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  • Grafton & Upton Railroad (G&U) Discussion

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Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in New England

Moderators: MEC407, NHN503

 #1515298  by johnpbarlow
 
Re: track changes in Milford, in January 2019, the MBTA removed the previous switch used for G&U connection that was just south of the S Cedar St and installed a new turnout that is closer to Depot St (switchstand has yet to be connected). And as of Friday 7/26/19 a track panel has been dropped just south of S Cedar St that I would guess will be used to replace track at the S Cedar St crossing.
Track Panel S Cedar St Milford 072619 small.jpg
Track Panel S Cedar St Milford 072619 small.jpg (357.35 KiB) Viewed 4089 times
An MBTA frontloader/speed swing machine has recently arrived at this site, next to the MBTA hi-rail boom truck and stack of removed ties that have been there for months
MBTA Front Loader SPeed Swing Milford 072619 small.jpg
MBTA Front Loader SPeed Swing Milford 072619 small.jpg (359.06 KiB) Viewed 4089 times
 #1515666  by johnpbarlow
 
Milford Daily News reports updates re: G&U's pursuit of eminent domain to acquire 155 acres of undeveloped Hopedale land to construct a transload facility that could feature up to 10 tracks and a few buildings.

Excerpt:
Selectmen this week voted to send a petition to intervene, which would allow officials to follow the case and even request documents. Lawyers employed by the town will get a chance to determine if the railroad’s request falls within broad and railroad-friendly laws, or if the town has any local power.
Many other area property owners seek intervenor status, including the owner of the Draper Building, Philip Shwachman.
One resident says
“We are concerned that the GURR (Grafton & Upton Railroad) rather than negotiating in good faith with property owners is invoking laws created in the 1800s putting all property owners along the 16.5 miles railway at risk of facing eminent domain taking,”
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/2 ... and-taking
 #1515745  by FLRailFan1
 
johnpbarlow wrote: Thu Aug 01, 2019 6:15 am Many other area property owners seek intervenor status, including the owner of the Draper Building, Philip Shwachman.
One resident says
“We are concerned that the GURR (Grafton & Upton Railroad) rather than negotiating in good faith with property owners is invoking laws created in the 1800s putting all property owners along the 16.5 miles railway at risk of facing eminent domain taking,”
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/2 ... and-taking
Now, residents, would you rather have the 155 acres being used to EMPLOY people in the transload facility - AND PAYING TAXES TO HOPEDALE or just leave it as is? Unless there is a rare animal (for instance, the rare Hopedale Bigfoot), it should be used, because it will produce taxes and employment. If you are afraid that your rugrats might get run over by a G&U train, teach them NOT to play on the tracks.
Last edited by MEC407 on Fri Aug 02, 2019 8:49 am, edited 1 time in total. Reason: excessive quoting
 #1515750  by MaineCoonCat
 
<steps up on her soapbox>
Though I agree and believe that it would benefit the "greater good" the rights to private property must, here in the U.S. also be respected. We cannot go riding roughshod over them. And I say this as an ardent rail supporter but also someone with very left leaning political views. What the correct answer is, I hope will be determined by an objective judge.
<steps down from her soapbox>
Last edited by MEC407 on Fri Aug 02, 2019 8:49 am, edited 1 time in total. Reason: unnecessary quoting
 #1515763  by BandA
 
I think the choices are: rail yard, solar farm, self-storage center, marijuana grow facility, or 40B housing. Is this property in a flood plain district? They should say it's a marijuana grow & packaging facility for rail shipment, so that it is a preempted railroad use, :wink:
 #1516139  by johnpbarlow
 
More details re: the response to G&U's eminent domain filing to acquire 144 acres in Hopedale - there are lots of concerned parties (surprise, surprise!):
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/2 ... and-taking

Very interesting excerpt wrt other development plans G&U has:
In a meeting with selectmen last month, Milanoski said the Hopedale property is one of three such yards for which the railroad has plans. The other two are in North Grafton and Upton. North Grafton holds the company’s propane facility and plans call for the addition of an engine warehouse and repair facility that can fit four locomotives, according to Milanoski.

The Upton yard is situated on a landfill, Milanoski told selectmen, and has the company’s “liquid product.”

Hopedale is where the company deals with its solid bulk products, he explained, from sheetrock to fly ash – pulverized coal ash that can be used as an additive in cement. The company wants to bring steel rail and ties into Hopedale, as well as expand its fly ash business, and move its wood pellet manufacturing and bagging facility into Hopedale.
It's interesting that G&U is silent re: any plans to connect their line to the MBTA at Milford. Yet eyeball observations say something is afoot at both Hopedale with new track construction and Milford with some changes/upgrades to rarely used track.
 #1516559  by craven
 
Rail from Rt. 16 to the bridge is complete and ballast. Beyond the bridge has a layer of 3" stone for 300 yards then stops. A small John Deer dozer sits waiting for orders to level.

