History of the G&U Railroad

Rewrite of Mr. Hopper on the Grafton & Upton Railroad.

The Steam Saga, with corrections, by Pat Fahey.

Steam was used by the G&U as its primary form of motive power until 1919, including the years it operated as the Grafton Center Railroad. The “dummy” engine with its combination car and other early narrow-gauge engines were operated by steam. Nothing is known about other engines used in the earliest days except that one pictured in this book is believed to have been built by William Mason of Taunton, Massachusetts, probably during the 1870s. The first standard-gauge steam engine used by the G&U was a 35-ton, 16-year-old 4-4-0 type acquired from the Boston & Albany RR in 1887.

Correction – The first standard-gauge locomotive was not built by Mason Locomotive works. The locomotive named Bee #119 was built by the B&A shops in 1871, a 4-4-0 for the B&A RR. It was sold to the Grafton and Upton RR in July 1889 as their first Number 1.

During 1889 the WM KNOWLTON was purchased new from the Rhode Island Locomotive works of Providence, Rhode Island, and was identified as the G&U’s second number 1. This locomotive was a 2-6-4t type locomotive, also known as a Forney type. This engine was called a single compound type because engine and tender were a single unit. It had been named in honor of William Knowlton, owner of the hat shop in West Upton, a major customer of the G&U. Six years later (1899) this engine was removed from service and underwent drastic modifications. Its cab was remodeled and its tender was rebuilt as a separate unit to become number 4. It was a 2-6-0 with tender, which became known as a teakettle.

Note the WM KNOWLTON became the second number 1, to replace Bee. The third number 1 engine (35 tons) was another Boston & Albany 2-6-4 type. This locomotive was 21- years old when purchased by the G&U. This is incorrect. The third number 1 was not a 2-6-4 type. It was a 4-4-0, built by the B&A shops in 1878 and named Hecla #117 for the B&ARR. It was sold to the G&U in May 1900. It became their third number 1, and replaced the WM KNOWLTON. It was 22-years old when bought by the G&U.