narrow gauge on martha's vineyard and nantucket

[Kevin Kierstead]

just came across a reference to island railroads in an old book. anyone have further info or reference source?
(still looking online) thx, K

[Ed Lecuyer]

There once was a train on Nantucket,
With tracks three feet wide; who'd of thunk it.
But a hurricane came
and blew off the train.
And now to move freight they must truck it.

[John Kokas]

Nice little ditty, Ed 

[Graham Buxton]

No limerick at this site, but there is a map:

https://www.abandonedrails.com/nantucket-railroad#:~:text=Built%20in%201881%2C%20the%20railroad,east%20side%20of%20the%20island.

The Nantucket Railroad was a 3-foot narrow gauge railway that ran between Nantucket and Siasconset on Nantucket Island. Built in 1881, the railroad ran south out of the town of Nantucket, eastward along the island's south shore, and followed the shore around to Siasconset, home of the railroad's headquarters, on the east side of the island.
By 1895, after numerous washouts along the south shore, the company reorganized as The Nantucket Central Railroad and built a new right-of-way across the middle of the island. This new routing was ultimately abandoned in 1917.

[Bill Reidy]

Some links which might be helpful.

Martha's Vineyard Railroad:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martha%27s_Vineyard_Railroad

https://vineyardgazette.com/news/2009/09/03/marthas-vineyard-railroad-had-very-short-ride


Nantucket Railroad/Nantucket Central Railroad:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nantucket_Central_Railroad_Company

https://capecodlife.com/when-nantucketers-rode-the-rails/

https://eganmaritime.org/news/the-nantucket-railroad

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCDtzVJB6cE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wejw-6nyrU

https://www.ack.net/stories/the-short-sweet-life-of-the-nantucket-railroad,26876  -- Need to be a subscriber to see the full article.

[Jeff Schumaker]

Thanks for the links, Bill.

Jeff S.

[john d Stone]

Fascinating little pikes, but dismally unsuccessful. Shoulda pushed the rails in a foot.

[john d Stone]

I have a book called Cape Cod Railroads, by Robert H. Farson, which has a chapter on each line. Some really neat photos! The Martha's Vineyard line was a one engine pike with a cute little Porter 0-6-0 which had a lot of the same "stuff" that WW&F 1/Sandy River 3 had when originally built: Big, open cab, slanted cylinders and a tall, thin stack with a diamond shaped spark arrestor. That line was gone at the end of 1896 and the equipment sold off. Maybe the little Porter found another life on a logging pike or something.

The Nantucket managed to work its way through 4 engines on its slightly longer line with a slightly longer history. Two 4-4-0's, a Mason 0-4-4T from the Boston, Revere Beach & Lynn and the Alco 2-4-4T which went to war after the island line gave up. They also ran a couple of gas-mechanical contraptions with varying degrees of success and at least one fire.