Boston & Maine Hoosac Tunnel Audio CD Vol 2; 60 Minutes of B&M audio action CD

Description

THE B&M’S HOOSAC TUNNEL Vol. 2
CD PR-61
A one hour audio CD of sound taken in real time during the 1970's and early 1980's. This rare sound was captured using portable GE stereo recording equipment, often utilizing separated wind michrophones on tripods, etc. The sequences (tracks) on this CD were taken from a collection of over 1000 hours of preserved, and cataloged audio from this era.
This particular CD THE B&M’S HOOSAC TUNNEL Vol. 2 was recorded in the 1970’sprimarily in and around the east portal of the Hoosac Tunnel and is a companion CD program to Hoosac Tunnel Part 1 (CD PR-18) The Hoosac completed in around 1875? Is nearly 5 miles long and rises about 60 vertical feet from East portal to center. The Boston & Maine RR main line running eastbound from East Deerfield, MA starts an approximately 10 mile winding climb at Zoar, MA on route 2 and follows the Deerfield River all the way to East Portal with the actual crest of the climb at about the midpoint of the bore. The area of the east portal is remote (approximately 10 miles from MA route 2) and free of extraneous noises, making it ideal for sound recording. It is possible to clearly hear (and record) the westbound trains from as far as a couple of miles down the mountain. Of course they are working hard and the B&M power of this era was generally not very modern. Additionally, there is a grade crossing about ¾ of a mile down the mountain from the tunnel, and the distant horns can be very mournful and chilling. This effect is further enhanced by nighttime recordings of which there are a number on this tape. You can hear the eastbound trains rumbling in the tunnel long before they reach the portal and features more sounds of B&M freights, still powered by GP9’s, GP7’s, F7’s , Alco RS3’s, GP18s, and occasional run through power.
Track 1: First there is an up freight with 4 GP9’s.
Track 2: This is followed by a freight down with 4 GP9s.
Track 3: Another freight down with GP 18/GP9/GP7/GP9 .
Track 4: Then yet another freight down with a similar set of GP18/9/7/9. The B&M was consistent if not imaginative.
Track 5: Then a freight up with you guessed it GP18/9/7/9 and a rarely seen RS3.
Track 6: Next we are treated to a down freight with 3 GP9s and another RS3. I guess they weren’t that rare.
Track 7: Next another freight up with a predictable GP9/9/7/9.
Track 8: is the Penn Central powered unit coal train.. emptys WB (up the hill).
Track 9: We start with an up freight with GP18/9/9/9 with the trackwalker talking in the background.
Track 10: Next is a long WB (uphill) powered by a GP18/9/9/7.
Track 11: Then we make a rare move to the west portal for two trains. First a westbound with GP9/7/9/7 comes out of the bore at night.
Track 12: Next is a long coal train EB.
Track 13: We go back to the East Portal in time to catch the North Adams local. (WB, uphill) from East Deerfield to North Adams, powered by an SW7 with a great horn.
Track 14:The last cut is a distant train and horn of a WB taken from the campsite near Zoar in the middle of the night. It is a haunting sound.
If you are a B&M fan or a Hoosac Tunnel fan this is the CD for you… The B&M we once knew is gone, the traffic is way down, there are far fewer chances to hear the trains struggling up the mountain.
Happy to combine shipping & International bidders most welcome.