Massachusetts Central Railroad (MCER) Discussion

[Dick H]

Mass Central Derailment from WWLP

http://wwlp.com/2015/04/16/train-cars-d ... in-palmer/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[BandA]

Mass Central Derailment from WWLP

http://wwlp.com/2015/04/16/train-cars-d ... in-palmer/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

In one of those pictures you can see a switch.https://lintvwwlp.files.wordpress.com/2 ... acks-2.jpg

[atholrail]

Spent the better part of the last 2 days along the Mass Central. Wednesday caught up with them switching out the reload at South Barre with the 1750. They spotted 5 cars and picked up 10. Lots of empty pipe cars. Chased them south to Ware, were they put up for the day.

Thursday they came on duty at Ware and switched the Plastic Pellet yard along routes 9 and 32, picking up 6 empties. They then went south to switch Gibbs Yard on the Ware/Palmer line. They should have went to interchange with roughly 25 cars.

Also, with the completion of rehab work, most of the mainline is now 25.

[atholrail]

Some more...

[atholrail]

more from Thursday..

[YamaOfParadise]

Figured I would ask here about this: were the MCER's track(s) that run adjacent to NECR's line in Palmer originally part of CV's mainline, or was it always a separately owned line on a shared right-of-way? If it is the former, when did the change of ownership occur?

[atholrail]

Chased the MCER today. Caught up to them coming northbound into Ware around 0900 with the 1750 and 2 loads for Kanzaki Papers. They swapped out the 2 loads for 2 empties, then proceeded north to the Packaging yard. They were going to switch the yard, but a sudden change of plans had them going light back to Palmer, to switch the interchange. They arrived at the interchange around 1100. Picked up 5 loads then went to the trailer and tied down for the day around noon.

[atholrail]

Some more shots...

[thebigham]

Great pics! THANKS

[atholrail]

MCER came south into Palmer with 30 cars for interchange this afternoon...

[tj48]

Not being very familar with the Massachusetts Central are all those covered hoppers in Gibbs Yard for a online customer or a transload facility?

[Tower35]

There are no online plastics manufactures. It's all transload to tankers at Gibbs to distribute mostly in NE MA. At the Ware yard, last I knew, plastic pellets were loaded into pallet-sized gaylords for smaller companies.

[MEC407]

Video by skyman2002:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IO0H2KQiXiM" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[MEC407]

Another fine video by skyman2002:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4bU2Z_9swQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[woodeen]

I just stumbled upon this thread for the first time, wow, what great pictures and videos posted here, thank you all for the posts! I grew up in this area and have many old memories of activity (and the lack thereof) along this line. It blows me away that there are still trains to South Barre, and how well the old mill site / transload seems to be doing. I was back there a year or so ago and chased a train from Gilbertville up to Barre; they really move along (as the videos show)!