North Station Display Cars

[theseaandalifesaver]

Today was one of my first days back to Boston after moving to Seattle almost a year ago.

While riding the Orange Line to Wellington today, I noticed something much different than I remember. There's been a few cars (can't remember what exactly) behind the two BUDD cars that were put on "display" right outside North Station. Does anyone know the story behind this?

I'm very curious to know where they're from, when they were put there, why the were put there and what their plan is for them.

[GP40MC1118]

If you are talking about the cars added to the two RDC9's at FX, those were
derelict MW cars from the Paint Track off the Fitchburg Route. They had to be
moved due the Paint Track being handed over the the Green Line Project.

D

[BostonUrbEx]

By "display cars" it makes it sound like the Rotem samples that were on display in North Station. Were they moved from the yard at BET to the track with the Budds and derelict equipment? Wouldn't be surprised. Can't be good for anything but scrapping.

[GP40MC1118]

The Rotem display "cars" are still at BET.

d

[F-line to Dudley via Park]

Are they actually going to scrap this old junk soon, or just keep rearranging it?

[GP40MC1118]

Nothing has been changed or added to the RDC lineup at FX since the junk
was removed from the Paint Track last year.

However, the remaining cars in the Cut Yard (off Yard 14 along the Fitchburg
mainline) are headed to Billerica Shop to be squirreled away due to more real
estate being claimed (temporarily) for GLX construction. They include the
ex-MP road caboose the T never fixed up, a DODX flatcar, a 40ft ex-B&M boxcar (71).

In an aside to GLX unintended consequences AND lack of storage tracks, one of the
two Amtrak Downeaster sets laying over Monday was put up on the 4th Iron at 3rd
Ave. Unfortunately due to North Station capacity issues, it stayed there until 515PM
blocking CSX B721's way to Everett.

D

[F-line to Dudley via Park]

Have they got any means of carving out more MOW capacity in the vicinity? Like, is their room to rearrange stuff behind Charlestown garage on that siding to store more of the tie, rail, and track panel piles? Or find a more self-contained enclosure for the scrap tie pile than just throwing them haphazardly onto a mountain? Or room around the southern BET property line to jury-rig another storage track? I can't even tell where their property line ends and Northpoint's begins

[GP40MC1118]

In all honesty, I cannot fathom the lack of planning or foresight on the T's part.

A couple of things:
1) The Cut Yard is a small 3 track yard off the Fitchburg mainline at Swift. It has long been
referred to as the Sugar House Cut, which is a misnomer and actually is the name of a
long abandoned connector track that went up the hillside into old Yard 7. This yard is
where that small building and a 50ft ex-B&M boxcar (off its trucks) reside. I doubt if
there is any room for expansion here due to the GLXess flyovers/abutments/etc.

2) I am surprised that reactivation of old Yard 2/Quay Yard (where the RDC's are) hasn't
been thought of. This might have something to do with BS&G's switching lead. Dunno.

And to add to the capacity issues, I see the Work Train brought up to 8 cars to No.4 Track at
Anderson RTC to make room. Of course, this now blocks its use by PAR to clear up for us.
It never ends...

D

[BostonUrbEx]

And to add to the capacity issues, I see the Work Train brought up to 8 cars to No.4 Track at
Anderson RTC to make room. Of course, this now blocks its use by PAR to clear up for us.
It never ends...

Regular use of this track would also mean no wide cars down the Lowell, right? I don't know that any of the regular freight down the line is wide, anyway.

[GP40MC1118]

LA-2 would sometimes bring Plate F boxcars from Montvale/Woburn into Somerville,
then runaround them and head back to Lawrence. Of course, once Yard 8 closes this
can't happen anymore.

d