Commuter Rail Delay/Cancellation Thread

[wicked]

Stay away from the Haverhill Line. Busing between Ballardvale and Haverhill because of downed wires from yesterday’s storm. Downeaster is busing between Ballardvale and Lawrence, if the conductor on this train is correct.

[twropr]

Any details on the flooding that closed down the Providence Line last night/early this morning?
Thanks
Andy

[Jeff Smith]

More flooding: WCVB

https://htv-streaming.hearst.io/0becf8e ... _26171.mp4

LEOMINSTER, Mass. —
Flooding during Monday's deluge washed away the ground from underneath Commuter Rail tracks running through Leominster, Massachusetts, forcing the MBTA to halt train service to part of the Fitchburg Line.

All trains on the line will be stopping at Shirley Station because of the damage. Commuter Rail officials said that bus service will replace trains at Wachusett, Fitchburg at North Leominster stations.
...

[johnpbarlow]

As of the 6pm Tuesday evening (9/12/23) news broadcast on Ch 5 WCVB, no Keolis work crews were observed on site at the Leominster washout. Hopefully for commuters' and NS/PAS sake they'll be able to get going on the culvert / washout repair soon.

[stevefol]

Haverhill diversion is a total mess today. Line blocked between Andover and Ballardvale, and earlier 206 had a mechanical problem and screwed up trains behind. Trying to run 40+ trains a day over the Wildcat and 90+ over Lowell line not going so well.

[west point]

That is going to get worse with possible more flooding starting Friday. Sending my friend Lee to see you.

[johnpbarlow]

NS Service Alert says:

Our rail partner, Genesee & Wyoming, has advised they now expect the route into Ayer to remain inaccessible until Saturday, September 16th. Following the restoration of service, the Ayer and Chicago 63rd Street ingates will re-open as soon as operations allow. As a reminder, the route into Ayer was closed following multiple washouts that occurred on Monday, September 11th.

Hopefully MBTA/Keolis are in agreement!

http://www.nscorp.com/content/nscorp/en ... sures.html

[BandA]

So NS & B&E / PAS are waiting for the MBTA to fix the track? I assume the MBTA is slower about fixing things than NS / PAS / B&E would have been. Why aren't offering a temporary diversion via CSX? Looks like Lee will be a nothingburger in the US except along the coast. Will probably pause repairs though.

[johnpbarlow]

Robert Proulx, the MBTA’s deputy director for railroad operations, gave a train update at the Wednesday afternoon press conference.

“Right now, we’re doing our best we can because of the rain,” Proulx said. “We have our contractor on scene waiting for the water to stop. We’re going through underneath the tracks. As soon as that done we will be able to mobilize all our units over there. Hopeful, by next Monday, we will have trains, at least, running to North Leominster, dropping people off there. But, we’re still going to have to bus between North Leominster and Fitchburg. And, then, hopefully, by the end of next week, sometime, we’ll have trains running full service to Wachusett.”

[octr202]

Those shuttle buses are no doubt coming at a high price. Based on the service recoveries elsewhere this summer, Keolis and the MBTA have been pretty quick to get lines back open. This washout at North Leominster is in a tough spot - as everyone's probably seen by now, the washout basically went through (or nearly through) a house which was built below the tracks, and the rest of the route that gravity directed the water down is cutting through more homes and properties. Hazard of an armchair guess, but I bet they probably have to make damn well certain they've got the water flow contained and managed before they can start filling in the hole.

[octr202]

T'lerts over the weekend are updating and continuing the message of Fitchburg service terminating at Shirley until further notice.

One news report late last week was hinting that the T and Keolis may try to get service running at least as far as North Leominster soon, but no timeline for that.

[johnpbarlow]

As of Monday evening, PAS freight service has resumed through Leominster. And MBTA alert for 9/19/23 says:

Fitchburg Train 418 (1:25 pm from Wachusett) will be the first inbound service to operate from Wachusett through North Station. The bus diversion between Shirley and Wachusett will be phased out after Train 414 (10:53 am from Wachusett - 11:48 am from Shirley). Keolis crews placed more than 3000 tons of stone to replace the washed-out earth and rebuild the railroad track bed following the flash flooding on September 11th at Leominster.
Updated: 9/19/2023 8:01 AM

[BandA]

Where do you get 3000 TONS of stone? How much did this repair cost? Did they add a larger culvert?

[octr202]

At 100 tons/car, that's only 30 ballast cars worth. In the grand scheme of railroad construction...

[neman2]

A t 30 tons a trailer dump it's only 100 truckloads. There are a number of quarries in Central Ma.

PJ Keating Lunenburg could probably provide all you want and more.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/4yUehDxWGGpNKUWGA