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  • Guilford Rail System changed its name to Pan Am Railways in 2006. Discussion relating to the current operations of the Boston & Maine, the Maine Central, and the Springfield Terminal railroads (as well as the Delaware & Hudson while it was under Guilford control until 1988). Official site can be found here: PANAMRAILWAYS.COM.
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Lowell Jct questions

Guilford Rail System changed its name to Pan Am Railways in 2006. Discussion relating to the current operations of the Boston & Maine, the Maine Central, and the Springfield Terminal railroads (as well as the Delaware & Hudson while it was under Guilford control until 1988). Official site can be found here: PANAMRAILWAYS.COM.

Moderator: MEC407

Lowell Jct questions

  by roberttosh
 
Was wondering if anyone knows the answer to the following questions:

- what is the speed limit on the freight main at the curve at Lowell Jct?
- what is the degree of curvature?
- is this the sharpest curve on the freight main?

Thanks!!

Re: Lowell Jct questions

  by PAR381
 
Timetable speed is 25 MPH on the curve at CPFLJ. I do not know the degree but it could be the sharpest curve on the Freight Main



Rich B

Re: Lowell Jct questions

  by 130MM
 
The curve at Lowell Jct. is 7 deg 00'. According to a decade old track chart, it is not the sharpest curve on the Freight Main. There are two 8 degree curves in Bangor, and one 8 degree curve in Portland near the Park Ave overhead bridge.

DAW

Re: Lowell Jct questions

  by Rockingham Racer
 
130MM wrote:The curve at Lowell Jct. is 7 deg 00'. According to a decade old track chart, it is not the sharpest curve on the Freight Main. There are two 8 degree curves in Bangor, and one 8 degree curve in Portland near the Park Ave overhead bridge.

DAW
Ya learn something new every day! :-)

Re: Lowell Jct questions

  by newpylong
 
I bet the curve at CPF467 in Mechanicville is sharper...

Re: Lowell Jct questions

  by roberttosh
 
130MM wrote:and one 8 degree curve in Portland near the Park Ave overhead bridge.
That must be the sharp left hand turn just east of Congress street beyond where the second track merges with the main. You can also see that curve pretty well off to your right from I-295 North.

Re: Lowell Jct questions

  by 130MM
 
newpylong wrote:I bet the curve at CPF467 in Mechanicville is sharper...
I'm not qualified on the West End, but the track chart shows a 6 deg 45' curve followed by a 7 deg 24' curve in that area. So...close, but no cigar.

DAW

Re: Lowell Jct questions

  by obienick
 
Is there superelevation on the curve?

Re: Lowell Jct questions

  by Rockingham Racer
 
obienick wrote:Is there superelevation on the curve?
I would be amazed if so, given the speed PAR runs!

Re: Lowell Jct questions

  by mecu18b
 
Is this the curve in Tewksbury (behind Walmart) just before going under 495? Also how about the curve On the Rumford branch After going east over the Androscoggin River? I had heard that was on of the tightest on and of the MEC mains.

Re: Lowell Jct questions

  by roberttosh
 
It's just east of where the mainline crosses under I-93 near the Dascomb road exit. It's a little bit south of I-495 and is where the FML (Lowell branch) takes a pretty sharp 90 degree left hand turn onto the Western Route heading East (North) towards Lawrence.

Re: Lowell Jct questions

  by mecu18b
 
OHHHHH ok. What about the curve that I mentioned?? The other end where the track curves and goes under 495? That seems sharper (at least from 495) than the one your taking about. The inside curve looks really tight.

Re: Lowell Jct questions

  by Finch
 
Rockingham Racer wrote:
obienick wrote:Is there superelevation on the curve?
I would be amazed if so, given the speed PAR runs!
I have one photo of a train on that curve, and it does appear that there is some superelevation actually.

Re: Lowell Jct questions

  by octr202
 
Of course, right now the speeds are going to be low on that curve due to the slow order (in place for about 2 years or maybe more at this point) on the Shawsheen bridge immediately east of the switch. Feels like about 10 mph (or somewhere in that range) from the inside of an MBTA train.

Re: Lowell Jct questions

  by Trinnau
 
15 pax/10 frt for the bridge just east of LJ, 30/10 for the one by the detector in Andover.
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