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(rshsdepot) Presentation on the Newburgh, Dutchess & Connecticut Railroad.



From the Poughkeepsie Journal=2E=2E=2E

Wednesday, February 5, 2003

Rail expert to talk in Hopewell Junction
Man wrote book on local trains
By Anthony P=2E Musso
For the Poughkeepsie Journal

HOPEWELL JUNCTION -- During his 35-year career with IBM, Bernard Rudberg
was published a number of times=2E=20
But the work was mostly technical in nature, instructions for field
engineers to troubleshoot and repair mainframe computer systems and the
like=2E And the work never carried his name=2E=20

Now retired, Rudberg will get full credit for his latest work, ''Twenty
Five Years on the ND&C: A history of the Newburgh, Dutchess & Connecticut
Railroad=2E''=20

The project was no small venture=2E A compilation of four years of researc=
h
took Rudberg to record centers at the University of Connecticut at Storrs
and the Baker Library of the Harvard Business School in Boston=2E A main
source for his knowledge of the railroad -- specifically during the period=

from 1879 to 1904 -- is in neighboring Beacon, at the railroad's former
headquarters=2E=20

''For the period concentrated on, I found 48 volumes of records, each made=

up of 700 pages,'' Rudberg said=2E ''Those records, some 30,000 pages, are=

the heart of the book=2E''=20

The passion for the railroad is not new to Rudberg, whose great-grandfathe=
r
began work with Sweden's railroad system in 1874 and, in 1896, became
stationmaster in Polcirkeln, a town in northern Sweden where the tracks
cross the Arctic Circle=2E=20

''My family has been involved in railroads ever since that time,'' he said=
=2E=20

Rudberg's enthusiasm isn't limited to his writing ability=2E Since the
mid-1990s, he has championed an effort to restore the old Hopewell Depot,
located just north of the hamlet of Hopewell Junction=2E He and a group of=

local history buffs hope to restore the abandoned structure and turn it
into a railroad museum, a lasting documentation of the area's rail history=
=2E=20

Repairs required=20

Rudberg said the main structure, damaged by a fire, needs work=2E The floo=
rs
are rotting and the roof will need to be replaced=2E=20

''We would like to have the building in some sort of usable condition for
the planned Dutchess County Rail Trail that is supposed to end at the
depot,'' Rudberg said=2E=20

Rudberg will be the guest speaker tonight at an event sponsored by the
Friends of the East Fishkill Community Library=2E While Rudberg's book wil=
l
not be sold at the event, he will autograph copies purchased in advance at=

local bookstores or from its publisher, Purple Mountain Press in
Fleischmanns, Delaware County=2E=20

On display will be old photos related to the railroad and a collection of
paper artifacts, including canceled checks, payroll and tax records,
letters, maps and timetables, dating from 1899 to 1916=2E=20

''People are more and more interested in their ancestors, genealogy and
community,'' said Cheryl Bennin, reference librarian and adult services
coordinator at the library=2E ''A few weeks ago someone called and wanted
information on the railroad that runs through their backyard=2E I advised
them to come to Mr=2E Rudberg's talk=2E''=20

IF YOU GO
RAILROAD TALK
What: Presentation on the Newburgh, Dutchess & Connecticut Railroad=2E=20

Where: East Fishkill Library, Route 376, Hopewell Junction=2E=20

When: 7 to 9 tonight=2E=20

Information: Call (845) 221-9943=2E=20


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=================================
The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org

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End of RSHSDepot Digest V1 #588
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=================================
The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org