Grafton & Upton Railroad (G&U) Discussion

Hi Guys, has anyone noticed any progress in the last month or too much snow in New England?

Visited G&U this morning in Milford and Hopedale and there isn’t any obvious construction progress to report. There might have been a little more RoW clearing between Vernon st and S Cedar St in Milford.

Visited G&U Friday morning 5/3/19 in Milford and Hopedale and there still isn’t any obvious construction progress to report. It appears the RoW clearing/grading between Vernon St and S Cedar St in Milford near the MBTA branch is completed. The recently rebuilt Hopedale St overpass has orange plastic fencing at each end on the RoW to keep trespassers out presumably. There are no track construction materials (ie, rail, stone, ties) staged anywhere along the RoW from the end of track at rte 16 Hopedale to the MBTA branch in Milford. Guess we'll just have to be patient.

It appears that the G&U are planning to install a wye just after Vernon St. Cemetery and the main line. A new switch has been installed by Depot St. and the excavating work tends to lead under the power lines south.

Saw a Hy-Rail rolling across Depot St, and through the small rail yard last week.

I wonder if they purchased the land, or worked out some kind of agreement with the land owner.

craven wrote:It appears that the G&U are planning to install a wye just after Vernon St. Cemetery and the main line. A new switch has been installed by Depot St. and the excavating work tends to lead under the power lines south.

Saw a Hy-Rail rolling across Depot St, and through the small rail yard last week.

I think if G&U were to install such a wye, the curvature radius required would be very tight and would require building through wetlands (and high voltage power line poles) as well as building a small bridge built over Godfrey Brook (?) tributary to the Charles River. Plus given MBTA (I think) did the work to relocate the G&U connection switch on their Milford branch track, I would have thought that at the same time, it might have installed such a wye switch further south. Plus G&U really only needs to place a locomotive at each end of the consist (which could be done at Hopedale) to reverse direction at Milford. This power arrangement will enable G&U to switch both Blue Lynx (blue oval) and Garelick Farms (red oval), that have switch points facing in opposite directions.

But I don't know...

On a separate note, G&U and its new fly ash transload customer at Hopedale, Charah Solutions, got some publicity in Progressive Railroading
https://www.progressiverailroading.com/ ... tts--57489

Looks like fresh ballast is being graded between Rte16 and the Hopedale Street bridge in Hopedale as of this morning.

Excellent news! Thanks for posting.

Keolis mini-rail Tuesday to deliver rail to the G&U. Lite power from Readville after 6AM to the
Grand Jct. Train stored on siding there - about 9 cars (including spacers). Will deliver to G&U
at North Grafton.

D

So we think this rail might be for the Hopedale to Milford segment?

Seems likely...

D

I'm guessing this rail was acquired from the MBTA - eg, rail removed from Beacon Park yard dismantling?

Is it stick rail or rail that can be continuously welded?
Anyone know what the weight of the new rail is? I believe they currently have 85lb.

Was on Top of the bridge in Hopedale today.

Bridge has been raised ~ 8 -10 inches and has been secured in place, As mentioned before, Base bridge ties installed and ballast was being spread from rt 16 to the bridge spread while I was there. Road bed abutments poured either side of bridge to tie everything together.

There is still a lot of work yet to be started to connect the line to Franklin. Could take remainder of Summer into Fall before a test run is made.

This is encouraging and look forward to the final connection. Perhaps we could arrange a ceremony/video to drive the final spike !!

johnpbarlow wrote: ↑Thu Jun 13, 2019 5:21 am I'm guessing this rail was acquired from the MBTA - eg, rail removed from Beacon Park yard dismantling?

I thought that rail was owned by CSX and taken away by CSX?