New Berlin & Winfield Railroad

The New Berlin & Winfield Railroad

The NB&W served ran  eight miles between New Berlin  Winfield, from  1904 to 1917 [1926?].  It was chartered on September 17th 1904.

In the photo above: - NB & W #1 at New Berlin, 1909

"The coach originally came from Lewisburg & Buffalo Valley RR, a logging line just a little north of the NB&W.

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First Trip
1905

A 1971 article by Louis Poliniak tells us - 

“It was a small railroad and had two or more engines and a combination baggage car and coach. It had direct connections with the Philadelphia and Redding railroad at Winfield. It was more or less a “feeder line” for the reading.

The one coach passenger train hauled passengers and was a boon for the students who attended central PA college that was located at New Berlin at the time.

The New Berlin and Winfield railroad was opened on June 14th 1905, with many influential residents of the area riding the little train on its maiden trip."

"The New Berlin and Winfield railroad, a narrow gauge about eight miles long, began to operate on Wednesday morning. All the paraphernalia bas not yet arrived, but it is anticipated that the trains will be running between those two towns on schedule time, within the next few weeks.." - April 28th 1905

The April article in the Public Press was rebutted by a May 6th article in the Lewisburg Chronicle:

"Railroad not Completed. New Berlin Reporter. Many of our contemporaries published last week news to the effect that the New Berlin and Winfield Railroad has been completed. This is a mistake. We can hardly see where they got the authority.

On Saturday the road was completed as far as the Kramer farm, about two miles west of Winfield On Monday morning a full force of men were employed and from now on the work will progress more rapidly. The most difficult part has been constructed. These two miles required several deep fills, and the laying out of two rather sharp curves. From this point on the road will be comparatively level and straight. Many people are giving themselves too much concern about the progress of construction.

Should we be asked when the road will be completed, we would say by the last of May or the beginning of June.."

First train moved between Winfield and New Berlin, June 14th 1904

In the Photo: Walter W. Campbell, Irvin J. Moyer [and others]

"Big Fourth of July at New Berlin. The formal opening of the New Berlin and Winfield railroad will take place on July 4th. The citizens of New Berlin are making extensive preparations for this event and the day is expected to be the most strenuous the town has ever seen. Prominent speakers will deliver addresses and several bands will furnish music. The Selinsgrove band with its thirty five pieces will help somewhat to en liven the place.

A baseball game between Selinsgrove and the New Berlin nine will be played in the afternoon. This Fourth of July celebration promises to eclipse any others held in this part of the State and the New Berlin people can be depended upon to entertain her visitors in fine style.." - Lewisburg Chronicle, 1905 

William Guiles, of Shamokin, was elected superintendent, in October 1905.

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The fare was 25 cents one way, and 40 cents round trip, in 1905

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1908 Time Table 

For the New Berlin & Winfield RR

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STATIONS

The standard gauge of the reading railroad was made to accommodate the narrow gauge of the NB&W R.R. by having two rails on one side and one rail on the other .

The NB&W used the P & R station at Winfield.

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Aerial view of Winfield

New Berlin & Winfield track bed on the bottom right

1909 Officers

New Berlin Railroad Officers. The annual meeting of the directors of the New Berlin & Winfield Railroad Co., took place at their office in the New Berlin depot on Feb. 22, at which time the following officers were elected: President, I. C. Burd; Vice-president, and Solicitor, J.E. Bastress; Treasurer, S. E. Burd; Secretary, Wm. Tier, and General Manager, I.J. Moyer.

The NB&W hauled milk to the Creamery, and it's the biggest source of  income came from a limestone quarry in near middle Creek.

 NB&W 2-6-0 No. 2, at New Berlin c.1910

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Mitchell Rail Car 

On the New Berlin & Winfield Line

A home-built adaption of a Mitchell automobile to serve the transportation needs of the NB&W

 On the left is Reno Solomon and Irvin Moyer on the right.  

"Note that the rail-car is on three-rail track.  This is Reading Co. track, probably in front of their station at Winfield, and the third rail allowed the NB&W's trains to pull right into the station." 

This photo is labeled Mitchell Car at Winfield Station

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The railroad was sold in 1911  at that time, it was regraded, according to an August article in the Lewisburg Journal:

"Re-grading New Berlin Railroad. A force of laborers are at work on the New Berlin and Winfield railroad between the two terminals, cutting down the hills and straightening out some of the curves The company has graded an extension through New Berlin, and its lines may be extended westward. Since the road has been taken over by other capitalists there is plenty of rumor of its being changed to a standard guage.."

"Locomotive No. 2 was built in August 1906 by Baldwin Locomotive Works for the New Berlin & Winfield in Pennsylvania. No. 2 is a class 8-16-D Baldwin, meaning it is a 2-6-0 with cylinders bored to 11".  It has a cylinder stroke of 16" and has 38" drivers. No. 2 weighs about 20 tons, and was originally listed as being 36'-0-1/2" long."  - MCRR

In July of 1912, severe storms caused damage in the Winfield area.

