Fore River Transportation (FRVT) / Braintree Yard

firemedic2932 wrote:There is a daily (except weekend) train to the interchange with CSX @ East Braintree yard that usually follows the 11 AM northbound Greenbush train (080 I think). Look for them holding the siding under Middle St. They work the yard for a couple of hours and return mid day to the shipyard and can be seen switching out Fore River Technologies under the Fore River Bridge usually between 1-4 PM. The shipyard is heavily patrolled, but a few shots are available around the USS Salem and on East Howard St. One of the best spots is accessed off of Bower Rd which is the first R after crossing Quincy Ave heading away from the shipyard on Howard St. There is a parking lot for a function hall there, and the tracks run past Eatons Pond through an old quarry. This makes for a good AM shot on their trip to East Braintree yard usually around 1030-1100. CSX runs whenever it seems to East Braintree but as a rule MWF and arrive around 1230.

I haven't checked this thread for a while (and I haven't actually gone out to get shots yet). Is the above still true?

http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPictur ... id=2480911
number 18 S4 has been scrapped.
This is not my shot but I posted it since i found it ironic that the loco scrapped is the loco on their sign.

Seems there's been an awful lot of S4's scrapped in Mass in the last couple of years......
Is the other Alco in line for scrapping? I know one of these belongs(ed) to the RR museum in Fall Riv.

If Memory serves correct this was the loco that was surposed to go to the Old Colony adn Fallriver RR Museum. how ever they could not get it moved form quincy to Fall Riverbecause of the
"T. a shame to see this engine go this way....

It's not the T's fault. CSX would not move it due to the friction bearing trucks, which is the same reason why the Grafton and Upton's Alco switcher could not be moved and had to be scrapped on property. If CSX wanted to do the move, the T can't care less and would let them do it.

FRVT #17 is still around (for now) but not running.

Not sure if this is the current schedule as CSX now runs up to Braintree at night and a rush to get to S Braintree to swap cars with CSX in the AM is not paramount. Have seen them switching during the mid morning at South Braintree yard, so it seems to be similar. They are usually switching the yards in the shipyard in the afternoon still. Quirk tore down a couple of the older buildings along Howard St so a couple of different angles have opened up. Sad to see the S4 scrapped, I imagine these units were great in the shipyard in their day instead of bigger power. Incidentally both GE's are back up and running. The GP 38 is now the back up power again after 101 was out most of the winter in the shop.

So, when do you think would be a good time to go to Braintree Yard? Also, will they be running on Monday? (I have that day off)

Not sure about Monday. I followed them this AM from Twin River Technologies in Quincy under the Fore River Bridge where their Trackmobile pushed out a small cut of cars to meet them in front of the USS Salem at around 0945. Not sure if this is the usual practice or not as I have seen a GE in Fore River's trackage before switching. After some switching in the yard next to BlueFin Robotics, they headed out to Greenbush with a measly two car train and 101 leading around 1000. Met them again at the Shipyard Main and watched them pull up to wait for T clearance to get off of the Greenbush to access S Braintree. I would assume between 1030-1100 at South Braintree.

Thanks. I'll head down and see if I can see them. If all else fails, I can shoot them out the window of the red line

Are there places that I can get to via public transportation to catch them? (I don't drive)

Not argue the point about who was prohibiting the move, but I was told by a very high ranking member of the museum that it was the "T" preventing the move, not CSX. CSX was going to move it as a special move, bit the "T" would not allow it.....


As for Bus service, there is a MBTA bus that runs parts of the route, including down to Howard St


Capt Bill

I don't see why the T wouldn't allow the move. Seeing how CSX refused to move the Grafton and Upton's switcher, I highly doubt that CSX would move it even if the T gave it the go-ahead.

Anyway, I'm not going to go tomorrow. It just occurred to me that tomorrow is a holiday, and FRVT, being owned by the MWRA, probably won't be running tomorrow since all government offices/entities are closed.

If I'm not too busy on Thursday, I'll go then.

CSX and NS (and the rest of the Class Is) will not move friction bearing trucked locomotives or rail cars in a regular train. And now any locmoitve without alignment control couplers / draft gear cannot be moved either.

The old ALCOs mentioned have friction bearing trucks and non-alignment control couplers. You could convert the trucks to roller bearing, and you could change out the draft gear, or weld wings to them, but on the old ALCO units you would have to do an extensive amount of work and change the coupler pockets out as well - $$$.

The units could be trucked out for $$$, or modified for $$$, or moved in a very costly $$$ special move. If I recall properly, that they will not move friction bearing equipment even in a special move. And that move would most likely be at a restricted speed due to the friction bearings.

My speculation is that CSX would not move the unit based on CSX operating protocol. If the T had any say in it, it would be because the T owns the tracks being operated over.

Sadly, ALCO or not the costs involved in the move probably exceeded the scrap value and hence their fate was sealed. Fore River 18 was privately owned by a museum or historical group from what I have heard.

I know this is an old forum, but I've been working at the shipyard for the past couple months (putting in a diesel fuel tank for Quirk Ford). The railroad really interested me, and that's how I found this site.

Reading this forum, I figured I'd let ya'll know, the security there is kind of lax. I would pull up in my personal vehicle wearing a white tshirt and my john deer hat, told them I was working for Quirk, and they let me through.

Not trying to condone tresspassing or anything, but I know you guys just wanna get a closer look. It is pretty cool seeing the engine go back and forth jockeying the rail cars all day.

A few years ago I did roof repairs on the buildings in there, the rail activity has gone down since then. They still operate all day every day, but I can tell a few sections of rail arent used anymore.

Hope this helps!

-Bob

Has anyone been down here recently?

It really is a interesting little short line.

Drove by the shipyard today and noticed a ship docked with wind turbine parts. They appeared to be unloading them and staging them next to the yard on the Sterling Equipment property. Not sure where these are heading, but given that Jay Cashman owns the whole and has a couple of wind turbine projects throughout the Northeast, am curious if any of these are destined to be shipped by rail. No flatcars noted on property. Rail wise, not a lot happening at 0930 on a Wednesday. Run to S. Braintree usually is around 1100-1200.

Brian