Pan Am Coal Trains

[atholrail]

PWBO W/ P&W # 3905e,# 3008w,# 3007w and # 3903w went up the Worcester main to Ayer then on to Bow this afternoon. This route seems to make more since than up the Gardner branch. Billy.

[CN9634]

Oh nice! Got any pictures?

[jwhite07]

That's the routing the coal train used to take, isn't it? I think somewhere in my slide collection I have a few photos of the coal train coming off the Worcester Main at Ayer and heading down towards Willows... long ago enough that Conrail C30-7s were pulling it.

[cpf354]

It was briefly when coal trains delivered by Conrail went by way of Worcester, but capacity problems on the CR Boston Line forced them back to the traditional Rotterdam Jct route. This is a first for the P&W.

[johnpbarlow]

This may be the shorter route to Bow but it certainly won't be a fast route as track speed must be ~10mph for 30 miles based on my unscientific observations.

I assume PAR crews are used from Barbers northward? Any idea if they'll do power run-throughs for Mt. Tom trains?

[NellsChoo]

Isn't there really two coal trains to Bow? By that I mean there is the NS powered train with NS hoppers that can be seen all along the Fitchburg. Then there is the one with worn looking P&W hoppers that seems to start at Gardner, usually run with Guilford engines.

What is the difference between the two, and why suddenly use P&W run-through power?

JD

[stevo]

i live in nashua, i've only ever seen the NS one roll by, i don't know of any that runs with guilford power or PW hoppers, unless it comes from the north which wouldn't make any sense at all.

[NellsChoo]

http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?20060 ... 024563.jpg

http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?20050 ... 418766.jpg

[stevo]

well, i can tell you it doesn't go to bow, cause i've never before seen that train in my life.

[Guilford Guy]

Or we could say your never there at the right time

[GRSGuy]

The NS power and cars go to Bow, while the P&W cars go to Mt. Tom, hence coming up the Gardner branch. This train yesterday appears to be something new.

[toolmaker]

Empty P&W coal hoppers head west through Ayer with six Guilford engines

According to the weblinks to the photo's posted earlier, that was three (struggling) engines to deliver the loads and six engines to take the empties back?

[NV290]

Most, but not all P&W trains that went to Gardner went to Mt Tom. But several times a month, sometimes more then once a week the same "worn" looking hoppers went to Bow as well. The normal routine was P&W would deliver the train (Usually about 50 cars) to Gardner around 1am. Then, a Guilford crew would pull it out the west end of Gardner yard in two pieces. Then run around it and pull the train east to Bow with Guilford Power. Once emptied, it would leave Bow with Guilford OR NS power if it was available. On more then one occasion, the empty P&W cars would be tied onto the rear of the 90 empty NS cars and you would have a 140 car empty coal train go to Gardner, down the #2 track and back the 50 cars off in the yard. Then move the marker up and proceed west to Mohawk.

[NV290]

well, i can tell you it doesn't go to bow, cause i've never before seen that train in my life.

In the last month alone, i know of at least 6 P&W coal trains going to Bow. And they all come up from CPN1. All had the older faded blue hoopers. Some had some NS cars as well. You may not see them, but they go there. This is a fact.

[MEC407]

well, i can tell you it doesn't go to bow, cause i've never before seen that train in my life.

Just because you've never seen something doesn't mean it doesn't exist.