This article has been modified from the original version. The engineer is ReuvenGrehan, and the railroad has moved more than 60,000 carloads.

After more than 60,000 carloads of stone, the Milford-Bennington Railroad celebrated 30 years.

On Saturday, July 30, community members and Milford-Bennington Railroad affiliates met at the Wilton Train Station to celebrate three decades of business since starting operations in 1992.

The privately owned railroad company operates and maintains 18.6 miles of tracks throughout the Monadnock region, starting its deliveries from the Wilton Quarry to the Milford Quarry. According to Milford-Bennington Railroad owner Peter Leishman, CSX Transportation owns the track from Wilton to Milford, purchasing it from Pan Am Railways on June 1.

Milford-Bennington Railroad has been making shipments for Granite State Concrete Co., based in Milford, for the last 30 years. However, the locomotives only operate six months of the year, from April to November. Each rail car averages 100 tons of stone per shipment, according to Leishman, a total of more than 60,000 carloads of raw material shipped since 1992.

Leishman said he’s proud of the progress the railroad has made in the last 30 years. 

“From my standpoint, it’s been a good run,” said Leishman. 

Locomotive engineer ReuvenGrehan has been operating on the tracks for the past five years. As a lifelong admirer of trains, Grehan said the railroad is still an important part of the community. 

“There are not a whole lot of railroads in the community, but there’s a lot of support for [the Milford-Bennington Railroad]” said Grehan.  

Grehan waves hello to new Wilton Train Station owners Aaron Kelly and Kendal J. Bush every morning during his daily deliveries. Kelly said he admires the railroad community fo r welcoming him into his new home on Main Street.

“I’m keeping the legacy of the train station alive, me and Kendal,” Kelly said.

]]>