Official Mass Coastal Thread

How soon is "eventual"??

Probably after we "take the last train to glory" and are long, long gone (Arlo Guthrey).

Cape cod central 1502 hasn't moved from that spot in 2 years. Recently they removed all glass from the lights of the engine. I've been told it's a low priority.

Although I am not sure on the specifics, Mass Coastal has been having problems
with the canal lift bridge. Apparently it is not seating properly. This resulted
in the annulment of energy trains today, and the Friday night dinner train
having some rare mileage. The train went north to bay near middleborough instead
of south across the canal. The delays and problems with the bridge then resulted
in the empty train set not arriving back in Hyannis until 3am Saturday morning.

By chance, my wife and I had scheduled a celebration of our wedding anniversary on the Friday Night (8/7/09) dinner train.

Upon arrival, it was explained that the Army Corps had closed the bridge to passenger traffic. Our train was to run to Wareham - very slowly and stop at a couple of scenic spots. The railroad offered all passengers a round of free cocktails to help compensate for the lackluster trip. Some passengers were clearly disappointed (and slightly belligerent) complaining that they had just spent millions on the bridge to bring it into good repair and thought it was all a bunch of baloney.

I had ridden both sides of the bridge - and over it - back in the CC&H days, so I had already collected the mileage.

We departed on time (6:30) and stopped on the Buttermilk Bay bridge for about 45 minutes, enjoying a nice view of the harbor. We then crawled to Wareham, and I noted a few railfans out documenting our movement.

We arrived in Wareham and sat for another 30 minutes or so. By that time, dinner (which was excellent) was served.

We crawled back to Buzzards Bay, stopping short of the station to allow the waitstaff to collect the checks, etc. around 10:00pm.

Upon arrival I had a very nice conversation with one of the engine crew. The crew person explained that something was wrong with the bridge such that it could only be operated in manual override mode. While this was in itself not a huge deal, it also means that the various safety mechanisms would also need to be overridden - something that takes a bit more doing. The crew person mentioned the automatic derails specifically.

Anyhow, based on the crew person's comments, I would imagine that the issue boiled down to the Army Corps being reluctant to send a passenger movement over the bridge - given that the various safety measures were in override.

The crew member indicated that the trash train was on its way, and that the passenger train was planning on backing into the siding to let the trash train through - then the passenger was going to go off to Hyannis. Hopefully, this would be accomplished via a single lowering of the bridge. While the railfan in me wanted to stick around to watch, my wife and I decided to head home instead. It sounds like we made the right call, if they didn't get to Hyannis until 3am something else must have gone wrong.

I also asked why we turned in Wareham. The crew person indicated that the crew was only qualified to operate that far - and that they would have run us all the way to Middleboro if they could have.

Anyone know the current status of the bridge?

Oh. That does make more sense only going as far as wareham. When i posted my previous message, rumors were still flying about so i just posted what i heard. thank you for clearing that up. I know the bridge was completely closed saturday. There was no energy train saturday. I dont know if things were cleared up in time for the dinner train that night. I will be doing some investigatiing tonight to find out the current status of the bridge. The 3am arrival part, however, was confirmed by a ccc conductor.

Some new doings of mc/cccx are, MC 2009 is being equiped with cab signals as i type and today CCCX 1201 returned to Hyannis after being assigned to taunton since early May. MC 2006 is temporarilly running the energy train in the absence of 2009 and cccx 1501 is running all cape cod central trains solo.

Is 1501 OOS ?? It's been stationary behind 1502 for more than a week.

Just got the word today that there will be a Railfan Special on the Falmouth Branch, November 21! Go to www.capetrain.com for the details!

1501 is oos. It needs a new traction motor.

I have some further information regarding the railfan special. The same day as this trip a charter for the metro south chamber of commerce is to take place. Originally this train was to run to sandwich from middleborough while the railfan special was running. It has been decided that to make things easier the two trains will be combined and both will run down the Falmouth line. The train will consist of MC 2008 on the north end, the three ex LIRR scenic train cars, 2 dining cars, the kitchen car, another dining car, the parlor car and another unit. They are also planning a photo runby at monument beach. Cape cod central poste a complete schedual and it can be found here: www.capetrain.com/documents/2009-11-21-schedule.pdf

Great trip.... my first trip ever to Cape Cod and on the CCC/Mass Coastal. While waiting at W Barnstable, the trash train came in and parked on the siding. After 11, our train came, with 2008 leading, followed by the Sandwich coach, 2 diners, 1 kitchen, 1 diner, and the Cape Codder lounge, with 2009 bringing up the rear. We proceeded to Canal Jct, got the bridge fairly quickly and waited just west of BB for about 45 minutes, before backing up to load more railfan excursion passengers. Then we proceeded directly to Middleboro over some pretty decent welded rail trackage. Once the dinner train charter loaded, we headed south again, stopping just outside BB again for the bridge, then across the bridge and down the Falmouth Line to North Falmouth, then back north, stopping at BB, then Middleboro, then back to West Barnstable.

Notes:
* all railfan passengers were seated in the first car (going north), a former LIRR car. on the return leg from BB to West
Barnstable, we were moved to "first class" in the Cape Codder.
* we were verbally passed through the red signals at the canal bridge... something about them not hooked up.
* Falmouth Branch photo stop was axed due to being late, which we ultimately made up.
* we moved right along on the Falmouth Branch and made up considerable time... probably going 30 or so... faster than we
were going west of Wareham. The conductor was impressed. Beautiful sunset over the bay.
* momento of the trip was a railroad spike, noting the innagural run. Apparently next year, dinner trains from BB will take
the Falmouth Line.
* 2008 was dropped off at Seamass on the return trip to West Barnstable.
* 2 grade crossings were stop & protect going out, but 5 were on the way back... the extra 3 were working, but had some
issues apparently during the course of the day.
* Arrived at West Barnstable about 35 minutes late.
* GREAT TRIP! (even if my sweatshirt smells of red wine due to the tray going by me at the wrong time)

Pics are now up:
http://picasaweb.google.com/shadyjayvt/ ... sion112109#
ENJOY!
(let me know of any photo caption errors - again, this was my first trip on the Cape cod central)

Can't help but wonder,has Caperail expressed any interest at all in Metro North's
retired F units? Would love to see one of those on excursion trains.

Apologies if this is in the wrong spot. I'm wondering if this Bay Colony refugee:


was still rusting in repose on the east end of the old Millis branch?
Photo fromhttp://www.panoramio.com/photo/5313122

MickD wrote:Can't help but wonder,has Caperail expressed any interest at all in Metro North's
retired F units? Would love to see one of those on excursion trains.

With the talk of running regular trains (Coaster) between the T at Middleboro and Buzzards Bay or Hyannis, it wouldn't be a bad idea - I thought of that myself. The clipping on Railpace's Hot News said they are available from the scrapper, but to act now.