"The Winfield and New Berlin railroad, the narrow gauge line connecting the two towns, with its terminus at Winfield, suffered a half dozen serious washouts. The tracks in several places were undermined by the sudden cloudburst, and the road made impassible for its trains. The line will be closed until the necessary repairs can be made.."

In August the Lewisburg Journal reported:

 "Since the New Berlin & Winfield railroad has suspended operations is likely that an auto bus line will operated between the two towns furnish means of travel that is impossible. The citizens along Una of the railroad regret very much that there are to be no trains, advocate some means of transportation that is necessary. Compelled to Take Out License.."

October 1912

NEW BERLIN ROAD READY FOR WINTER 

The New Berlin & Winfield Rail road company, which is principally controlled by local capitalists, made some needed repairs to its rolling stock. The company's two locomotives were given a complete overhauling and everything put in first class shape for the coming winter's traffic. A mechanic arrived recently and commenced getting things in shape for the removal of the old tires of the large locomotives, which were replaced by new ones and a new cylinder placed on the left side of the other one. Both engines are now in excellent condition and are being used daily..

Mount Carmel Item, 1914

The Central Pennsylvania College at New Berlin was transferred to Myerstown, and from there combined with Schuylkill College at Reading - where it became Albright College.

The New Berlin and Winfield train made it's last trip to Winfield Junction on September 19th, 1916.

Lewisburg Journal, September 1916:

RECEIVER'S AND TRUSTEE'S  SALE OF PROPERTY AND FRANCHISE

 OF THE NEW BERLIN AND WINFIELD RAILROAD COMPANY.

 F. E. Tier, Receiver of The New Berlin and Winfield Railroad Company, and The Guarantee Trust and Safe Deposit Company of Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania, Trustee, will sell at public on the 19th DAY OF SEPTEMBER, A. D., 1916, at one o'clock in the afternoon at the railroad station in the Borough of New Berlin the following described property, to wit: The line of railway extending from the right of way of the Philadelphia and Reading Railway Company at Winfield, Union Township, Union County, Pennsylvania, to the Borough of New Berlin, in said County.

Together with all the real estate of the railroad company wherever the same may be situate, and together with all railroads and branches, extensions, sidings, and turn• outs of the said railroad, now belonging to the said railroad company, all lands, rights of way, rails, bridges, wharves, fences, workshops, machinery, stations, offices, depots, depot grounds. engine houses, buildings, improvements, tenements and hereditaments, now owned by the railroad company, and used for the purpose of operating the said railroad; together with all the rolling stock, tools, implements, and materials now belonging to the railroad company, and corporate and other rights, privileges, appurtenances and franchises of the railroad company which they have acquired, connected with or relating to the premises. Terms and conditions of sale will be given on application to the Receiver at Mount Carmel, Pa., or at the time of the sale by F. E. TIER, Receiver.

The Guarantee Trust and afe Deposit Company of Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania. By J. S. BASTRESS, Trustee. |.

November 27th 1916

Mount Carmel Item

SCRAPPING THE WINFIELD RAILROAD 

I.C. Burd of Shamokin Saturday started work of scrapping the Winfield and New Berlin railroad for junk.

He recently acquired the property at receiver's sale for $11,000 and, it is said, expects to realize that much out of the rails. Built fifteen years ago to connect New Berlin, a college town, with the Philadelphia and Reading railway, five miles away, the railroad was never i. success. Four years ago the roadbed was virtually ruined by a cloudburst. The cost of repairs burdened it with debt and it could not meet expenses..

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If I understand correctly, these are photos of the engine being built, at the Baldwin plant:

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NEW BERLIN'S RAILROAD A charter was granted the New Berlin and Winfield Railroad at the state department last week. The company, of which I. 8. Burd, of Shamokin, is the president, propose to build a road from New Berlin to Winfield, a distance of seven miles, to connect with the Reading at the latter place. The capitalization will be $42,000.

It will be a Darrow gauge road, and will open up a rich agricultural district..  Sept. 30 1904, Public Press, North'd

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1908 - Chickens go for a ride

NEW BERLIN ROAD SOLD 

EASTERN CAPITALISTS AT HEAD AND WILL EXTEND IT. 

The New Berlin Reporter last week had the following on the sale of the New Berlin and Winfield Railroad: Messrs. George E. Keeler and J. Bellah, of Newark, N. J., who have been stopping in town for the past week, represent a syndicate of Eastern capitalists, who have contracted to buy the New Berlin and Winfield Railroad, and purpose making a standard gauge road, and extending it up the valley. At a meeting held last Monday night, the Burgess and Town Council re-enacted an ordinance, giving them the right of way through and on High street. This right had been previously granted to the old organization several years ago, but had lapsed owing to the expiration of the time limit for completion of the road. Engineers are now looking up the points of the old survey made at that time, and arrangements are being made for men and material to carry on the work. We feel sure that this news will be particularly grateful to the citizens of our little borough and surrounding country, and we only voice the sentiments of the entire community in welcoming to our town the representatives of these interests, especially as there is no connection with any great trunk line, and therefore the local patronage will be more thoroughly catered to, than might otherwise be the case..