out. The slack of the train to lay on the button of the lake so as to not interfere with navigation. The plans are original and made by our townsmen, L.E. Roys.

The trestle is 1800 ft. long and it is intended at each end to build piers. Contract price for the whole, including the boat ready for iron, is $85,000. Expected to exceed this amount.

The opening of the road is expected to take place next Saturday when a train will run the entire length, and the Empire and Green Mountain states will be united with another band of iron. Thus giving the people of Essex County communication the year around with the outer world and when the Whitehall and Plattsburg road is completed from Ausable to Port Henry, a distance of 30 miles is destined to be the through route from Montreal to New York and Boston, as this route will be about 20 miles shorter than any other to these and other points south and east of Rutland. - Rutland Herald. Comment: This excellent reporting in the Herald gives us a clear idea of what people at that time expected of the Addison Road. We can get more detail of the drawbridge from the illustration and its caption.

The boat was successfully launched on Sept. 26, 1871. The railroad officials gathered to witness the event missed actual launching waiting out a rainstorm in the nearby U.S. Hotel. The boat slipped by the pins preventing its downward plunge into the lake unwitnessed by the officials. The last rail was laid Sept. 30, 1871, in the presence of Ex. Gov. Page, Hon. Worthington C. Smith and Giles Merrill and other prominent railroad gentlemen of Vermont and New York. Cars ran over the ferry bridge across Lake Champlain.

A Nov. 21st item: The Addison R.R. has been accepted of the contractors and the road divided into four sections with section hands already at work. A dec. 12th item: The name of the station, formerly known as Whiting Station is now changed to Leicester Junction The ADDISON ROAD officially opened to the public Dec. 1, 1871.

An excursion train passed over the road on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 1871. A news item during December noted that the Shoreham and Whiting stage was discontinued.

The above 1872 Vermont Central timetable shows that company's operation of the Rutland's leased lines. The southern division of the Whitehall and Plattsburg in New York state. Stations Ticonderoga, Crown Point and Port Henry. The Addison Railroad in Vermont state. Stations Leicester Junction, Whiting, Shoreham, Orwell and Larabees Point. The Addison Railroad connected with the Whitehall and Plattsburg at Ticonderoga.

They also were operating the northern division of the Whitehall and Plattsburg and the Montreal and Plattsburg Railroad. No moves to connect Port Henry with Ausable were being made resulting in great dissatisfaction in Plattsburg. This failure to give Plattsburg a connection south may have been a mistake as the powerful Delaware and Hudson Canal Company has leased the Rensselaer and Saratoga Road bringing their northern terminus to Whitehall. Plattsburg interests were able to interest them in the New York and Canada Railroad. Thus making it possible to transport coal north from Whitehall on the west side of Lake Champlain into Canada.

During this first year of operation the effects of the vast amount of wood being used to build the railroad and for fuel for the woodburning locomotives was seen in the disappearing forests. Many cords of wood were being delivered to the railroad. Many Canadian woodsmen were employed cutting wood.

The drawbridge and trestle across the lake from Ticonderoga to Larrabees Point was new and better constructed than the one at Rouses Point that was giving trouble. A part of that trestle collapsed about the time the Addison Railroad opened for business. Local people proudly named the bridge at Larrabees Point, "The Great Eastern Drawbridge."

We have seen a large group, mostly Rutland stockholders, purchase the Plattsburg and Montreal Railroad. Now a group of stockholders displeased with the Vermont Central preventing the through connection to Plattsburg, suggest that the roads terminating at Plattsburg be left out of the contract. The main reason the Vermont Central leased the entire Rutland system was to prevent the through connection west of the lake. To prevent the through line control of those roads was essential.

High water in the Pleasant Brook area spring when the snow melted was often a problem. The train could not go if the water got high enough over the track to put the fire out in the locomotive. This first year of operation a news item dated April 16, 1872, indicated trains had some difficulty for about three days but were running again.

Another news item in October noted that the steamer Oakes Ames was only making one trip each way daily between Platsburg and Burlington. A December item noted the Addison Railroad has had a large increase of business since the closing of navigation on the lake, both in passengers and freight.

