All aboard for a glimpse of RI‘ s many railroads

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Joe and Joan Coduri married later in life, but they’re no less a pair than the couple that tied the knot in their 20s, developed careers and raised children along the way.

She was a teacher at Sherman and Drum Rock Schools before retiring in 2004. He earned a master’s degree in public administration at URI and worked at the university’s Bureau of Government Research for 14 years before leaving to work for the state as a supervisor of Local Government Assistance. He retired in 2013 with 45 years of state service.

Joe and Joan met playing tennis. They no longer play because of Joe’s knee, but they’re a team, as was obvious when they visited the Beacon recently carrying hard and soft cover editions, fresh from the press, of “Rhode Island Railroad Stations: Post Card Views at the Turn of the 20th Century.”

One would imagine that would be a pretty short book. That’s not the case. As Joe knows and documents, Rhode Island had 15 stream railroads in the early 1900s and, consequently, a lot of stations. As Joe writes in an introduction, the 1900 Annual Report of the Railroad Commissioner finds that there were 127 stations including the 30 flag stations and buildings among the 114 regular train stops.

Yet, strangely, Joe says he’s not a railroad buff. He’s not especially attached to railroad stations, either.

So, why a book on railroad stations?

Joan knows. She confesses she can’t make logic of Joe’s “secret” passion of collecting post cards. Secret, because Joe has a vast collection that he doesn’t share with even some of his best friends. Of course, that’s changed with the book featuring more than 290 images of stations, locations, and maps, starting with the Rumford Station on the Boston & Providence line, the first railroad to open in Rhode Island on June 2, 1835.

There’s more to it than a collection of post cards, as Joe reveals.

As he writes, the “penny postal” became the inexpensive means of communicating with family and friends in the dawn of the 20th century. The post office was the Internet of the time, and the post card was the email attachment or cell phone photo.

Joe provides the basic details on the history and development of the railroads, including when they opened, where they carried passengers, and stations along the way. Maps showing the rail lines and stations are part of the book, and captions include such information as the name of the station operator, who is occasionally pictured, and the type of construction of a station. For instance, the Atwells Avenue station in Providence was of a European design and above the roadbed, as it was on a sharp curve. So that passengers wouldn’t have to cross the tracks, there was a platform between the tracks accessible from a bridge over the railroad.

Joe also uses his book to identify and describe villages along the tracks with many familiar names such as Norwood, Hillsgrove and Cowesett in Warwick, South Auburn in Cranston, and Wickford Junction on the New York, Providence & Boston Railroad. And then there are some lesser known villages and stations, such as Bellefont a mile north of Lakewood in Cranston on the Warwick Railroad and Cole, an exact 8.48 miles from Providence. The Cole station was located in Passtuxet, Cole Camp, and renowned for its clambakes and, as Joe writes, in later years for its campgrounds.

Joe started collecting post cards in the 1980s, becoming fascinated by their glimpses back in time and to document, as in the case of stations, an important aspect of life at that time. His collection numbers “several thousand” post cards. And he has made many connections, chairing or co-chairing the Rhode Island Post Card Club annual exhibit and show since 1988.

Over the years, Joe has sought to find cards for all of the Rhode Island stations. He’s come close to doing that, and it could be cards were never made of some stations that were barely more than sheds.

One elusive card was that of the station at Glendale on the Woonsocket and Pascoag Railroad in the town of Burrillville. Joe spotted the card for sale from a collector in the Pacific Southwest but didn’t act, figuring he’d come across it again. It wasn’t until four years later that it resurfaced – perhaps even the same card. This time, he didn’t hesitate, although it cost him dearly.

“You don’t always get a second bite of the apple,” he said.

Joan is still mystified by her husband’s fascination with collecting cards, but has enjoyed working on the book. He’s already thinking of a book on Rhode Island villages and towns, and then there’s Joe’s latest passion – collecting fire station patches.

Might he be thinking of a book on Rhode Island fire departments and stations?

He smiles. He admits that would be a challenge.

“I’m saving that for the trilogy,” he says.

“Rhode Island Railroad Stations: Post Card Views at the Turn of the 20th Century” is available on Amazon. Both hard and soft copies of the 182-page book are available at Beacon Communications, 1944 Warwick Ave., Warwick. They sell for $25 and $35, respectively.

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