Salem Action Alert

[Sir Ray]

Does anyone know when service to Webster Industries stopped? They received covered hoppers of plastic pellets and were located on the Danvers Branch, on the Salem side of the burnt Waters River trestle. And does anyone know what led to the end of service for them? I'm surprised the service didn't hang on so long as the Kodak/Eastman/Rousselot gelatin plant was still ticking.

Somehow this question interested me, so I searched and found they were taken over by AEP industries in 2011. Also noted the Peabody plant address was listed as 58 Pulaski St., Peabodywhich if it was the location SOUTH of Pulaski Rear street looks like it would have been difficult to have direct rail service - was the material transloaded?

[highrail]

The webster industries was serviced as late as 1990. Check out this you tube video...a gem. About midway through the video you will see them switching out the webster industries plant. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFv342PGn8g

The video was posted by nhrrm. This is the narrative that goes with it. "Follow the Salem (MA) switcher as it works Salem, Danvers and Peabody,MA with a B&M GP40-2 in December of 1990. Video by the late Richard 'Moose' Ouellette. If you like our stuff, Please comment and/or subscribe!"

Steve

[BostonUrbEx]

was the material transloaded?

I believe the spur that went to some industries on Willard St was repurposed as a customer siding exclusively for Webster Industries. Some sort of pneumatic tube sucked the plastic pellets out of the covered hoppers, over the parking lot at the end of Pulaski Rear St, and into the building.

[doublebell]

Seven bones still off Allen's Lane.
John, the guy in the blue car with the wing on back

[doublebell]

Part of the overhead structure that brought the pellets to the building can be seen here:

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.5421022,-70.9291251,140m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en

John, the guy in the blue car with the wing on back

[arcadia terminal]

I worked at Webster in the early 70's the plastic was blown up into silos for storage then transferred into manufacturing. We made plastic trash bags and plastic bags printed for various towns. We also had a custom bag department and two 4 color presses. The company moved south for cheaper labor and closed the manufacturing operation and used the location for warehousing only. As you can see from the vidio there was limited head space after the waters river bridge burned so it was a back and fourth dance to get the cars spotted.

[doublebell]

Now 9 bones and 3 acids off Allen's Lane
John, the guy in the blue car with the wing on back

[doublebell]

Six bones on the tail off Allen's Lane
John, the guy in the blue car with the wing on back

[doublebell]

Proposal to run a trolley from Salem to Peabody
http://salemnews.cnhi.newsmemory.com/?t ... df2bd5_dfd

John, the guy in the blue car with the wing on back

[highrail]

This was mentioned a couple years ago...now funded. A waste of money. I sent this letter in at that time:
To The Editor:
A recent article in the Salem News referenced an item in the State budget for a feasibility study for a trolley between Salem and Peabody, with a price tag of $50,000. Unless this is part of a broader plan to extend light rail to the Northshore Mall, which has been discussed in the past, please don’t waste the money! For no cost, I will present you with a version of a feasibility study that will be close to what the consultant will offer. My version will be brief. The consultant’s will be longer to justify the $50,000.

Current conditions: The area in question between Peabody Square and the Salem depot is approximately 2 miles. Currently owned by the MBTA, with frequent freight service to one customer in Peabody provided by Pan Am Railways. The line saw recent upgrade in 2015 to better serve the Peabody customer.

Infrastructure Needs:
(These costs will be detailed in a required engineering study, which will be an added $100,000+ study, but the cost is not hard to estimate)
• Electronic crossing protection on 5 crossings between Salem and Peabody.
• Signalization for safety on the line
• Station improvements at both ends of the line, with high level platforms at both ends to comply with ADA requirements
• Upgrade likely of both rail and roadbed
• Undetermined condition of several bridges over the North River.

Equipment Needs:
Frequency of service will determine the need for the number of trolleys. A new, self-propelled unit could easily cost one million dollars per unit.
Service facility and secure storage will be needed for the units.

So, just to get the system up and running, I would estimate $5-10 million, which does not include the annual operating cost…that will likely need another “study.”

Here are how the options would likely be presented;

Option 1. Do nothing. No Cost
Option 2. Use a bus for the 10-minute connection. An operational subsidy will be needed. No Infrastructure costs.
Option 3. Build the trolley line, with a start-up cost estimated at $5-10 million.

Ok, now cut this letter out of the paper and save it so that you can compare my findings with the $50,000 version. "

And, they don't seem to realize that the service to Rousellot is more frequent than "once every couple weeks" .

This will be dead on arrival...

Steve

[BostonUrbEx]

Will blunders never cease?

Make it a part of the Commuter Rail network, with hopes of eventually becoming Regional Rail. Freight could still use the line (instead of having two parallel single-track lines since the hypothetical trolley couldn't share the track) and even if there weren't a direct run-through to Boston on all trains, at least the equipment could be pooled with Commuter Rail for maintenance, crew coverage, and procurement.

[doublebell]

Several years ago they were talking about going to either the North Shore Mall in Peabody or the Liberty Tree Mall in Danvers. Going to Danvers would require rebuilding the Waters River bridge.
John, the guy in the white car with the wing on back.

[doublebell]

Three acids and six bones on the tail off Allen's Lane
John, the guy in the blue car with the wing on back