1873

Early in 1873 negotiations were going on between the Vermont Central and the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company for the sale of the Whitehall and Platttsburg and the Montreal and Plattsburg railroads. This purchase from the Vermont interests cleared the way for the New York and Canada Railroad. The whitehall and Plattsburg and the Montreal and Plattsburg were merged into the New York and Canada late in February.

As the Addison Railroad was not included in this transaction it would remain a subsidiary of the Rutland Railroad and until the New York and Canada came through would remain the only rail outlet for Essex County. The Vermont Central would continue to operate the completed sections of the Whitehall and Plattsburg and the Montreal and Plattsburg until The New York and Canada completed their line to connect.

Note: The Vermont Central was reorganized into the Central Vermont during 1873.

A Ticonderoga news item, dated July 22, 1873, noted: "Work at the railroad tunnel is progressing slowly as help is scarce." This of course was the 439 foot tunnel that was cut under the rocky finger of land upon which historic Fort Tisonderoga was built and immediately south of Addison Junction. The New York and Canada tracks would join the existing tracks at this point.

The following news item identifies a locomotive and an engineer. September 23, 1873 - Accident on the Addison Road. The mail train over the Addison Road that usually leaves Port Henry at 7:15 a.m. was on Saturday detained until 2 P.M. owing to the engine the "Pico" running off the track at a defective switch. Brim had his hands full for a few hours but his pluck and energy were as usual equal to the emergency. And notwithstanding all the predications that the "Pico" could not be run to Leicester Junction, Brim said she should go and she went.

Another amusing news item: November 25, 1873 - The fellow who rolled over several times near Cedar Point on Thursday night was heard to say, "Go to Hell with your old steam engine. I didn't come to Point Henry to be killed by the cars."

1874

Coming into 1874 the rail service from Ticonderoga to Port Henry continued to be operated by Vermont interests. Business was increasing over the Addison Road. The service to Port Henry was seriously hampered, in April, when a strong north wind drove an ice flow against the trestle across Bulwagga Bay damaging it so seriously the railroad abandoned it. The N.Y. & Canada line was relocated around the bay. The trains unable to reach Port Henry were kept on the east side of the bay. Later a steamboat completed the line causing little delay or inconvenience. How long this arrangement continued is not clear. A news item states: The Addison Railroad - A new timetable went into effect on this road on Monday, May 25, 1874. Only one train daily each way is run. It will reach (not leave) Tidonderoga at 8:10 A.M. Had the train laid over at the east side of the bay?

A news item in November indicated rail service would be restored to Port Henry on Nov. 30th, 1874 by the N.Y. & Canada Railroad Company. With the new service from the south, business over the Addison could be taken care of with only one train each way daily.

1875

Nov. 29th, 1875 the first regular train rolled into Plattsburg on the New York and Canada. A complete through-line was open of the lake. What was to prevent shippers from routing their business south from Mooers Junction on the new York and Canada, crossing the Lake on the new shorter less trouble-some then the easy grades to Rutland and on the Southern New England and Boston? We now enter the darkest, most hushed up and confused period in Vermont railroad history! Most historians skip it. With the completion of the N.Y. & Canada to Port Henry the Addison became less important. With the completion of the through-line it seems to disappear.

1876

Oct. 31, 1876 a train rounding a curve near Orwell, the engine rolled down the embankment, two freight cars followed and were badly damaged, while the baggage and passenger cars remained on the track. The engineer and fireman miraculously escaped serious injury.

An engine would not roll down the bank if the track was properly maintained. When the ADDISON ROAD opened for business it was well laid out and well kept road. Two years after the service to Port Henry was taken over by the NY & Canada it seems to be in an unsafe condition.

1877

Figures supplied in Newspaper items show shipments from the station at East Shoreham: on June 5th, 11,000 lbs. of butter; on June 12th a little more that 2 tons of butter; on July 17th, 4,000 lbs. of butter, 3,000 lbs. of cheese and 2 carloads of wool. This gives us an idea of the amount of business being conducted at stations along the line. The Agent at each station had about as much work as he could handle.

