25 Years Ago, Conrail Demolished Palmer’s Boston & Albany Freight House.

During the 1980s, Conrail demolished many disused structures along the Boston & Albany line. The East Brookfield freight house went in 1984, Worcester’s went in 1986. In January 1989, I noticed that the railroad was preparing to erase Palmer’s B&A landmark.

The wrecking machine was parked out in front and had already taken a bite out of the northeast corner of the steam-era red brick structure.

I proposed a short article to the editor of Palmer Journal Register. The newspaper supplied me with a roll of black & white film and processed it for me. I photographed the building from every angle and wrote the article that appeared about a week later.

Conrail made short work of the old building, which had stood at the west-end of the yard near Haley’s Grain Store. Today there is almost no evidence of the building.

For me it had been tangible evidence of the old Boston & Albany—never mind Conrail or Penn-Central. While its usefulness to Conrail may have ended, I recalled speaking with the agent there on various occasions in previous years.

I still have the negatives that I exposed with my Leica M2 and I’ve scanned these using my Epson V600.

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Tomorrow: Tracking the Light takes a look a classic searchlight signal on Pan Am Southern’s Boston & Maine route.