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  • Bay Colony Millis Line

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

Moderators: MEC407, NHN503

 #1297657  by F-line to Dudley via Park
 
fogg1703 wrote:
fsdemasi wrote:I wonder why the cars would not be routed by Pan Am to Everett then to CSX over the Grand Junction to Framingham, then South to Millis on the Framingham Sub interchange at Medfield JCT?
No interchange between PAR/CSX at Everett. As stated previously only Rotterdam Jct and Barbers are interchange locations. No setoffs or switching occurs between Barbers (PAR) and Selkirk (CSX).

Tresca had been using the Boston Terminal unloading the barges into their fleet of trucks, however have now gone to receiving the railcars.

Anyone know if any other cement company is unloading there as well, or is it just Tresca? I'd imagine these movements will begin to slow as the construction season winds down.
Don't think so. Tresca's the only large one in close enough proximity to prefer unloading from Bay Colony instead of another carrier. That gravel company on W. Mill St. at the junction doesn't have onsite machinery, so whatever loads they get are going to be way more economical by truck. Unless Bay Colony can string together some sort of transload at the GAF plant they really don't have any other potential customers to serve on that line. Framingham or Walpole via CSX are just too much easier to transload to truck for any customers on the Routes 27 and 109 corridors than BCLR. They've got so much underutilized yard space that they've got fungible capacity to accommodate anyone of large enough size who wants to do short-distance pickups. BCLR just can't compete with that unless they get somebody who absolutely insists at picking up at the GAF plant or the sand pit on Environmental Dr. And odds are very low that customer exists.


Everett customers have been pretty static for both CSX and PAR last several years. There's definitely unused space there to cram more customers. The tank farm has really thinned out over time leaving a lot of empty parcels with nearby rail access or ability to get new spurs installed. Might even be room at the north end of the property for a small yard of 4 tracks or so if New England Produce Center were willing to give up some strips of truck parking...as it's a pretty spread-out parcel that could be compacted a bit without harming their capacity. But because Everett's a privately-owned terminal they are probably doing a wait-and-see for how the Massport terminals in Charlestown and South Boston currently getting a major public investment capitalize on their expanded capacity before sinking more money into their own terminal. Since the others are all aligning around specific specializations and Everett is kind of miscellaneous in nature, they probably need to do their homework on what the highest return is going to be. And their rail access is up in the air by the Green Line Extension project possibly kneecapping Pan Am's capacity if the Brickbottom carhouse leads don't get a design change that preserves grade separated access from the Lowell Line. Right now Everett is distinguished by being the only one of the Boston terminals that has a full wide-clearance rail access. CSX will be losing its wide clearances when the inner Worcester Line platforms start getting flipped to full-highs, and PAR could lose its clearances if GLX makes Lowell too much of a pain and it has to divert down the Fitchburg Line or through Reading instead. CSX at least can arrange for PAR haulage of their customers to get around the restriction, but it would be pretty devastating for future prospects if PAR could no longer take max-size boxcars and other wide-clearance freights into Everett. And for that reason the terminal is sitting and waiting.
 #1297669  by GP40MC1118
 
It would be interesting to know if CSX inherited the Conrail & ST/GRS interchange
agreement in place in Somerville or they let that go. I am pretty sure they still retain
trackage rights over the B&M/MBTA Eastern Mainline to Revere...Again, inherited
from Conrail..

D
 #1299371  by Watchman318
 
fsdemasi wrote:I took some pictures on Friday. Here is the group of Dragon Cement Cars.
Looks like quite a mix of cars there. I think there was a time when the ex-CB&Q cars (third and fourth from the left, I believe) seemed to stay mostly on the shuttle to the Rockland waterfront. Now the consists are a little more varied. Good to see all that cement moving, and not by truck on U.S. Route 1. :wink:

Does anyone know offhand if the NAHX cars (second from the left) are 3000 or 3500 CF?
 #1301086  by craven
 
Update Sat. 01 Nov.

The line is clear of any cars. Nothing but a dozen turkeys (the Thanksgiving type) meandering around by Island St.

The 1701 in her nest by the GAF Pant.
 #1302086  by craven
 
Update Sat. 08 Nov.

Two empties (NAHX 94484 & 94733) sitting on the spur by the Secondary with de-railer set.

The 1701 in her nest by the GAF Pant.
 #1303149  by craven
 
Update Sat. 15 Nov.

(5) Cars waiting to be off-loaded by Island Road.

NAHX 94092
NAHX 94731
NAHX 94564
DPCX 329
DPCX 336

1701 is back in her nest by the GAF Plant waiting her next move.
 #1304252  by craven
 
Update Sat. 22 Nov.

(7) Cars waiting to be off-loaded by Island Road.

NAHX 93605
NAHX 93891
NAHX 94010
NAHX 94491
NAHX 94772
DPCX 334
DPCX 338

1701 is back in her nest by the GAF Plant waiting her next move.
 #1304258  by craven
 
In the 2015 New Haven Railroad calendar, month of January shows a picture of two (2) RDC-1's at Medfield Junction awaiting a signal to cross the Framingham secondary diamond next to Mills St.

The note states "RDC's had come west from Needham Junction on the West Medway line.

No date but it appears to be a ~1955 Ford Fairlane parked next to the station.
 #1304588  by Watchman318
 
Watchman318 wrote:Does anyone know offhand if the NAHX cars (second from the left) are 3000 or 3500 CF?
Found it; Google Fu comes through. ;)
They're 2785 CF.
 #1305282  by craven
 
Update Sat. 29 Nov.

(7) Empty's by Island Road waiting to be moved to the Secondary

NAHX 93605
NAHX 93891
NAHX 94010
NAHX 94491
NAHX 94772
DPCX 334
DPCX 338

(3) Full Cars on the Spur, by the switch, awaiting to be moved into place @ Island Road.

DPCX 328
NAHX 94349
NHHX 94696

Hope someone catches these moves as there will be plenty of action with back and forth changes from the Spur to the Spur siding and back.
 #1305670  by craven
 
The moves must have been so spectacular that it’s left everyone speechless!
 #1306322  by craven
 
Update Sat. 06 Dec..

(3) empties on the Spur by the switch, with de-railer set.

DPCX 328
NAHX 94349
NAHX 94696

(1) 1/2 full/empty by Island Road

NAHX 94484

1701 is back in her nest by the GAF Plant
 #1307191  by Trainman101
 
Is there a siding next to island road? I'm trying to figure out where the cars are offloaded. (Been looking at google maps :( ). And are they cement hoppers?
Thanks
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