1879

By 1879 the Addison Railroad had become a veritable death-trap. The grade was narrow with the ties sticking out in mid air on either side. An engine rounding a curve at very little speed would simply tip over and roll down the bank. Speed was limited to 15 m.p.h. or less. This engine that rolled down the embankment in 1876, may have resulted in engineers taking extreme caution.

That the trains over the Addison Railroad were running on the brink of disaster is proven by the frightful accident at Larrabees Point. The train wrecked and three men were killed. On Dec.13, 1879 the evening train nearing the bridge at Larrabees Point, rounding a curve over a high fill, the engine rolled Down the bank, turning over three times killing the three men riding it.

A hard hitting editorial in the Middlebury Register accused the responsible officials of running an unfit railroad to operate a heavy train over. And that the matter was not looked into, it was hushed up!

If the Central Vermont officials relented and put the Addison Railroad back in shape the fright traffic using the Central Vermont route over the foot of the Lake would mostly divert to the route south from Mooers Junction over the D. & H. to the Rutland route via the Addison Railroad. The Addison Railroad was a link in a better route than the route over the foot of the Lake.

1886

That the locomotives being used at this time were of the woodburning type is indicated by the following news item: Aug. 6, 1886 - A Whiting item-The railroad Company are shipping wood from the main-line to the shed at Shoreham Station. Another Whiting item dated Oct. 8, 1886, noted that about two tons of butter were shipped from that station and several tons more were stored nearby.

1887

This senseless and criminal neglect of the Addison Railroad could not go on forever. H.S. Brookins, a prominent, influential, high-tempered individual who lived near Shoreham Station, filed a complaint with the Vermont Railroad Commission about the dangerous condition of the so-called Baldwin Dry Bridge located between Whiting and Shoreham. This brought about a number of inspections.

We will now note a number of improvements that may or may not be the result of these inspections. A Dec. 9, 1887 news item stated: "The Addison Railroad is having steel rails laid as fast as two gangs of men can put it down." This was the 60 lb. steel rail so popular at the time and much better than the 56 lb. iron rail being replaced.

Early in December the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company, a New York Corporation, purchased a controlling interest in the Rutland Railroad and its subsidiary, the Addison Railroad. Note: This purchase and the putting down of steel rails occurs about the same time.

1888

The Railroad Commissioners reported: The dry bridge repaired, some ballast added, new track, stringers and cross ties on the long trestle between the drawbridge and the Vermont shore at an expense of $10,000 a new drawbridge was installed. The Commissioners rated the new drawbridge as an excellent structure of its type but could not say the same for the rest of the line.

1891

The Addison Railroad was so improved by 1891, with ballast under the ends of the ties, 60 lb. steel rails and the bridges repaired, speed was raised from 15 to 20 m.p.h. A new timetable was put into effect with two trains East and two trains West each day.

Shippers were routing their business south from Mooers Junction on the Delaware and Hudson, across the Lake on the Addison Railroad to the Rutland main-line at Leicester Junction

The expected takeover by the Delaware and Hudson Canal Co., when the 20 year lease by the Central Vermont R.R. expired Dec. 30, 1890 did not occur. A new lease for 99 years was authorized. The Central Vermont unsuccessfully attempted to put an embargo on the Addison Railroad in 1888 to prevent the business from the West leaving their line at Mooers Junction If the D. & H. took over the Rutland Railroad, they would lose this business via Mooers Junction.

The period through the 1890's saw the greatest tonnage moved over the Addison Road in its history. Two engines were required on many of the trains. Unlike the seasonal connection via the Oakes Ames steamboat this was an all year, all weather route.

1896

The Central Vermont went bankrupt and turned both the Rutland and the Ogdensburg and Lake Champlain back to their original owners in 1896. The two lines that had threatened to join forces for a through-line when the Vermont Central got behind with the rent in 1873.

