§10 Birth of the CNE

The "Central New England" began operations in 1899 as a successor under foreclosure to the Philadelphia, Reading and New England Company which in turn had been formed in 1892 by a joint agreement between the Central New England and Western and the Poughkeepsie Bridge Railroad Company. The CNE&W, formed in 1889, provided service from Boston and Hartford to Campbell Hall. Six weekday passenger trains &8212; three eastbound and three westbound &8212; stopped in Pine Plains. This railroad also ran an express each way, non-stop between Boston Corners and Poughkeepsie, and between the latter place and Maybrook.

The Philadelphia, Reading and New England in June 1896 ran four weekday trains east and four west stopping only at Winsted, Canaan Poughkeepsie and Campbell Hall. Three daily trains ran each way between Silvernails and Rhinecliff on the Rhinecliff Branch. The Dutchess County Railroad scheduled four daily trains each way between Poughkeepsie and Hopewell.

In 1904, the CNE shows only one train each way stopping at Pine Plains. The Boston Express was still operating and had added several stops, including Pine Plains. Only two CNE trains operated each way on the Rhinecliff and Hopewell branches.

Between Hartford and Campbell Hall the CNE provided Pullman parlor cars on both through and local trains. The Day Express between Boston and Harrisburg carried Pullman Buffet Parlor cars.

The Rhinebeck and Connecticut, in 1878, operated two trains each way between Rhinecliff and State Line, with one each way on Sunday. There was no connection into Pine Plains until 1889, when the P&C (CNE) leased the Hartford and Connecticut Western and connected with it at Silvernails.

When the CNE System was formed in 1907, train service was changed. The morning train to Beacon now came from Millerton via Ancram Lead Mines rather than through Shekomeko. The evening eastbound used the same route. The morning train to Poughkeepsie from Millerton went by way of Ancram rather than through Ancram Lead Mines as the P&E had.

Looking east from west side of Mud Pond (Twin Island Lake) in Pine Plains. Train approaching from the south. Pond is frozen and ice is being harvested. Behind the small island is the cove and ice run. Dots on ice in cove are people working. This location on the CNE timetable was called "Ice Pond". (V04-35.GIF)

In 1910 there were sixteen passenger trains each day serving Pine Plains. In 1917 there were ten weekday trains and a Saturday special from Beacon to Pine Plains, and six Sunday trains. The timetable lists connections from Boston to Chicago and return, the westbound train leaving Boston at 7:50 A.M. and arriving in Chicago at 7:20 the next morning. One could make the return trip by leaving Chicago at 11:10 P.M., to arrive in Boston at 10:00 the next day.

Early Local Station - An "Open Sesame"	Table of Contents		A Turn Of the Century Conductor Remembers
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