CSX Boston and Albany Line

For the first time, this morning's I019 carried the P&W stacks on the headpin out of Worcester instead of being forwarded into West Springfield by M437 for an I019 pickup there.

Because like I said 437 was outlawing everyday because of that.

To be clear, here's what you had posted previously:

Trains are regularly outlawing now due to the 437 having to set off the P&W intermodals in West Springfield for the 019. It creates another bottleneck in West Springfield. Recrews basically every day since they started doing this.

So the 019 can make it long, but the cost is 2 or 3 trains needing to be recrewed nearly every day. But management is only looking at the 019, so to them everything is just fine.

So now if we're going from general statements to specifically M437 with your latest, sounds like a good option to at least try and one that I've been curious about.

Interesting to note, though among plenty of variables, that when 437 carried the P&W's, including the stacks, but ran earlier during this past week and with I019's blocking flipped, the W. Springfield setout cost them ~30 minutes.

The mixing and matching of traffic in Worcester to westbound symbols continues and certainly evident in last night's M437 and M439.

The railcam at CHESTER today at 1:30PM on M427 had 5 budiner cars towards rear of train going West.2 had NH markings and all 5 looked to be in very good shape.2 center cars had nose like an F unit nose to nose.I DO NOT know if BUDD company made any like this or were retrofitted.About 5 years ago I was checking out the railroads in BARRE,VT AND SAW A BUNCH OF BUDLINERS in a shop, could be from there. ANYONE KNOW

ex New Haven "Roger Williams" Hot Rod

From Pitter Hotel; Salzburg--

The modified Budd RDC's immediately were part of the New Haven's ill-fated venture into high speed equipment.

Such comprised three different trains, from three sources. The two Talgos were placed in revenue service for about three months before being withdrawn never to turn a wheel in Class I revenue service (one made it to a tourist railroad).

The RDC set had a more productive life. These self propelled cars were mechanically compatible with the RDC, of which the New Haven had a sizeable fleet.

Much more info on the two Talgo sets are available in this book:

https://www.abebooks.com/9780965904063/ ... 904067/plp

Such was ex-libris; however. I donated all my railroad books to a historical organization during '22.

copcars wrote: ↑Thu Aug 17, 2023 3:50 pm The railcam at CHESTER today at 1:30PM on M427 had 5 budiner cars towards rear of train going West.2 had NH markings and all 5 looked to be in very good shape.2 center cars had nose like an F unit nose to nose.I DO NOT know if BUDD company made any like this or were retrofitted.About 5 years ago I was checking out the railroads in BARRE,VT AND SAW A BUNCH OF BUDLINERS in a shop, could be from there. ANYONE KNOW

The Roger Williams set was built by Budd in 1956, all of the cars came from Hobo Railroad.

My understanding is the 5 RDCs are heading to the Berkshire Scenic RR but if so why would M427 be taking them across the B&A to Selkirk? Shouldn't they have taken a more direct route via PAS to N Adams?

the two Operational or near operational units were supposed to be separated and go to Adams, the three Roger Williams cars to Lenox, but didn't get cut out at the right location.

Beacon Park activity these last few weeks....2 tracks have been installed inside the fenced area, center of the yard with bunters at the end of both tracks. Also 2 of the former 6 tracks that remain adjacent to the WML, have been rebuilt with enough room at the end for 2 locos to fit to switch back, also a bunter at the end of said track.

Hearing rumblings of dirty dirt being trucked down from NH and put on rail here, and maybe the trash that is currently being trucked to Westboro, being trucked and loaded in Beacon.

CSX is getting ready to execute a phase 2 4-track expansion of the Westborough transload facility.

QB 52.32 wrote: ↑Sat Sep 09, 2023 9:54 am CSX is getting ready to execute a phase 2 4-track expansion of the Westborough transload facility.

good move by CSX, the amount of traffic in that tiny yard is overwhelming. One 6 axle holding down the fort last week inside the "gated community" 8014

The FRA has awarded up to $108M to MassDOT to upgrade the B&A/Inland Route route to handle more and faster passenger trains while accommodating CSX and NS freight traffic. This award is part of the FRA's $1.4B Fiscal Year 2022 Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements program.

Massachusetts – Connecting the Commonwealth: Early Actions for the Inland Route Project (Up to $108,085,280)
Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT)

The proposed project involves project development, final design, and construction activities for various track, signal, grade crossing and bridge improvements on the Inland Route corridor, which is CSX Transportation-owned and MassDOT-owned infrastructure. The project aligns with the selection criteria by improving system and service performance and ability to meet existing and anticipated demand as it will increase capacity to safely accommodate the addition of two round trip Amtrak Lake Shore Limited intercity passenger trains per day at higher speeds, while maintaining current freight operations. The improvements will raise the track class in many locations from FRA Class tracks 2 and 3 currently, to Class 4 standard and address multiple areas of track alignment within curves that were not designed for the 80-mph maximum speed allowed under Class 4 on railroads equipped with Positive Train Control. MassDOT and Amtrak will contribute funds totaling a 20 percent non-Federal match. This project qualifies for the statutory set-aside for new Intercity Passenger Rail projects.

"as it will increase capacity to safely accommodate the addition of two round trip Amtrak Lake Shore Limited intercity passenger trains per day at higher speeds"

What does this mean?