CSX Boston and Albany Line

MBTA F40PH-2C 1050 wrote:Q436, Selkirk-Framingham train, has 2 new ES44AC-H's #901-900-6209 with 95 cars was through Chatham Center, NY @ 10:31 am 8/9.

When would that have hit Palmer? Cause I was out there from 1:30 to 3:00 and only saw one westbound CSX with two AC6000CWs(622,674) and a GP40-2(6204). I also saw the Vermonter, LSL, and NECR+Mass Central.

atsf sp wrote:

MBTA F40PH-2C 1050 wrote:Q436, Selkirk-Framingham train, has 2 new ES44AC-H's #901-900-6209 with 95 cars was through Chatham Center, NY @ 10:31 am 8/9.

When would that have hit Palmer? Cause I was out there from 1:30 to 3:00 and only saw one westbound CSX with two AC6000CWs(622,674) and a GP40-2(6204). I also saw the Vermonter, LSL, and NECR+Mass Central.

Chatham Center is MP 182 on the B&A, and Palmer is MP 83. I would say probably after you left because the train was through Worcester, MA at 4:30pm *(yahoo group posting by Henry B.)* Q436's power will be on L437 tomorrow (Sunday) if everything goes as planned. They go on duty at 10:30am in Framingham

here is a 2nd chance to catch the new ES44AC-H's on the B&A

Q436 through Chatham Center at 1035 hours with leader CSXT #900, CSXT
#901 and 97 cars. **Posted by Tim Bruno on CSX Sightings**

this train terminates in Framingham, MA and tomorrow, 8/12, if everything goes to plan, these units will head West out of Framingham on Q437. They are on duty @ 10:30am last I heard

Center of town in Chatham is approx MP177, but there's a controlled siding between 176.5 & 171.8 and sometimes eastbounds can hold there for quite a while. (I've held there for 2 to 3 hours before). Also, Q436 is usually a heavy train and it most likely won't do track speed because from 182 to 164 it's all up-hill, although some parts aren't very steep. Then from State Line to MP157 it is steep, plus of course up the mountain from Pittsfield to Hinsdale is always a struggle. Also, there's always the chance of getting held at Chester or CP-123 for westbounds, or @ CP-92 in Wilbraham for eastbounds.

I was able to get a look at the shiny new units on Q437 8/12. They looked good. Took a lot of photos, I'll post them on NERAIL sometime soon

Can someone please tell me the timetable of trains running through Canaan, NY (State Line Tunnel and vicinity) EB and WB? I live out here during the summer months and there seems to be many more trains in the middle of the night than during the day.

-Dan

Can someone please tell me the timetable of trains running through Canaan, NY (State Line Tunnel and vicinity) EB and WB? I live out here during the summer months and there seems to be many more trains in the middle of the night than during the day.

Look at the earlier postings in this thread for arrivals at and departures from Beacon Park, Boston and add ~4-6 hours for the wb trains and subtract 4-6 hours for the eb trains. Of course this doesn't include the trains to/from PAR at Worcester.

For Canaan, at least on a Saturday, you should see a parade or 3-4 eastbounds between 5 and 9am usually with Q436 (general freight), Q116 (trailers/doublestacks), Q168 (UPS), and Q264 (autos) among them. Westbound Q113 (stacks) seems reliable about running through between 6 and 7, and Q119 (UPS) between 9 and 10 when it's on time. Both of these are intermodal trains. Westbound Q421 (GF with grey trash cars on the head end) and Q293 (construction debris hoppers and autoracks) sometimes follow or even precede Q119, but lately (in my experience) they have both run together later in the morning, probably reaching Canaan between 11am and 12:30pm. Q426 and Q425 (GF) should both be through east and west between 1 and 2pm. Whenever the westbound Amtrak shows up, it should have Q437 and/or Q427 (both GF) following it. Q283 (westbound autoracks) is hard to pin down since it seems to run at any hour of the day but expect it between 12 and 3. Later in the afternoon you should see Q420 east and maybe Q423 if it's running early enough. Q114, Q115, Q117, Q140, L170 (Thursdays only), Q422, and Q424 all usually run at night. Hope this helps.

Greetings,

I have recently captured footage of CSX 900 & 901 (Lead and Trailing respectively) in Framingham and thought for a moment that these were brand new. E.g., were these just recently painted?

Thank you,

Lyman

Lyman wrote:Greetings,

I have recently captured footage of CSX 900 & 901 (Lead and Trailing respectively) in Framingham and thought for a moment that these were brand new. E.g., were these just recently painted?
Thank you,
Lyman

they are brand new. They were built last month, July 2008

if Q437 follows the LSL out of Framingham, what time is he usually through Palmer, MA on a good day? what time is the LSL through Palmer, MA?

When I was out in Palmer, LSL came around 2:00 but be there around 1:30. 10 to 15 minutes after the LSL Q437 came through. I saw Q437 with 2 AC6000CWs and 1 GP40-2.

Just FYI, Q437 isn't always hot on 449's tail. Depoending on eastbound traffic it could be held @ CP48, CP60 or CP83 in Palmer. If it's gonna hold at 83, most engineers choose to hold east around the curve so that their cab signals won't drop to Restricting. This is because if they enter the last block and receive a Restricting indication in the cab once the signal goes up the rule requires the train to run a train length at Restricted Speed.

F40, another spot you might want to try is where Rte 67 & RTe20 split, go over the bridge over the tracks and turn right, into the Crossroads Tavern. Their parking lot and ballfield is wide open and usually trains are at track speed here, whereas if you're at Palmer they're at 30MPH for the diamond. If you go out to the Springfield Amtrak station in addition to 449 you are likely to catch the eastbound Vermonter as well as maybe the CSO making their shift between West Springfield yard and the Amtrak Springfield Line.

Thanks CSX!

Power for Q264 is new CSXT 909 ES44AH and CEFX 3105
**Posted by Kevin Peck on CSX sightings Yahoo group**

This train is bound for Framingham, MA and if there are no problems, expect this train in Framingham by noon or a bit after