Not much happening...….Crossing on South Cedar Street completed. Repaving Depot St in Milford. Hopefully MDOT will replace that crossing.

Looks like the G & U $$$ is being spent elsewhere,,
 #1516583  by johnpbarlow
 
craven wrote: Fri Aug 09, 2019 6:59 pm Rail from Rt. 16 to the bridge is complete and ballast. Beyond the bridge has a layer of 3" stone for 300 yards then stops. A small John Deer dozer sits waiting for orders to level.

Not much happening...….Crossing on South Cedar Street completed. Repaving Depot St in Milford. Hopefully MDOT will replace that crossing.

Looks like the G & U $$$ is being spent elsewhere,,
Observations from a Friday 8/9/19 drive-by at Milford and Hopedale:
The ballast on the newly installed track between rte 16 and the Hopedale St bridge is so deep that ties aren't visible! And a pair of ties are jammed in the gauge on the Milford side of the Hopedale St bridge signifying end of track suggesting this new track could be used soon as a tail track for switching the Hopedale transload facility or just used for car storage.
G&U new track south of Rte 16 crossing Hopedale 080919 small.jpg
G&U new track south of Rte 16 crossing Hopedale 080919 small.jpg (341.74 KiB) Viewed 2986 times
Construction of a new siding parallel to the mainline approaching rte 16 crossing at Hopedale is now under construction.
G&U new siding Hopedale 080919 small.jpg
G&U new siding Hopedale 080919 small.jpg (273.18 KiB) Viewed 2994 times
While the MBTA line crossing at S Cedar St is complete and looks very good, no provision for a connecting G&U track crossing of Cedar St to connect with the new switch at Depot St has been made - guess this will be G&U's responsibility (in fact there are still long abandoned disconnected rails embedded in S Cedar pavement that should get removed at some point). A large pile of stone remains near the S Cedar crossing for some future deployment. The new track panel used in the crossing is 115 lb rail v. 100 lb rail installed on the MBTA line at Milford.
MBTA S Cedar St New Crossing Milford 080919 2 small.jpg
MBTA S Cedar St New Crossing Milford 080919 2 small.jpg (300.12 KiB) Viewed 2986 times
 #1516825  by johnpbarlow
 
Article in Milford Daily News on 8/12/19 entitled "Grafton & Upton Railroad releases additional plans for proposed land take in Hopedale"

https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/2 ... n-hopedale

Excerpt:
In documents submitted Aug. 7, railroad representatives argued the company needs to expand beyond the space it currently occupies in three rail yards – North Grafton, Upton, and Hopedale.

“GURR is currently operating at maximum capacity with significant growth demand from its customers,” the filing reads. “In order to provide freight rail service as required, GURR must obtain additional rail yard and track space as the GURR has no additional land to expand in these existing yards.”

The new documents include a map of the West Street property, showing sketched out tracks around the land’s existing tracks. The majority of the land is protected, and railroad officials have said they do not intend to develop the wetlands, except for a previously installed logging road.

The company plans to add five tracks on either side of the existing track, capable of holding up to 200 rail cars, and at least one building.
It's interesting that even as local news organizations report the proceedings of these meetings, they haven't reported that G&U is adding track south of rte 16 in Hopedale, which must be clearly visible to the abutters. Nor has G&U brought this expansion up in these proceedings.
 #1517298  by johnpbarlow
 
Drove down to Milford and Hopedale this morning to see what's going on with G&U and MBTA track activity. The only progress I could see v. a week ago is a number of survey stakes have been placed east of the G&U track at the G&L Logistics transload at Hopedale, perhaps marking where a new track will be installed. While there was nothing new to see at S Cedar St / Depot St Milford, I took a drive past the old Ardagh bottle plant and saw that a contractor has gutted much of the building down to its structural steel with the goal of making what was once a manufacturing facility into an up-to-date warehouse that is directly rail served (see article). So perhaps this is yet another reason why G&U ownership is slowly building out the last mile from Hopedale to Milford.
https://www.wbjournal.com/article/milfo ... ld-for-41m
 #1517639  by mrj1981
 
Hey everyone - Watching the activity on the G&U, it seems like G&U probably intends to re-establish the connection with the CSX line in Milford. Can someone please elucidate for me what, exactly, the benefit of doing so would be?

The CSX line in Milford seems to dead-end just past where the interchange would be located, so it would physically be difficult to interchange more than a few cars at a time (unless they changed the orientation of the connecting track), and they already have a direct connection with CSX (up in Grafton). What's gained by expending the dollars necessary to re-establish this interchange?

Thanks in advance!
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