In 1898 the expanding quarry operation at the Hudson and Chester Granite Company in Becket finally got approval for construction of a railroad line to the quarry site. Several miles of steep, winding right-of-way were blasted out of the side of the narrow Walker Brook valley from Chester to the John Mitchell farm in Becket. “At this point the first switchback was located, and the rails reversed to climb up the valley side to the sloping upland farmland. The track wound for a mile or so over this rolling ground to a crossing in a dirt road near the old Turner homestead. Here on the left was located a siding, called in honor of its location “Turner’s Switch.” From Turner’s Switch on up to the lower quarry yard was another mile. This mile was the steepest pitch on the whole line. An old fireman who saw service on the line can recall very clearly the many times when the little train would come struggling up the grade from Turner’s; blasting huge clouds of smoke and cinders, every piston stroke single and painful. With the blower wide open and the sweating fireman heaving coal into the firebox, the little train would come, just barely creeping, up the final few feet to the quarry yard.”

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