Official Cape Cod Central Discussion

Do they litterally have "San Luis and Rio Grande" spelled out on sides or just SLRG? SLRG, though the reporting marks for San Luis and Rio Grande is the reporting marks that Iowa Pacific uses. It doesnt have anything to do with their final destination. They came to Hyannis lettered SLRG not cape cod central or CCC or mass coastal or MC

Yeah ..that should have been a simply question of destination
not a statement of reporting marks because I know both
other Es have been on both SL& RG and S & NC..

2402 was used last night on what appeared to be test run for the polar express. It was tucked in behind the MC 2010, but was running, and it was supplying HEP to a few of the passenger cars.

I noticed that someone had posted a few pictures to the Cape Cod Central Facebook page. They were of an equipment move what appears to be a few Bi Level coaches and a dome car can be seen in them.

Are these to be used for Cape Cod Central dinner train or the new Cape Flyer service?

MickD wrote:Yeah ..that should have been a simply question of destination
not a statement of reporting marks because I know both
other Es have been on both SL& RG and S & NC..

During the start up of the Saratoga & North Creek, all of their equipment that was incoming at the time carried SLRG reporting marks. When the SNC BL-2 arrived from rehab and painting, it carried SLRG reporting marks until it was re-worked as SNC # 52 the TC Durant.

i received a sales listing for a 'profitable dinner train'. 18 cars, location 'northeast' and $975k. had a '18 mile' track agreement. I initially thought it was the Newport dinner train but the track agreement pointed at Hyannis. Can this be the Hyannis operation? The listing contained nothing about power. Just old cars. Could ip be looking for someone to take over? Ken Patrick

They dont have 18 cars to give! The dinner train is only 5 cars.

Cape Cod Central is back for 2013. They have a newly redesigned website. Hobo Express trains are running trips out of Fall River starting this saturday running through next sunday. 2 trains on Saturdays 1 trip other days. For the regular season, there will be the usual scenic and dinner trains, but the careful observer will notice scenic trains running out of buzzards bay on Fridays! With Iowa pacific being around, hopefully we will see some cool new equipment around and it will be a good season! Redesigned site can be found at the same old URL of capetrain.com

I wonder if they could use 2 New Haven FL9's for their service?
And just repaint them into the Cape Cod Central colors

I was down on the Cape on Tuesday, Passed a Tamper working the Main between the RR Bridge and the power plant. at the time it was stopped by the dirt parking area by the tracks along the highway near the campgrounds. signs of new ties and ballast work along the visible areas of the line from rte 6. I also went by the yard in Hyannis, saw the Hobo express tied down in the yard as well as a car that look like a Generator car, it had a large muffler on top of the car. I did not have a camera to take pictures with so sorry no pictures. Did not see any of the other engines other than the F (?) unit that was attached to the passenger consist and the large grey Gen car.

According to MBTA they are improving track for passenger service from Hyannis to Boston
I'm from Connecticut and take the senic train every year
Looking forward to this year
Last year we had 2006-2008 on both ends
Really nice horn on both
How is 1502-1501 doing
1201 still there?

To help improve the track conditions for this years Boston/Hyannis service, 40,000 new ties are being replaced from Middleboro to Hyannis. The original plan was to do only 9,000 on the Cape. I've not heard of any plans to raise speeds above the current 30 MPH on most of the Cape tracks though.

Clean Cab wrote:To help improve the track conditions for this years Boston/Hyannis service, 40,000 new ties are being replaced from Middleboro to Hyannis. The original plan was to do only 9,000 on the Cape. I've not heard of any plans to raise speeds above the current 30 MPH on most of the Cape tracks though.

Most of it's tilting to the M'boro-Buzzards Bay segment since that will have slightly higher train density with the BB short-turns on the schedule. Makes sense. On-Cape it's more of a state-of-repair backlog than speeds that's first priority. I'm sure the grant money will be available for more ties in subsequent years after Year 1 proves a success.

Clean Cab wrote:To help improve the track conditions for this years Boston/Hyannis service, 40,000 new ties are being replaced from Middleboro to Hyannis. The original plan was to do only 9,000 on the Cape. I've not heard of any plans to raise speeds above the current 30 MPH on most of the Cape tracks though.

Replacing 40,000 ties would mean that they replaced about 1/3rd of the ties on the Cape Cod Main. (assuming 3,000 ties/mile and 42 miles of track). That's an impressive number.

Maybe in future years they'll start replacing some of the ancient jointed rail on the Cape with welded rail.

Does anyone know what sections of track (if any) will see increased speeds above 30 mph once the track work is complete? I would expect that the sections with welded rail north of Wareham could be bumped up to Class 3 (60 mph) for passenger trains.

BenH wrote:

Clean Cab wrote:To help improve the track conditions for this years Boston/Hyannis service, 40,000 new ties are being replaced from Middleboro to Hyannis. The original plan was to do only 9,000 on the Cape. I've not heard of any plans to raise speeds above the current 30 MPH on most of the Cape tracks though.

Replacing 40,000 ties would mean that they replaced about 1/3rd of the ties on the Cape Cod Main. (assuming 3,000 ties/mile and 42 miles of track). That's an impressive number.

Maybe in future years they'll start replacing some of the ancient jointed rail on the Cape with welded rail.

Does anyone know what sections of track (if any) will see increased speeds above 30 mph once the track work is complete? I would expect that the sections with welded rail north of Wareham could be bumped up to Class 3 (60 mph) for passenger trains.

What about the signal system that was installed, but never turned on in the 1980's? Can that be activated at a reasonable cost, or are the components too outdated?