The Coming of the Train is the fascinating story of the Hoosac Tunnel & Wilmington Railroad, the Deerfield River Railroad and the impact they had on the towns of Southern Vermont and Northwestern Massachusetts. In this first volume, of what will be a two volume set, learn how the construction of the Hoosac Tunnel and the entrepreneurial spirit of the Newton Brothers, brought the industrial revolution to the wilderness of the northern Berkshires and southern Green Mountains.

For the first time, after more than 1800 hours of original research,  the author brings to life in volume I:

• the construction of the Hoosac Tunnel.

• the construction of the Hoosac Tunnel & Wilmington Railroad to Readsboro and then on to Wilmington.

• the mills of Sadawga, Jacksonville, Heartwellville, Searsburg and Somerset.

• the development of the pulp and paper mills at Monroe Bridge.

• the industries of Readsboro; the National Metal Edge Box Company and the Readsboro Chair Manufacturing Co.

• the lime kilns at Sherman

• the industry of Wilmington.

• the factories and village at Mountain Mills.

• logging of the virgin forests in Searsburg, Somerset Stratton and the “Glastenbury Lease”

• the Deerfield River Railroad and its relationship with the HT&W.

• the logging camps and log drives on the Deerfield River.

• a preview of what is ahead, as the Deerfield is developed for hydroelectric power.

The Coming of the Train, Volume I, is a beautiful, color, hardcover book printed on 8” by 10” eighty pound, glossy paper. It contains:

• 384 pages

• 349 photos, 35 sketches

• 45 maps, including plot plans of the industries at Readsboro and Mountain Mills and track plans for the HT&W. Most are original and never before published.

• 44 reference tables and scanned documents

• Glossary

• Appendix

• Index of maps, tables and text with over 700 entries

The Coming of the Train has been written with the cooperation of many individuals, the Massachusetts and Vermont state archives and the following historical societies, libraries and museums:

• Historical Society of Wilmington, VT

• Library of Congress

• Martha Canfield Public Library at Arlington, VT

• Monroe, MA Historical Society

• Pettee Memorial Library at Wilmington, VT

• Pocumtuck Valley Museum at Old Deerfield, MA

• Readsboro, VT Historical Society

• Rowe, MA Historical Society

• Rowe, MA Public Library

• Smithsonian Institution

• Vermont Archaeological Society

• Vermont Historical Society

• Vermont Law Reference Library

• Whitingham, VT Historical Society

Don’t miss the opportunity to own a copy of this groundbreaking book of New England and railroad history. See the back page for ordering information.