Beacon Park Tracker

Wouldn't the federal Government want a rail storage yard in Boston if there had to be a large Military movement up north? Like when they built the Highway system during WWII.

The roads around Boston are ready plugged, what's going to happen when the economy picks up again? How are the people of Boston going to get their bulk material and get in and out at the city the same time?

Does the Federal Government know this project is going on or does it just go as far as the local politicians that are lining their pockets and will be gone long before the problems start happening?

There will still be support yards in Framingham, Westboro & Readville on the South side and Ayer and Lawrence on the North side, so it isn't like there's no yards left around Boston. Very little railroad type freight actually ends up downtown these days anyways without first going through D/C's out in the burbs.

Tonight as I watched the fireworks from the Beacon Park Tower I wondered if it would be the last time I would be able to have that nice unobstructed view. I need to get back over to get pictures of the yard in it's entirety before it's gone.

roberttosh wrote:There will still be support yards in Framingham, Westboro & Readville on the South side and Ayer and Lawrence on the North side, so it isn't like there's no yards left around Boston. Very little railroad type freight actually ends up downtown these days anyways without first going through D/C's out in the burbs.

Non of those supprt yards are on the coast

Yes, but it takes longer to get from Beacon Park to the seaport by rail than it does to get from Framingham to Beacon Park. In terms of storage yards, there's still Readville and Braintree, and despite they're being small it's not like Beacon Park is that big to begin with. In terms of bulk goods coming in and out of Boston, there really isn't traffic to justify a road freight, let alone a yard, otherwise Q420/421 would still be running. And aside from any possible developments with Global in Revere and the existing business in Chelsea/Everett, I don't see much likelihood for this to change for the better. Most of the industry that's left is moving out to industrial parks along the 128/495 belts, which are better served out of Worcester and Framingham.

BackInTheCity wrote:

roberttosh wrote:There will still be support yards in Framingham, Westboro & Readville on the South side and Ayer and Lawrence on the North side, so it isn't like there's no yards left around Boston. Very little railroad type freight actually ends up downtown these days anyways without first going through D/C's out in the burbs.

Non of those supprt yards are on the coast

Not exactly sure what your point is about wanting a storage yard in Boston? I don't think that Boston is one of the ports that the Military uses to send supplies overseas (see Iraq & Afghanistan wars) and the port itself just hasn't been a big rail player for years. It's actually easier to access the boston "market" through those yards on the periphery as vey little freight actually goes downtown these days, it's just expensive real estate now. The yard in Braintree, which I failed to mention, is near the old Fore River Shipyard and could be used in an emergency to get materials almost directly onto the water. There is also trackage and small yards in New Bedford & Fall River, as well major rail infrastructure at the port of Providence, so all in all, I don't see the closing of Beacon Park putting a strain on our military.

Boston does have rail access in close proximity to the working waterfront with the Moran Terminal and Track 61 trackage. Both are currently owned by Massport and not utilized, however if your fear is of an apocalyptic scenario where military material is needed to be dockside, both areas could be brought up to operation in short order.

Boston does have multiple potential waterfront access tracks n various stages of decay. If you actually needed then, you've got plenty from the northside - Charlestown, Everett, and Eastie. But the Southie industrial track - the only one for the southside - is distinctly not accessible from Beacon Park without awkward reverse moves.

The EGE wrote:Boston does have multiple potential waterfront access tracks n various stages of decay. If you actually needed then, you've got plenty from the northside - Charlestown, Everett, and Eastie. But the Southie industrial track - the only one for the southside - is distinctly not accessible from Beacon Park without awkward reverse moves.

Yes indeed , the area around the Chelsea Produce terminal could be an area to be developed, not far from the oil wharves, and across the river from Moran. Maybe a staging area for the ethanol train cars going to Revere, lots of potential there industry-wise.

They have taken out some sidings that had been unused for years at Beacon Park already.

Hi,

I am thinking about buying a home in the area of the Beacon Park Rail Yard. Does anyone know what the future plans are for the yard?

Yea, closing down the FlexiFlow and Intermodel by the end of the year. Romar losing service by then. Houghton Chem staying service by the Market job. The engine house has another year until the powers to be figure out how to service engines in the Worcester area. Havard take over after that. The T is not happy about loosing the Engine house and the yard.

RE: Servicing Engines

I had heard that any locomotive/rolling stock repairs would be sent to Selkirk. Worcester is supposed to get a fueling depot near the East end of the yards. That leaves the P&W as the only place to to do any locomotive work apart from their own fleet.

frrc wrote:RE: Servicing Engines

I had heard that any locomotive/rolling stock repairs would be sent to Selkirk. Worcester is supposed to get a fueling depot near the East end of the yards. That leaves the P&W as the only place to to do any locomotive work apart from their own fleet.

It's been rumored that sharing agreement with P&W is what they're going to do for light maint, but nothing definitive yet.


I'm surprised the T isn't thinking of scooping up the engine house + yard as a stopgap for their southside space crunch. There's a lot of storage available for trainsets. And that awkward little parcel sandwiched by Storrow, the tolls, and Doubletree/Houghton is the last area Harvard's going to be able to develop. Take out a cheap 5-year lease on the space (which will probably turn into 10 because Harvard is moving sooooo slowly with its Allston plans), tide it over until they can save up next decade for a more substantial facility and yard expansion at Readville.

Otherwise it sits vacant for years. The state is responsible for demolition and environmental mitigation on the engine house + yard. That'll take forever with budgets and manpower being what they are. CSX is only responsible for dismantling the main yard, and they'll probably make quick work of that since they do their own in-house rail/tie scrap and there's so few other structures to demolish.

A maintanence facility is not required for locomotives at Worcester. Daily Inspections can be done by a Machinist or the train's locomotive engineer.

Minor defects? The locomotive can be sent to Selkirk as a Non-Compliant loco in the train's consist.