NEB&W Guide to Proctor, VT

Last Update: 2008-12-08

Layout Photo Gallery Table of Contents

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• Overview
• Sutherland Falls
• Quarries
• The Marble Plant
• The Depot
• Downtown
• The Freight House
• The Underpass
• Proctor, Not Modeled
  

Overview

• A topographic map shows the overall area. (The area we are modeled is highlighted.)
  • [Topo.]

Sutherland Falls

• The Otter Creek tumbles down about 100 feet, at a place originally called Sutherland Falls. This was the logical place to build a plant to utilize this hydraulic power. (The falls was a favorite of postcard photographers.) At one point there was a suspension bridge across for pedestrians.
  • [Postcard view. This shows the marble plant perched high on the side of the falls.]
  • [Another view.]
  • [Another view c. 1912.]
  • [A high level view.]
  • [Another high level view further back showing the suspension bridge.]
  • [From the base.]
  • [Showing the hydro-electric plant.]
  • [Another view c. 2002.]
  • [The suspension bridge.]
  • [The suspension bridge as seen from the top of the falls.]

Quarries

• A quarry in Proctor. (Note the water at the bottom.) This was the original quarry in the area, back when it was known as Sutherland Falls. In 2002, the long abandoned quarry is being reopened again.
  • [Prototype view c 1970's.]
  • [Prototype view c. 2002.]
  • [Prototype view c. 2002.]
  • [Prototype view c. 2002.]
  • [Prototype view c. 2002.]
  • [Prototype view c. 2002.]
  • [Prototype view c. 2002.]
  • [Prototype view c. 2002.]

The Depot

• The depot was one of those unique Rutland two-story depot. (Plans c. 1918 show NO stairway to the second story. -?)
  • [Looking south c. 1909. (Freight house hasn't been built yet.)]
  • [Looking north c. 1910.]
  • [Postcard view looking south, c. 1916.]
  • [Looking north. By this time, the wood shingles had been replaced by tarpaper and the grade crossing removed.]
  • [Looking south, 1937. (This image comes closer to what our model Proctor depot scene should look like.)]
  • [Looking south c. early '50's as a double-headed milk train heads north. Photo by Jim Shaughnessy, from his book, The Rutland Road.]

• I drew up plans for the depot, based on the Valuation notes and photos.
  • [Valuation notes showing the floor plan and a cross section of the tower.]
  • [Front elevation. (No, don't have the scale on the drawing. But the building should be 53 ft. 5 ins. long, if I did my math right.)]
  • [End elevation. The building is 20 ft. 5 ins. wide.]
  • [Floor plan.]
  • [On our layout. Model photo by James Lauser.]

Downtown

• Behind the station was a little park.
  • [Postcard view looking north, with the marble plant in the distance.]
  • [Postcard.]

• Around the park were a number of structures (north to south).
  • [Company headquarters c. WWI.]
  • [The YMCA.]
  • [The new store block 1915.]
  • [Another postcard of the store block.]
  • [The church at the south end.]

The Freight House

• The freight house was a tiny affair.
  • [Looking south c. 1909. (Freight house hasn't been built yet.)]
  • [Looking north c. 1910.]
  • [View from the highway overpass c. 1911. Apparently the open air section was an add-on.]
  • [A later view. Photo courtesy Jim Shaughnessy, from his book, The Rutland Road.]
  • [Prototype photo by Jim Odell.]

• The office was across the tracks from the depot.
  • [Prototype view.]

• Left to right - marble company offices, freight house and depot.
  • [Model view.]

• The marble yard.
  • [Model view.]

• An RS-1 at the point of a freight passes through.
  • [Model view.]

The Underpass

• Apparently the road crossed at grade just north of the depot, but by 1909, an ornate overpass was built south of the freight house.
  • [Looking south c. 1909. Some of the stonework is there but not the stairs. (Freight house hasn't been built yet.)]
  • [Looking south just after the flood, 1927. (Note the stairs and the bridge has a slight arch, providing more clearance. Photo courtesy Jim Shaughnessy, from his book, The Rutland Road.]
  • [Photo c. 1970's - Both the station and freight house are gone.]
  • [Close-up c. 1970's.]
  • [Shifted right showing the stairs. Photo c. 1970's.]
  • [Field notes, 1970's.]
  • [View looking south, c. 2002.]
  • [Closeup of the ornate railing, c. 2002.]
• View from under the overpass.
  • [Model view.]

• Because of the on-going problem of the Otter Creek overflowing and following the track right-of-way through the cut, around 1947, the Rutland added a floodgate post on each side. (In case of a flood, a steel door could be dropped into the groove.)
  • [View from the highway overpass at the height of the 1927 flood. Photo courtesy Jim Shaughnessy, from his book, The Rutland Road.
  • [Prototype view of the floodgates, c. 1980.]
  • [From the other side c. '80.]
  • [Close-up view of the one on the other side, c. 2002.]

• Progress report on the layout, Jan. 2004. The hills are alive with green.
  • [Prototype view. Photo from the collection of Jim DuFour.]
  • [Model under construction.]
  • [Another photo.]

See our Layout Guide for Proctor.

More on the marble and stone industry in our Industry section.

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