Fitchburg Line Upgrade Discussion

Following up on my photos and videos from the cab of the first revenue train 410 Wachusett to Fitchburg (https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B045p3ichG3jl4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) here are my shots of the new layover facility in Westminster:

https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B04Jq4WnLJKHiBz" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

As you'll see, I've annotated each photo and video with details such as the direction I was facing (east / west) and the yard track numbers, etc.

This should be a useful aid to Keolis folks who have yet to qualify on the layover. The official Keolis physical characteristics track charts were my reference for all the track numbers and other details, and I've vetted my notes with the guru who maintains that official physical characteristics book.

Please do share this with anyone and everyone! Also feel free to PM me with questions!

Here's a sample photo:

Great photos! LED street lights? What features are there? Ground power I assume.

Ground power: yes. In the shot facing west towards the bunters you can see the hookups between each pair of tracks. They are green cases with red connectors on the face. The amount of electric power that was brought in to the facility is amazing. One of the electrical vaults next to the crew office is bigger than a cargo container. I didn't notice if the lighting is all or some LED, but I'd be surprised if it was not.

There are _lots_ of security cameras around the yard. Probably more than a dozen at that time, and it seemed like there would be more added later.

The switch heaters will all be electric. In my shots you can see (if you look closely) the conduits poking up out of the ballast near the switch stands. Also the electrical switchgear for the heaters are the green cases along the south fence of the yard.

Another nice touch is the open-grate walkway that starts opposite the frog for track 6/5. It runs east along the south edge of the yard lead up to the gate. Because that walkway is open grating, and because it's cantilevered out about 8' above the surrounding land, I presume the idea is that snow will fall through the grate. I could be wrong but I think the idea is to avoid plowing / snowblowing a path to the yard gate. It's probably 500' from the eastern-most switch to the yard gate so that's a long way to have to go to move snow to get to the gate just twice a day.

I only skimmed the last few pages of forum discussion of the Fitchburg line upgrade so I may have missed it but I'm guessing the Westminster layover facility work must be sufficiently complete to permit MBTA train occupancy prior to the new schedule going into effect in two weeks time on 11/21/16? IOW, MBTA won't do temporary shuttling of equipment from East Fitchburg to/from Wachusett, correct? I stopped by this past Friday and there was a bunch of work going on at the facility (including landscaping!). Also, it looked like there was track work happening on the PAS track at Wachusett (eg, field welding?). Only two cars in the Wachusett parking lot. That should improve once a robust commute schedule is implemented (I hope),

On the Nerail photos site there are two photos of historical pictures at the new Wachusett station. Although they are interesting I don't think they are related to the area where the station is. They are related to the construction of the water system now managed by the MWRA which is maybe 20 miles away?I'll post a link maybe Mr. Barlow can post the pictures directly.

http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo ... ex=2&key2=" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo ... ex=2&key2=" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Correct, that's the Wachusett Dam, related only by name. After relocation during construction (its original ROW was to be flooded), the Central Mass ran over a giant trestle and a smaller arch bridge next to the dam.

A uniting thread is nearby Mount Wachusett, name-source of the station to the north and whose southern slopes drain into tributaries of the Wachusett Reservoir.

Shuttle buses this weekend between West Concord and North Station due to signal work in Waltham and culvert replacement in Weston:

This Weekend: Shuttle buses will replace Fitchburg Line train service between West Concord and North Station on Saturday, November 12 and Sunday, November 13, due to signal work in Waltham and culvert replacement in Weston.

Fitchburg Line service will be suspended from start to end of service between West Concord and North Station on Saturday, November 12, and Sunday, November 13, due to signal modification in Waltham and culvert replacement in Weston.

Inbound Fitchburg Line service will terminate at West Concord Station where passengers can connect with shuttle buses for all remaining stops to North Station. Passengers desiring outbound Fitchburg Line service from North Station must board shuttle buses to West Concord for Commuter Rail connection.

Shuttle buses will also depart from North Station to Brandeis/Roberts, Kendall Green, Lincoln, and Concord Stations. Passengers desiring outbound Fitchburg Line service from any station between Porter Square and Concord must board a shuttle bus to West Concord for Commuter Rail connection.

Bicycles will not be permitted on shuttle buses. Passengers should allow additional travel time anticipating delays of approximately 25 minutes.

There will be no direct shuttle bus connection between North Station and Waltham. Passengers should utilize the following MBTA bus routes to a Red Line subway connection:

Porter Square: Red Line
Belmont Center: Routes 74 & 75 Harvard Square, Belmont Center
Waverly: Route 73, Harvard Square, Waverly Square
Waltham: Routes 70/70A, University Park or Central Square, Cedarwood or North Waltham.

All trains will be affected.

The following stations will be affected:
West Concord
Concord
Lincoln
Kendall Green
Brandeis/Roberts
Waltham
Waverly
Belmont
Porter Square
North Station

Last Updated: 10/31/2016 4:43:13 PM

A rebuilt mainline, yet a culvert replacement is needed!

D

StefanW wrote:Following up on my photos and videos from the cab of the first revenue train 410 Wachusett to Fitchburg (https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B045p3ichG3jl4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) here are my shots of the new layover facility in Westminster:
https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B04Jq4WnLJKHiBz" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

For my final round of covering the Fitchburg-to-Westminster extension, here's my photos along the main line from the Fitchburg Station west to the layover yard lead at Westminster:

https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B04G1CvrSGiCxB3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

As noted, these were taken Sept. 30 2016 on the first day of (limited) revenue service. Hopefully by now (mid-November) the track 2 over Nashua River 49.65 is back in service - or at least the use of track 2 up to the CPF-330 crossover. If not I'm worried about competition with freight for track 1 CPF-333 to 330.

Culvert replacement is just west of the Silver Hill stop. I did not know it was happening until I crossed over the tracks on Merriam Street about 40 minutes ago and took my usual look for trains. There is a BIG pile of dirt covering both tracks! The contractor is LMH, and has a couple cranes on the tracks and one at the Silver Hill stop's so-called parking lot. There are also a couple sections of pre-fab track lying on the tracks.

There's parking on Silver Hill Road which parallels the tracks briefly (several LMH trucks are there). I watched from the bridge and got a couple of photos with my daughter's camera, though I've no idea how they turned out (I was holding the camera over my head to get it above the chain link fence!). I drove along Silver Hill Road to see if I could get a better view, but it's all houses and private property along there. Best view is from the bridge, which has a walkway, so there's no problem with passing cars.

One of the cranes is below grade level! I asked a worker and he said that they were down 30 feet replacing the culvert.

Gary

Edit: I just noticed that this post's time is 2:28 pm, which is EDT - I posted at 1:28 EST.

Go into the UCP and uncheck the DST box,then hit the Apply button,then all all your posting times will revert to EST time zone.

Got it (UCP > Board Preferences) - thank you!

Gary

The new layover will not open this coming week. East Fitchburg facility has a new lease on life for the time being. This should not have an effect on the service.