Curve under building in Clinton, Mass.

[Pete]

While visiting the Consignment at 56 antique store in the old Clinton Wire Cloth building, I've noticed a sharp curve cut into the back corner of the first floor along the Pan Am tracks. Higher floors stand on columns over this cut-out of the first floor. This is immediately across the tracks from the half-abandoned depot.

Given its location, I was certain this must have accommodated a curved track between the "Ag Branch" above, and the route now owned by Pan Am. But this low-res image of an insurance map of this factory (hosted by the American Textile History Museum in Lowell) shows only a siding along the Ag Branch, perhaps a faint line indicating the curve (at the lower right), and no map of any track:

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Anyone have any idea what went on in this curve?

[Pete]

Update: Topo maps and aerial photos from the mid-to-late 20th century do show a track here. But was it specifically to serve the mill, or was it a general interchange between the New Haven (CSX Ag Branch) and Worcester, Nashua, and Rochester (Pan Am)?

[YamaOfParadise]

That's really interesting, I had never noticed that, even when I was around in the area checking out the old station. Bing Maps' Birds-eye View gives a good perspective on it, since it's a little hard to visualize what it actually looks like from maps.

I immediately consulted the NYNH&H Valuation Maps UCONN has (in which I somehow even missed the track there the first time I studied this area), and it shows the track in between two sheets: this sheet shows the junction and where it goes under the building, and this sheet shows slightly west where it connects its way up to the New Haven's Fitchburg Branch/Agricultural Branch.

Best I can say about it considering I didn't even know it had even existed before today.

[Pete]

The Bing link didn't work for me, but here are a couple of screenshots of the same:

[BostonUrbEx]

I've taken a look myself on maps and from the vantage of a Worcester Branch train and it appears to have been exclusively for the building itself. The only wye was on the opposite side of the tracks, in the southeast "quadrant".

[MrB]

I've checked this spot out a number of times and have a photo of the curve with the soot still on the ceiling from the days of steam.

[Engineer Spike]

It doesn't look like the track which was in the building went up to the higher grade level, as at first the post lead me to believe. If that was the case, then it would likely be so both NH, and B&M could both switch the building's occupant. I'd say the pictures look like the curve inside was due to the building being so close to the tracks. They needed the extra space to curve in the track.

I can only imagine how hard it was to make a hitch, when picking up cars. I used to work a job where we ran the buggy behind the engine because the engine was so long, it wouldn't allow the drawbar to swing over enough. This was where the short buggy helped.

[b&m 1566]

Looking at historic aerials from that spot in 1938, you can see what appears to be rail cars sticking out of that curve. Further to the west down the NH tracks, there is a ramp (which is still there to this day) that appears to be part of the railroad, however I cannot tell if the the two sidings were the same track or separated.

[Engineer Spike]

It didn't look like a ramp in the photos, but you seem to have knowledge that one existed. Maybe it was set up so the company was not captive to either NH, nor B&M.

[MrB]

Are we talking of the connection from the lower track heading north to the upper track heading east as I have a photo of it, be it a not incredibly clear one. It was taken back in 2007

[jaymac]

Given the 1915 date of the map and given the sway the NH then held for a short time over the B&M and given the recent grade separation project that produced the bilevel Clinton station, I'm guessing it was a means of simplifying access for NH and B&M locals and switchers for Clinton industries and interchange. Just up the road a bit, the NH was active in Fitchburg and was also active in Lowell and presumably Concord Junction/West Concord.