The lazy Rutland Railroad that had laid dormant with a guaranteed income since 1870 now must go to work. Rutland lettering must appear on the rolling stock. Rutland trains must start rolling. Rutland power that paid for a railroad (Plattsburg and Montreal) put a steamboat into service across Lake Champlain (the Oakes Ames) and leased the Whitehall and Plattsburg railroad, now would go into action.

The opportunities that existed when Whiting and Shoreham welcomed the Corps of Engineers that did such a good job of surveying the Addison Railroad back in 1869, were diminishing. The iron mining industry was declining due to competition form the West. The beautiful Adirondack Region was a great tourist attraction, however, and the connection at Addison Junction was of considerable importance both in passenger and freight business. Those double header freight trains continued to roll over the Addison Road.

1899

It is interesting to note the difference between this accident caused by a broken rail and previous accidents that occurred during the time the railroad was in serious disrepair. The engine did not roll down the bank. The newspaper report follows. Feb. 3, 1899 - Accident on the Addison - Mixed train jumps the track and passengers are injured. When the train was about one mile east of Larrabees Point the three rear cars were thrown from the rails and the passenger coach and a car loaded with cinders rolled down a bank. The passenger coach, a combination passenger and baggage car caught fire and completely burned. The conductor received a severe cut on the head and on passenger had a dislocated shoulder but none of the other passengers were injured beyond various bruises.

We have seen tons of butter and cheese and carloads of wool being shipped from stations on the Addison but the carload after carload of hay far exceeded anything else.

Harvesting, baling, hauling the hay to the railroad and loading it into a boxcar involved some very capable labor. It was the livelihood for many laborers. They knew how to load baled hay into a boxcar so the last bale just fitted in leaving little unused space. Often the siding at the station might be full with cars being loaded with hay.

1900

The Ogdensburg and Lake Champlain and the Rutland railroads, the same as back in 1870 did not connect. There was a gap from Burlington to Rouses Point. The connection from Mooers Junction south via the D.&H. and across the lake to the Rutland main-line on the Addison and from Rouses Pt. via the old Vt. and Canada to Burlington were the connections being used.

So now to connect with the Og. & L.C. the Rutland drove iron by the most direct route over the Champlain Islands. This also made connections north into Canada. When the Rutland merged with the Og. & L.C. in 1901, a through-line form Ogdensburg to Bellows Falls and connection with the Cheshire railroad to tide water at Boston 392 miles existed.

If the Rutland Railroad had rolled their trains into Plattsburg by completing the line form Port Henry to Ausable back in 1870-71 the Great Lakes to tide water at Boston through connection was theirs then. The Rutland Railroad lost valuable time by the lease to the Central Vermont.

With the connection over the Champlain Islands complete, shippers would route less through business via the D. & H. and Addison railroads though the actual distance was about equal. Shippers had long shown their preference for the route south from Mooers Junction and the shorter lake crossing Addison Junction to Larrabees Point and would be reluctant to change to the new route.

Those Vermonters who took a very narrow view of the D. & H. getting any of that business could do nothing about it. The Addison Road was in very good shape and the Railroad Commission would see to that it stayed that way!

The enormous ice house at Larrabees Point near the east end of the trestle and convenient to the railroad was the scene of great activity each winter. Ice must be held to service the refrigerator cars to carry dairy products to market. After the turn of the century with the increased demand for fluid milk, farmers began to change from producing butter and cheese to shipping whole fresh milk daily. This increased the need for ice.

1902

By 1902 the New York Central had obtained enough shares in the Rutland to control it. With the new connecting line over the Champlain Islands the connections with the D. & H. at Addison Junction and Mooers Junction, also Rouses Point, became less important. The alternative route to Rutland via the D. & H. and Addison Railroads would get a decreasing number of through shipments. An occasional car of grain was set out at Addison Junction, but the long lines of freight cars of former years was a thing of the past.

The Rutland Railroad issued a leaflet promoting Fort Ticonderoga and the Addison Railroad as a tourist attraction and describing the towns, hotels and inns along the line. Passenger trains were an important part of the railroad's business.

