Wilmington Cold Storage, Still taking Freight?

Up in north woburn/wilmington, wilmington cold storage has a really neat spur off the lowell line. I've read here and other places that this is a stop on the LOSA. But I did many night bike rides this summer, and I ended up over there many times. And each time I checked out the area, and it doesn't look like any trains have been down there in at least a year or two. The piles of sand along the side of the road looked like they have been there since at least winter. And they definitely have not been rolled over by a train. The other crossing on the other side of the block, where the switch is on the street, that also didn't look like its seen trail traffic recently. Are they done? Seems like every time someone mentions LOSA, they mention Wilmington Cold Storage. And even when you check out the area on google maps, you can clearly see 6 cars on the tracks, but no evidence of that when you actually go there. This is a really neat spot where I'd love to spot a fright train if I could.

last time I checked(about a week ago), the line was no longer in use - I haven't seen any cars spotted there in a while, all the rail is rusted over, and the brush is high - doesn't look like a loco has been through to rip it down at all.
If that really is the case, it's sad. But, that was a weird spur anyways - by the looks of it, you had to run down, take the switch, run to the end, reverse into the siding, and then run all the way back down. To get them out, looks like you had to run down, pull the cars out, spot them, run around them, and then pull them the rest of the way down. looks like almost an hours worth of work, for just 3 cars.

Yeah they must have hated that spot. I don't see why they didn't just make the switch thats in teh street a little earlier so it could go directly to the building on the left, and not have to have the super complicated system where you'd have to push the cars then stop, unhitch, pass the cars, then pull them, reverse, ... look im doing the same thing you just did. Needeless to say, tons of work. All manual switches too, that must have been a lot of physical work. But its a cool spur, I'd love to see it in action.

I just happened to be in the neighborhood tonight so I checked it out. Still looks like it hasn't seen a train in months. I wonder why?

It might have seemed like alot of work, but it's work that they probably miss alot. There are often many "challenging" industries that appear to be a headache to switch but a good conductor will show you an easier way. As for this industry I can't remember seeing it so I cannot make any suggestions as to how to do it.

OK my railfan nutjob meter just jumped up a few notches...

I made a quick sketch of the branch just so anyone who is curious can see what we're talking about.

Of course if they switched the place when headed to Boston there wouldn't be any fancy moves required. And because the main track is 261 territory that would be no problem.

DAW

l008com wrote:OK my railfan nutjob meter just jumped up a few notches...

I made a quick sketch of the branch just so anyone who is curious can see what we're talking about.

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Judging by the way you guys originally described it I never thought it would be as simple as that.

If heading North on Main: Shove back and head-pin the loads, run around and pull empties and kick em in the clear if the track is bowled, if not shove them in the clear on the run-around, then tie onto the loads, back up and spot them. Then go down the track which you had the loads on and tie onto the other end of the empties and go. Looks like 15/20 minutes tops.

This IS Guilford we are talking about. The track isn't that great, so add some time for that. Plus, the run around siding is kinda small. I'd say two 40 foot cars would make it, maybe three if you really know what you are doing. Either way, haven't seen much:-( It would be a shame to lose more business around here.

as a new note. I just drove by cold storage 30 min ago. They have a ref. car spotted there!

What an awesome, but friggin freezing bike ride I had tonight. I started in winchester, cut through the cemetery on washington st to "visit" my grandfather. Then as I was leaving, I see a train coming. So I fly down to the edge of the track (not too close) and surprise, its a super long gravel train (DOBO i believe)!! Sweet!! So then I continued north on washington street all the way to the woburn mall, then down that way basically all the way by Anderson RTC up by the cold storage place. I was going to go up to the cement place just to see if I got lucky. But I figured I'd take a quick pass by wilmington cold storage's spur just to see whats up. There was a train there idling with one car as the crew was digging out the switch!! I found a nice spot and watched the whole thing. It was so cool. More than anything, I couldn't believe how LOUD the wheels on the track were. Maybe its just because they didn't get used as much? I don't know but it was about the loudest creaking and metal grinding noises I've ever heard, the whole way up and down. Is the train that switches them still the LOSA or has that changed? Either way it was so cool. So I headed back south but it looked like they were servicing another customer just north of Mishuam station. I was freezing my ass off at that point so I just headed home. I'm telling you, it was so frigging cool, I really want to give it a try someday. I wouldn't want to do it every day, but I'd love to be a local freight conductor one day a week or so. It was a very cool night, hopefully there will be much more train filled bike rides to come this summer

Nice. What time was this again? I'd love to watch this one day.
As for loud, I'd say the radius is somewhat tight, and they don't grease the curve, so I'm sure that doesn't help.

Also, does anyone know how old this complex is? It would be interesting to see a steam engine switching this complex

jrc, go down there tonight or just stop by the next few nights, you should be able to catch them picking up the car

I was on a mountain bike so I'm not sure, but I'd guess it was around 11PM. When I got there, they were out there digging out the switch, and they were working on that switch for at least another 10 or so minutes anyway. There was also a guy in a black pickup truck watching. Was it one of you guys or was it just some local security pickup? (it wasn't a little white truck that you see all over cummings properties)

Was just on NERAIL this photo of the Wilmington Cold Storage Facility, as well as this one.