Cape Cod Branch Connector

Falmouth Secondary to Otis wrote:

WHBranch wrote:Anything new going on here? I have not seen any action on the Otis spur, but the rails look burnished on occasion.

Henry B.

The Upper Cape Regional transfer station is in the process of being reopened since 9/18/17 and the Otis spur is being reopened by Mass Coastal working from the transfer station out towards the Falmouth secondary. When they are ready to begin operations regular rail traffic will resume. Follow Mass Coastal discussion thread for photo's / updates

You guys will know 5 minutes after the station is open. Carl has told me he's calling me first.

Trains should be rolling this week, I'm the first customer in today

Thought it was coming up as I saw Mass Coastal working on crossing signals in Pocasset yesterday and also saw one of there Locomotives idling in the Monument Beach area. Any news as to where the MSW is being shipped to for disposal ?

For the time being, MSW is still going to Semass. Mass coastal won't let their green energy cars out of the system (can't blame them)

I noticed the siding in North Falmouth looks like it's been used recently. This is the first time I've seen it used in many a year. Apparently, they are running around the trains and pushing them toward the UCRTS. I did hear some activity on the scanner (BB Tower) yesterday in late morning, most MC Cape scanner activity is early morning or late afternoon.

Anyway, it's good to see the branch active again!

Henry B.

2 loads went in yesterday midday on the debut train to Falmouth Transfer. Chase pics now uploaded on NERail:

http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo ... ex=4&key2=" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo ... ex=4&key2=" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo ... ex=4&key2=" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Info and photo's on Mass Coastal discussion thread also regarding rail activity to the Upper Cape Regional Transfer station out on Otis / Joint Base Cape Cod. Also posted more photo's on nerail.org

Here it is December, the first snow has fallen, and there is a lot of action on the Branch.

I have not done a full week's audit of the traffic, but I'm pretty sure they have hauled out 3-4 cars of debris every day, for at least 3 days a week, quite possibly more. There has been a lot of maintenance done on the branch. It seems like they are flagging some of the crossings, especially County Road in North Falmouth, to keep the NIMBY noise down, I assume. That's a good idea, because there are often cyclists and walkers there who don't need horn noise excuses to write a letter to the local editor.

I'm still not sure where the loads go after they cross the bridge, but I think it's SEMASS, because they are using Mass Coastal Energy Train cars which I'm sure they don't want leaving home rails. This stuff formerly went to the Bourne Landfill. I'm glad it's going off Cape to make electricity, if it is.

If you want to take a chance and see this activity, the train seems to arrive at Otis Jct. in North Falmouth between 9-10 in the morning (use your scanner, 160.425) and usually leaves 45-60 minutes later after switching the transfer station. You can park at the bike path parking lot at County Road and walk down the bike path although there is a heavy wire fence that limits visibility, especially for taking photos. Another great watching place is along the beach at Monument Beach, and of course at the bridge, where they may do a little switching if the train is going to continue on to Yarmouth.

Henry B.

Trash is still going to SEMASS for the time being as earlier posted and C&D is being sent to a lined / permitted landfill out of state. Mass DEP banned landfilling of that waste stream long ago. The Bourne landfill was originally built as a lined landfill specifically for C&D waste, but then Mass DEP changed it's mind on that on a state wide basis and allowed Bourne to landfill SEMASS ash & MSW from Bourne & Falmouth only. All C&D waste statewide ends up on a train car being shipped out of state.

WHBranch wrote: I'm still not sure where the loads go after they cross the bridge, but I think it's SEMASS, because they are using Mass Coastal Energy Train cars which I'm sure they don't want leaving home rails. This stuff formerly went to the Bourne Landfill. I'm glad it's going off Cape to make electricity, if it is.


Henry B.

Minor clarification on this point. The only MSW going to Bourne ISW was municipal waste (curbside pickup by Republic or Town of Bourne) from Bourne and Falmouth. Cavossa was bring their MSW to semass direct or Yarmouth for rail transport. If a Cavossa truck was going into Bourne, it was for recycling.

Falmouth Secondary to Otis wrote:Trash is still going to SEMASS for the time being as earlier posted and C&D is being sent to a lined / permitted landfill out of state. Mass DEP banned landfilling of that waste stream long ago. The Bourne landfill was originally built as a lined landfill specifically for C&D waste, but then Mass DEP changed it's mind on that on a state wide basis and allowed Bourne to landfill SEMASS ash & MSW from Bourne & Falmouth only. All C&D waste statewide ends up on a train car being shipped out of state.

The only C+D load I have seen has been in the smaller AWXX coal hopper style car as opposed to the high side gons Champion City and Trojan use. I'm assuming this is due to a height issue inside the loading building at Otis. Is there a weight restriction on the canal bridge? Any plans on loading C+D outside to take advantage of the larger railcars?

I doubt there is any weight restriction on the Canal Railroad bridge as it was completely rehabilitated some time ago and it has to be able to carry heavy Military shipments to Otis / JBCC such as tanks / Humvees / Heavy lift cranes. By looking at the photo's on Mass Coastal's website the top of the energy cars they use are at almost the same level of tipping floor of the UCRTS building . If the buildings ceiling height is high enough it looks like the side car entrance could be made bigger to accommodate taller cars perhaps. As far as I know C&D cannot be dumped outdoors on a concrete pad to sort and then load onto rail cars as all transfer stations are required by Mass DEP to be in an enclosed building, as the Bourne Landfill had to build one to comply with it's regulations.

Safetee wrote:the original board is still up with all its bells and whistles but is connected to and controls nothing. the mini new board that occurred with the bridge overhaul runs the show for the interlocking. the original plan to create an interlocking museum on the first floor never happened.

Here's a photo / info about the New Haven Buzzards Bay control tower that still exists but only as a historical reminder of the past

http://www.railpictures.net/photo/322882/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Well, there will be fewer MC runs to UCRTS. Only C/D is going to be accepted going forwards. No MSW = no green Energy Cars

So now what happens to all the MSW ? Back on trucks again contributing to road congestion on the canal bridges ?