By 1909 the Rutland Railroad had a milk train running daily the entire length of the line. The railroad had built a small milk house close to the tracks at each station on the Addison. The farmers delivered cold milk to the milk house near to the time the train was to arrive. It would be loaded into the refrigerator car and delivered to the milk plant at Leicester Junction A milk plant was built at Hough's Crossing also. Later plants were built at Orwell and Whiting. With the enormous supply of ice at Larrabees Point, the railroad was in control.

Under control of the N.Y.C. the Rutland was enjoying its most prosperous years. Rutland interests were operating a fleet of steamboats on the Lakes all the way to Chicago. They owned grain elevators at both Chicago and Ogdensburg. In 1915 the I.C.C. ruled against the Rutland Railroad, invoking the Panama Canal Act passed the year before, forcing it to cease water transportation and to sell its steamers. This almost wrecked the Rutland and put it into a gradual decline. The effect on the Addison was minimal. The supply of Lake Champlain ice to service the refrigerator cars continued to be a valuable asset as the movement of fluid milk to market was on the increase.

An inspection of the drawbridge in 1917 resulted in its being condemned. The new floating section installed in 1888 with the rating by inspectors of an excellent bridge of its type, now was declared unsafe, 29 years later. It was war-time and the government took over the railroads the following year. Little or nothing was done to repair the bridge and the trains continued to maintain the schedule to Addison Junction where the trains laid over at night. During 1918 the most serious accident occurred in which three cars were dumped into the lake. A car loaded with marble went to the bottom of the lake but the two boxcars did not. The track was straightened on the bridge and trains continued to use it. Then on July 28th, 1920 an engine broke through, nearly going into the lake. The bridge could no longer be used and the schedule to Addison Junction had to be abandoned. A turntable was installed at Larrabees Point and the trains laid over at that point, unable to cross the lake. Finally in 1923 the bridge was dismantled and the mile of track back to Larrabees Point was removed. Grain dealers complained because shipments of grain would have to come to them over another route. The exchange of traffic across the lake had ended, but the big ice house was still on the Addison Road and would service the refrigerator cars for some time. The bridge so proudly referred to as "The Great Eastern Drawbridge" was gone forever.

Was the decision to abandon the bridge the right one? The route over the Addison Road to Rutland was shorter and had easier grades than the route via Whitehall. Also, it was an alternate Interstate route. When the Rutland was wrecked by the 1927 flood it would have been a valuable access, as the Addison was not affected by the storm.

With the link with the D. & H. gone, the Addison Road had become only a branch-line serving an agricultural area and terminating on the shore of Lake Champlain. The rumors of commodities being brought in over the New York barge canal and transferred to the Addison Road at Larrabees Point resulted in much speculation of a great increase of freight movement over the line. However, the I.C.C. would never rule in favor of such a connection. The Addison Railroad was originally planned to connect with water traffic as well as connection across the lake with the Whitehall and Plattsburg at Ticonderoga.

During the 1920's considerable improvements in the road-bed and track was done. In the Pleasant Brook area that gave so much high water trouble, the road-bed was raised 18 inches and the old 60 lb. steel rail was replaced with 80 lb. rail over the entire line. Heavier rail was being laid in the main-line and some of the rail taken up transferred to the Addison. The speed was raised to 35 m.p.h. Trains could make good time with the improved track conditions.

In the postwar period after the drawbridge was abandoned, only one train was run each way daily except Sunday. Milk was the major commodity being handled. Mail, express and freight were substantial and regular. Passenger and telegraph service was hardly being used due to other means of travel and communication. The need for an operating agent at each station was becoming very small.

About 1928 the agents at Shoreham and Whiting were replaced with Caretakers. Shoreham under the agent at Orwell and Whiting under the agent at Leicester Junction The caretakers had more responsibility than the name implies. Each was also Railway Express agent with all the responsibility of an agent under bond. The caretaker was paid $30 per month from the railroad plus Express commission. The caretaker at Shoreham was also mail messenger delivering the mail from the train to the nearby Post Office for which he received $25 per month.

