Berlin Line

A pair of J-1 class haul a Holyoke freight in late afternoon up the Berlin Line at Union Manufacturing.

The Berlin Line

The Berlin Line is a 2.46 mile long single-track branch with a 1% ruling grade. It meets the Springfield main at a wye in Berlin, CT and is freight only during this era. There is a passenger connecting service between Berlin and New Britain stations via bus. Today this is the line still used to get to Plainville and Bristol since the Highland Line east of New Britain has been removed and is now a busway.

In addition to several industries along the line in New Britain, the major points of interest are the engine servicing at the junction with the Highland Line, the freight house and bulk tracks, and Whiting St. Yard.

The Layout

Operationally, the Berlin branch is an important element due to Whiting Street Yard and the Freight House located there.

Because of the way I had to arrange the track in the room, the portion of the Berlin Line from about Church St. to Park St. is missing. Park St. to Whiting St. is along the side of the stairs that lead down into the basement, and a lift-up at the base of the stairs connects to the yard itself. The Ellis St. overpass is the view-block at the end of the yard and staging is in the adjacent utility room.

To make operations easier, the line is level, except for a 2% grade up to the main layout starting at Park St. (partially in hidden track).

List of Side Tracks and Industries Served on the Berlin Line

The Sanborn maps don't always correspond with the valuation maps, and I have found few valuation maps. On the Sanborn maps it looks like the right-of-way is four tracks wide. The valuation maps aren't clear either, and I haven't been able to find many of this line. I do have this map from 1959 detailing a wall and walk for part of Track 6, and it clearly shows three tracks:

The track spacing also looks like a track might have been removed at some point. I didn't really have the space to duplicate this. Nearly all of the industries are connected to either Track no. 5, 6 or 6A.

  • Bridges, grade crossings, and town lines are identified by mileage, with 0.00 miles starting at New Britain Station.

  • Tracks in listed in bold are connected to the main line.

  • Tracks with an asterisk (*) are not identified on the New Haven maps I have; I assigned numbers utilizing the standard numbering system.

  • The length of a track is noted where known. These figures come from New Haven Railroad maps, but not all tracks are labeled.

Track No. 6

--New Britain Junction--

--0.10 - Elm St. crossing--

      • 12A - Stanley Rule & Level

--0.20 - Church St. crossing--

        • Stanley Rule & Level

--0.27 - Chestnut St. crossing--

--0.35 - Park St. crossing--

  • Track 6A begins (not connected to Track 1 here)

  • Track 6A* crossover to Track 1

--0.60 - Whiting St. crossing--

--0.89 - Ellis St. bridge (overgrade)--

--Extent of Layout--

  • Track 6A* crossover to Track 1

  • Track 6A* ends (not connected to Track 1 here)

--1.09 - cattle pass bridge (filled in)--

--1.24 - stream bridge

--1.29 South St crossing--

--1.49 - New Britain/Berlin Town Line--

Track No. 5

--New Britain Junction--

--0.20 - Church St. crossing--

--0.27 - Chestnut St. crossing--

--0.35 - Park St. crossing--

  • Track 5 crossover to Track 1

  • Track 5 ends (not connected to Track 1 here)

  • Track 5x(?)*

  • Track 5A* (2,619') begins (not connected to Track 1 here)

--0.60 - Whiting St. crossing--

--0.89 - Ellis St. Bridge No. 0.89 (overgrade)--

--Extent of Layout--

  • Track ?? Landers Frary & Clark

--1.09 - cattle pass bridge (filled in)--

--1.29 - South St crossing--

--1.49 - New Britain/Berlin Town Line--

1950 Sanborn Maps

The "2" on the map is between track no. 8 (left) and 6. To the right of track no. 6 is track no. 1 (the Berlin Line main track). To the right of that is track 5.

Unfortunately, the American Hardware Corp (P.F. Corbin Division) did not fit on the layout. It would have occupied the space taken by the helix quite nicely, though.


Parkmeadow Lofts has several industries and a loading dock and could receive shipments to any of the industries, coal for heating, etc. The building will be part of the backdrop for going under the helix, and I may be able to put the loading dock in as well.

L-1 class 2-10-2 with circus train eastbound on Berlin Line at Union Manufacturing and Upson Lumber, circa early '40s.