Haverhill Line Upgrades (Western Route)

eustis22 wrote:They require a Signal for hi-rail put-ins/take-outs?

No. Track cars do not operate on signals.

Effective at 04:00 Sunday morning, CPF FY was retired. The crossovers at CPF JK were placed into service. At this time, the frog from the switch at the former FY remains in place. All other appliances (switch points, switch motors, signals, etc) have been removed. The former No 2 tk between FY and JK is now designated as part of the single tk. The former tk 1 between FY and JK is being referred to as the "Former No. 1 Tk". Rule 261 is in effect for the single tk. Rule 98 applies on the Former No.1 Tk, which ends just east of where the westbound dwarf signal was located. Speed for psgr remains 60mph. Speed for freight on the Single Tk from the former FY to CPF JK is 40mph.

Photo of the above referenced work posted to NERail (not my photo):

http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo ... ex=4&key2=" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Looks like the ties are already laid out to start connecting the constructed but not yet connected future track 1 to the stub left from the removal of the switch at Frye. When that is connected, track machinery should be able to ballast and tamp the new track all the way down to Essex St crossing in Andover (working railroad west from Frye). At that point, it'll only be the double crossing (Pearson & Essex Sts.) at the station in Andover blocking the path - at least in the big sense that us outsiders can see.*

Also, this spring, the "someday track 1" from MacCauley/Vale westward to (but not though) Ballardvale was ballasted/tamped/otherwise finished off, but this track will have to wait for something to be done about Ballardvale's platforms.

*Once the new track 1 is opened from JK to MacCauley, commuter trains won't be able to use it, as Andover still will only have a platform on the inbound (track 2) side.

(Hopefully I got my track #'s right...)

The pace seems to be picking up (finally...).

gokeefe wrote:The pace seems to be picking up (finally...).

It has to. Fed grants have work deadlines or you have to return the $$$. The pace is picking up at precisely the time it must pick up in order to finish without undue sweating about a blown deadline.

That was my impression as well and I'm glad to see that I am not alone in that perspective.

It's interesting to consider the Downeaster as it is right now and what it will be in a few years once all of the projects underway are completed. The infrastructure supporting the service will be in much better condition and have far greater flexibility to handle the systemic challenges of combined operations (Amtrak & MBTA). OTP right now is already quite good. Hopefully once it is all said and done we'll get a schedule improvement out of all this work.

It appears that the siding to the plant next to the old Western Electric plant has been reconnected to the mainline. Two weeks ago I saw a high rail front end loader sitting in that parking lot and a month or so ago the gates were unlocked and two guys in hi vis vests walking down the siding.

I'll verify it it this afternoon but it appeared from the quick look I had that the switch was back in place. Anyone know anything about that?

There was a time when covered hopper cars were used to carry ash away from the trash burning facility located behind the Western Electric plant.
Did they switch to trucks, removed the switch and now perhaps planning on using rail cars again??

eustis22 wrote:It appears that the siding to the plant next to the old Western Electric plant has been reconnected to the mainline. Two weeks ago I saw a high rail front end loader sitting in that parking lot and a month or so ago the gates were unlocked and two guys in hi vis vests walking down the siding.

I'll verify it it this afternoon but it appeared from the quick look I had that the switch was back in place. Anyone know anything about that?

The switch to the old Western Electric was not reinstalled. However, the existing switch to Solo Cup (Sweetheart Plastics nee Borden Chemical) had the frog and switch point reinstalled.

DAW

gokeefe wrote:The pace seems to be picking up (finally...).

Other than Frye being removed (which is stupid at this phase), it doesn't really seem to be picking up at all. The drainage and crossing project at Andover will really help propel things, though.

It seems to this untrained observer that IF the Essex/Pearson crossing were finally done, then the rest of the work could proceed quite quickly. Track west of Essex St. is all ballasted, in fact a good stretch of it has been used when the Shawsheen River bridge was rebuilt. East of Pearson, nothing's been ballasted and finished, but from watching previous efforts, that could be done in just a couple days (we're talking less than a mile of track here, for those not familiar with the area).

Is there more to the drainage work at Andover than just the storm drain in between the two crossings? The station area sits in a bit of a gully and the track area collects water, I suppose it would be good to address this before it's all done.

No signs of any changes at Essex/Pearson, but Sunday morning did see a significant signal department presence at Vale and/or McCauley interlocking-to-be. No outward appearance changes by the end of the day, but activity none the less.

That's pretty interesting that work was being done on a Sunday. Yet another good sign of prioritization.

gokeefe wrote:That's pretty interesting that work was being done on a Sunday. Yet another good sign of prioritization.

Or panic. The money, as you probably already know, has to be spent by next year.

And I'll feel better once I see some signs of activity at Pearson & Essex Streets. They can do all the other work they want, but all we get is two really long stub-ended sidings until something happens there. Other than the relocated crossing signals, no signs of progress there.