ANDOVER, Mass. — New Hampshire’s Bartlett Roundhouse Preservation Society is the recipient of this year’s H. Albert Webb Memorial Railroad Preservation Award, the Massachusetts Bay Railroad Enthusiasts have announced.
The Enthusiasts, who administer the grant created by member Leigh Webb, also have awarded $65,000 to 19 projects as part of their 2025 Railroad Preservation Grants program.
The H. Albert Webb award’s $10,000 grant will allow the Bartlett group to repair or replace two of the roundhouse’s four sets of doors. The structure was built in 1887-88 by the Portland & Ogdensburg Railroad, and is the last remaining building from that railroad. Built for locomotives needed for trains up the steep grade of Crawford Notch, it was acquired by the Maine Central in 1888 and remained in service until passenger service on the line ended in 1958.
The structure was listed on the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places in 2008, and the National Register of Historic Places in 2015. Restoration of the four main doors will help keep the building weatherproof and secure, and provide the ability to more easily restore the interior.
“Preservation is about perseverance,” said Leigh Webb, who established the award to recognize his father’s love for New England railroading. “If the desire to see a task through exists, it will get done. The Bartlett Roundhouse project certainty embodies that spirit, and for that reason among others has been given this year’s Webb Memorial Preservation Award.”
The award aids nonprofit, tax-exempt organization preserving significant equipment, structures or information on New England railroads, and has awarded more than $220,000.
Group awards grants to 19 projects
This year’s awards by the Massachusetts Bay Railroad Enthusiasts “makes the Massachusetts Bay Railroad Enthusiasts the largest contributor to such projects in New England,” says the group’s president, David Brown.
The 2025 awards are led by four recipients of the Ralph S. Hawkins Memorial Railroad Preservation Grant, which goes to the largest grants each year. Those recipients, each receiving $5,000, are:
— The 470 Railroad Club of Portland, Maine, to replace wiring on Boston & Maine F7A No. 4266.
— The Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum of Lenox, Mass., to complete window replacement on B&M RDC1 No. 6126.
— The Danbury (Conn.) Railway Museum, to replace batteries in New Haven Alco RS1 No. 0673.
— The Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway Museum of Alna, Maine, for construction of a new coal storage location and creation of a period-appropriate calling dock.
Other awards for 2025 include:
— The Andover (N.H.) Historical Society — $4,000 for an ongoing project to replace the boarding platform at the former Boston & Maine Potter Place station.
— The Boston Street Railway Association — $3,000 toward carbody and interior restoration of Boston Elevated Railway Type 5 streetcar No. 5706.
— The Branford Electric Railway Association — $2,500 toward purchase of an MIG wilder and wire for repair and restoration work.
— The Central Vermont Railway Society of West Lebanon, N.H. — $4,000 to employ an archivist to support a project to inventory and catalog its existing collection.
— The Connecticut Antique Machinery Association of New Milford, Conn. — $1,000 to convert a Denver & Rio Grande gondola car to passenger service.
— The Connecticut Electric Railway Association of East Windsor, Conn. — $1,000 for restoration of 1949 Illinois Terminal PCC Car No. 451.
— The Contoocook (N.H.) Riverway Association — $4,000 to construct a canopy to protect its 1907 Boston & Maine coach.
— The Flying Yankee Association of Nashua, N.H. — $4,000 toward restoration of traction motors on Boston & Maine Budd streamlined train the Flying Yankee.
— The Greenville Junction Depot Friends — $4,000 for restoration of the waiting room of the 1889 Canadian Pacific depot.
— New England Steam Corp. of Winterport, Maine — $4,000 toward rehabilitation of the trailing truck of Maine Central No. 470, a 1924 Alco 4-6-2.
— The Raymond New Hampshire Historical Society — $4,000 for a split heating and cooling system to better protect its paper archives.
— The Raillroad Museum of New England, of Thomaston, Conn. — $4,000 for restoring and repairing two wood-sided Boston & Maine boxcars.
— The New Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes Railroad of Phillips, Maine — $2,000 to preserve three historic narrow gauge buildings on its grounds.
— The Seashore Trolley Museum of Kennebunkport, Maine — $2,500 to complete restoration of Manchester & Nashua Street Railway interurban No. 38.
— Shelburne Falls (Mass.) Trolley Museum — $3,000 to rebuild the diesel motor on a ballast tamper donated by CSX.
The Mass Bay RRE Preservation Fund was established in 2016 to support projects preserving historically significant railroad equipment, structures, information, and artifacts. More information on the H. Albert Webb Award and the Preservation fund is available at the group’s website.
I believe the statement that the roundhouse “is the last remaining building from that railroad.” is incorrect. It may be the last remaining structure from the Portland and Ogdensburg in Bartlett, NH. but there are several remaining structures from that railroad in the Thompson’s Point area of Portland, Maine. This includes the main shop buildings all of which have been turned into event spaces.
Thank you to the Mass Bay RRE for all you do to help preserve railroading in New England!