Fitchburg Line Upgrade Discussion

Yes, went on line Saturday

D

GP40MC1118-
Tnx!

Westminster residents concerned regarding layover yard, and lack of a freight connection to the industrial park there.


http://www.telegram.com/article/2012013 ... 1101/local

Well, North Leominster is finally getting a parking garage. Signs were posted this week that construction starts on Monday. They say they are going to provide a shittle bus to the temporary lot and this should last a year. I think I will just walk from home. It is going to be a cold 2 mile walk from 401, but I dont think the shuttle will meet it anyway.

IMHO, this should have been done when the station was built. I said it then and I am saying it again now.

Park in Fitchburg and you won't have to walk.

frrc wrote:Westminster residents concerned regarding layover yard, and lack of a freight connection to the industrial park there.


http://www.telegram.com/article/2012013 ... 1101/local

Good Lord, take it up with the freight carrier that actually owns the track if you want an industrial park freight spur, guys. Since when does the MBTA have any say whatsoever on that over trackage rights they're leasing from a private owner? Is it not clear enough that that's a separate negotiation MART has to undertake if there's to be any incidental project tie-in.

Cue the South Park stock footage where the mob of townsfolk say "Rabble rabble rabble rabble rabble rabble rabble!!!" over and over again.

Wait, they're concerned about noise, yet they want a freight spur?

HYPOCRITES

Is anything happening at Wachusett?

Original stimulus proposal promised ground-breaking in Q1 2010 and an opening in Q1 2012. Ok, so ground breaking wasn't until Oct 2010...but was that the last shovel turned out there?

Nothing has happened yet in Leominster. No conatruction has begun and MART still has not provided any info regarding the offsite parking they plan to provide.


I am not sure about Wachusett. I might take a trip up there and check it out if I get time Friday.

Re: Leominster Parking Garage

Read in the local paper work is starting this week and expected to last at least a year. Commuters are encouraged to use parking at other locations (Fitchburg, Shirley), while MART looks to lease some local space in the area, and possibly use shuttle buses as well.

J

A new signal mast and two additional large masts have been installed in between King St. and the MA 110 overpass. Any idea what the two giant masts are for?

A new signal mast and two additional large masts have been installed in between King St. and the MA 110 overpass. Any idea what the two giant masts are for?

There's another new signal tower just east of the Littleton/495 station, just beyond the Rte. 2 overpass.

There was an article in today's Sentinel and Enterprise (the local Fitchbug paper) about a meeting in Westminster concerning the layover facility.

http://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/local/ci_19935353

Seems mostly people venting, hard to say if this means the facility is in any jeopardy.

Jon

Got two questions, hope this is the right thread. And I hope my terminology is close to understandable!

Started a new job in Waltham, with a view near Roberts Station (hence the name). Never had a view of a north side line before, so lots of new things for me to see. I did post in the 010/011 thread the other day that that engine passed by.


At about 12:10PM now I heard an unexpected train rumble by (been here a month, pretty much know when to expect them by now), heading inbound. I have to get up to get a good look, all I could see were two "dumper" cars (there could have been more, but it was past me) full of what looked like construction debris (concrete slabs?) being pushed by Locomotive 3247. Is this a common occurrence? And where might it be going from/to?


Also, last couple of days I've seen a strange locomotive, I think the number was 058, pulling commuter rail consists (I always called them train sets, what's the diff?). Didn't look like it was in MBTA/MBCR colors, either.

Thanks for the info, this site is fascinating.

Rbts Stn wrote:At about 12:10PM now I heard an unexpected train rumble by (been here a month, pretty much know when to expect them by now), heading inbound. I have to get up to get a good look, all I could see were two "dumper" cars (there could have been more, but it was past me) full of what looked like construction debris (concrete slabs?) being pushed by Locomotive 3247. Is this a common occurrence? And where might it be going from/to?

That train you saw was the North Side work train. It is based behind the Boston Engine Terminal. It works as directed, so it is completely random if you get to catch it.

Rbts Stn wrote:Also, last couple of days I've seen a strange locomotive, I think the number was 058, pulling commuter rail consists (I always called them train sets, what's the diff?). Didn't look like it was in MBTA/MBCR colors, either.

Thanks for the info, this site is fascinating.

The passenger engines that are not in MBTA paint are lease MPI units that came from Maryland(MARC). We currently have three in service. There is a thread on here about them.