How long would the Addison Road survive the continuing change brought about by over-the-road motor transportation? The greater facility of the line with roadbed and track in the best shape it had ever been would not deter the inroads into its business being made by independent truckers. The railroad had an advantage in being able to transport milk in refrigerator cars well stocked with Lake Champlain ice, once the farmers had delivered the milk to them at the various station. However, early in the 30's truckers began picking up the milk at the farmer's dairy barn,

delivering it direct to the milk plant, thus relieving him of the daily delivery of the milk to the depot. The refrigerator car continued to be used as the processed milk was loaded at the plant taken to Leicester Junction to be picked up by the milk train on the main-line.

The mail contract over the Addison Road that existed since the road opened Dec. 1, 1871 was canceled in 1934. The train that laid over at night at Port Henry when the road opened, then at Addison Junction 1874-1920, then Larrabees Point from 1920 was discontinued. A train out of Rutland, known as the Proctor job came over the Addison with no regular schedule to pick up the refrigerator car stocked with Lake Champlain ice and bring the milk from along the line to Leicester Junction Express and LCL freight also carload freight, was taken care of in both directions. Thus the schedule of a morning train from the west and a night train bringing business from the main line had ended. The stage to Shoreham village was discontinued as the mail was being handled by Star route.

With the continual loss of business and the Rutland Railroad going into bankruptcy the future was not bright during the 30's and 40's. A caretaker was at Shoreham until 1941. The big supply of Lake Champlain ice was becoming less important as more facilities installed mechanical refrigeration. This may have been a factor in the decision to scrap the Addison Branch in 1951 The agency at Orwell officially closed June 1, 1951. The last run over the 13.4 miles to Larrabees Point was on May 21, 1951 closing service. The track was pulled up as far as Orwell at that time. The rail connection with the icehouse at Larrabees Point was ended for all time.

Now that the line was officially closed, there was no scheduled train service. However, freight was brought to the Farm Machinery and Feed Grain dealer at Orwell until the track was pulled up to Whiting and a going Feed Grain and Farm Machinery business, the track from Whiting to the mainline at Leicester Junction was not pulled up until 1961 when the milk company started shipping all of the milk by truck.

SUMMARY

The Addison Road incorporated Nov. 27, 1867.

Leased to the Rutland Railroad for 99 years Dec. 7, 1870

The contract for building the road was let to W. Phelps and Son, who finished the road in 1871, at a cost of about $500,000 including the bridge across the lake.

The entire Rutland Railroad System leased to the Vermont Central and Vermont and Canada Dec. 30,1870 for 20 years.

The Addison Railroad officially opened to the public Dec. 1, 1871.

Nov. 29, 1875 the first regular train rolled into Plattsburg on the New York and Canada. A complete thru-line was open west of the lake.

An engine rolled down the bank near Orwell on the Addison in 1876.

Dec. 13, 1879 an engine rolled down the bank nearing the bridge at Larrabees Point killing the three men riding in it.

A number of inspections by the Railroad Commissioners, 1887-1890, put a stop to this criminal negligence.

During the 1890's two engine freight trains appeared on the Addison Road.

The Addison Railroad was the Addison Branch of the Central Vermont Railroad until the lease of the Rutland Railroad was abrogated in 1896. Correspondents gave it the more respectful title of THE ADDISON ROAD.

Under Rutland Railroad maintenance the track was kept in good repair right down to the time the track was pulled up.

During World War One, the deteriorating drawbridge became a problem and was dismantled in 1923.

The last run to Larrabees Point May 21, 1951 closed all regular service.

The agency at Orwell officially closed June 1, 1951.

The track pulled up to Orwell in 1951, to Whiting in 1953, and to Leicester Junction in 1961. Limited service until the track was taken up.

About the author: Frank Webster, now deceased, grew up on the Addison Railroad in Shoreham, Vermont. He took great pride in the railroad, in Vermont, and that tradition of hard work.

back to the Addison Railroad