Had the opportunity to ride a track car with NEREX group on P&W between Worcester and Plainfield/Versailles (Saturday 8/6/16) and Central Falls (Sunday 8/7/16). In general, although P&W has little CWR installed, track quality is excellent with obvious signs of recent tie replacements and ballast/surfacing work on both of these lines, including the 10 mile piece of the Willimantic line we rode. Unfortunately, there are many rusty and/or disconnected sidings along the way. But P&W continues to find and build business. Interestingly, just north of Valley Falls is a partially built, rusting siding built on concrete ties. The siding appears to be about 2 miles long but isn't connected at the south end. Does anyone know the story re: why it was started but not completed?
Railroad Forums
Track Quality
- Topics relating to the operation of the P&W Railroad, which is a subsidiary of Genesee and Wyoming. Regional freight railroad based in Worcester and operating in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York.
Official Website
Moderator: MEC407
The siding that you are referring to was built when business was booming and Valley Falls yard was having a tough time holding all the car loads. The concrete ties used are old ties given/sold to the P&W from the MBTA. Freight is on the downward trend the last few months with gas prices tanking, and said siding hasn't been put to full use