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  • B&A: Dead Train at Worcester?

  • Discussion of the operations of CSX Transportation, from 1980 to the present. Official site can be found here: CSXT.COM.
Discussion of the operations of CSX Transportation, from 1980 to the present. Official site can be found here: CSXT.COM.

Moderator: MBTA F40PH-2C 1050

 #181584  by bn2189
 
I happened to pass through Worcester on a bus about 10:30 today (1-Nov), and saw an eastbound mixed freight led by ES44DC #5251 sitting on track 1 at CP45. While the bus was at the Worcester depot, I saw the crew come out the nose, and then another eastbound train (presumably Q420 but maybe Q436, since it had auto-racks up front) with SD60I #8729 on the point passed by on track 2. I guess the dead crew from the first train was being picked up by the second train.

What surprised me was the first train appeared to still be right there at 17:45 when I passed through again.

Two questions: 1) Does anybody know what the two trains in question actually were? and 2) Is it common now for CSX to park dead trains at CP45 in Worcester?

Maltby Turn out.

 #181631  by CSX Conductor
 
There's no "normal spot" to park trains for crew changes due to the crew outlawing. Perhaps the first train was Q426 (goes up to the B&M) and either 1) The crew was indeed out-lawed or 2) The crew was not qualified on the P&W & Guilford.

 #181632  by roberttosh
 
Eastbound manifests that stop near Union Station are ususally the ST runthrough train Q-426, headed up the line to Barbers/Ayer. They may be forced to wait there for an ST crew at Barbers or to have a Westbound train pass them coming off the single track Barbers line or they may have even outlawed and are waiting for a CSXT recrew to get the train to Barbers Station which is just up the track. Yesterdays train is actually STILL sitting at the same place! These trains are easily recognizeable as they are full of B&M, MEC, Pan Am and various other Paper Boxcars (i.e. GMRC, MSDR, Railbox F-plates, etc) and also can have alot of Covered Hopper cars and empty Centerbeam Flatcars. The other trains that may stop there are trains Q-436 and Q-422 which both drop off cars for the PW utilizing the connection just west of union station. Hope that helps!

 #181818  by bn2189
 
Thanks folks.... wonder if that Q426 is still there...

Maltby Turn out.