Haverhill Line Upgrades (Western Route)

>once the bridge is done

So...2099.

Update...............I noticed last nights ride home, that the old siding switch by 93 north bridge was tied into, connected, to the new rails going down???
don't know why yet, but that switch is not for high speed switching, its more like a yard switch. I would think they would install a equal lateral type switch for main line moves?

I'd noticed that but forgot to post it. It does seem odd, but I wonder if it's just for work train and/or work equipment access to the section of new track? That would allow them to get the new main track underway while waiting for the interlocking work at either end to be completed.

Good I'm not the only one that noticed that switch connected. Wonder if they will move the main line over a little to get by the steel barrier when the western side of tracks are installed? Or will they move that steel barrier, It's anyone guess but would think it would be cheaper to move main line over. I would think that back in the 70's when both tracks were there the main line was not where it is now. There is an old siding heading up on top of that barrier no longer in use.

Time will tell............ Looks like at WJ all tree's and brush have been cleared. My guess would be a staging area for piling up dirt and ballast for double tracking the wild cat? Plus installing new switching interlocking at the existing switch.

I have not heard of any plans to double track the Wildcat. Did I miss something?

New interlockings at CPW-WJ and CPF-LJ with double-track between them. Wildcat is not being double-tracked, though the alignment is changing through the cleared area. As for the switch, it is indeed for access while the track is being constructed and will come out at some point.

Worth noting - there's a lot of area cleared, but none to the (geographic) west side of the tracks (outside the ROW on the Wildcat branch). Clearing is a huge area, but is limited to:

1. The "infield" between the two mains (Western and Wildcat) from the junction all the way down to where they finally separate, and,

2. The area to the east of the current junction. There's a fairly wide area near the junction, as well as the access roadway alongside the Western Route from Salem St up to the junction has been cleared up some more and looks to be widened a bit as well.

Still no signs yet of any earth moving to re-grade for new or shifted trackage.

Further up, on the JK-to-Vale section, more ballast was dropped recently (maybe Wed?) as that inches closer to looking finished. New signals at Vale/McCauley still turned to the side.

Some notes from last night and this morning (Thursday night/Friday morning):

-Two new signal bungalows were sitting on a flatbed truck at the Lowell Jct staging area this morning, must have just arrived.
-More truckloads of fill being dumped (staged) on the western side of the ROW just north of I-93 (across the tracks from the retaining wall to be removed).
-More work done to tie the new track into that one remaining switch just east of the I-93 overpasses, east of WJ.
-Several pieces of equipment just east of Ballardvale - looks like more assembly work done on what will apparently just be a very long siding from Vale/McCauley west to the Ballardvale station area. They're building some beautiful looking track there, but I suspect it'll be a while before it's used!

Sometimes the work is a little perplexing, but nice to see that there's something happening just about daily on the project. More and more material and equipment is showing up around the various work areas as well.

Not riding a whole lot this week, so limited viewings. Looks like Essex/Pearson St crossing has received all new crossing protection equipment. Noticed the electronic bells as 202 arrived, and the LED flashers as we left. It will be "interesting" to see how drivers take to having two active tracks there - I used to live within sight of the crossing and there's a lot of stopping on the crossing due to all of the turns in such close proximity. The traffic volume doesn't warrant a traffic light, but in some respects it might be justified to help control the crossing.

The second track through the station area looks like it's received it's final passes from the tamper and ballast regulator - they were seen out and about on Sunday morning. Will try to view from the other side of the train on the way home to see what else has been happening.

Great to see all of this progress finally coming along.

That whole conglomeration of streets right there would benefit from traffic signals--interlocked with the railroad.

Noticed the maintenance trailer gone from LJ section replaced with new sections of track. Also, they removed a section of tracks and ties that were laid down last year. From the road, (Lowell Junction) toward the interlock switch. Also notice they removed one side of the rails running from Ballardvale toward the new switching interlock at the old Phil's Roast Beef restaurant. Large crews were at Ballardvale yesterday morning getting ready for a hard day at work!

On Wednesday night I noticed that the track equipment was parked on the new track at the former CP-Frye location off Burnham Rd.
I tried to upload a photo, but this site goes through the motions then tells me it's invalid.

Yesterday - July 28th - there was a crew with a hi-rail bucket truck removing old signal wires from telephone poles. They were operating on the new track
between Essex/Pearson Street and the crossing at the cemetery off Lupine road in Andover. They were cutting the wires off from the insulators on the cross arms of the poles and then removing the cross arms entirely. As the wires were cut, they rolled up the old wire and put it in the truck. Poles now have no cross arms but do have a thicker cabled wire running between them. I assume this cable provides the updated signal connectivity.

This week they've also started excavating the embankments built on the ROW where the eastbound main used to sit just east of WJ. They haven't tackled the steel retaining wall yet, but they're digging towards it. Location: https://goo.gl/maps/5wbfDuUTvZr" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Also some signal crews working near Lowell Jct, and a crew working on signals (perhaps just crossing protection) at Reading, too.