Lowell Hill Branch, Lawrence MA

I'm sure you've all seen pictures of this branch? Its really cool, true freight train street running, for a couple of hundred feet at least. Anyway, does anyone know how often the business at the current end of this branch gets cars? And maybe what time of day they usually get around to switching them? I would LOVE to witness this in person!

Last I knew there were three consignees on the Lowell Hill. LA-1 goes up there a couple of times a week, but not on a regular schedule, it could be any weekday, usually in the morning.

I visit my sister who lives nearby. Don't think that it's strictly street running, ie., down the middle of the street. It runs a couple of hundred feet along the edge of the payment.

I'm curious about this branch, too, since it doesn't seem to appear on many maps. Who are the 3 consignees?

One is Noveon

Its a really cool branch. It actually does run down the middle of the street for a little ways, then it s-curves over to the shoulder, then up across i think its a fire station's drive way. Its very cool, i'd love to see it in action. There are lots of pictures on nerail of this branch.

Ive seen parts of the branch when driving down Rt 28 (Broadway) even off the beaten path on a side street in Lawrence, we passed under a tressle, i know for sure it wasn't the CR line, must have been the Lawrence Branch i guess?

hehe
I saw it today
Pretty neat
It does run down the middle for a short ways as 1008 said
i saws 3 hoppers although didnt take down the industries name
Maybe i'll contact guilford and see if they can give me an idea when they will run(i know Guilford doesnt let out a lot of info...)

Guilford Guy wrote:Maybe i'll contact guilford and see if they can give me an idea when they will run

Why bother? They'll probably either hang up on you or accuse you of being a terrorist.

They run 3 or 4 cars down at least two times a week. If you want more info on times and days, you would be better off asking the tire shop guys near the South Broadway crossing. The tracks almost run through their parking lot and usually they have to move a car or two that's parked too close to the tracks , they might tell you more then the RR would. I believe it's during the weekdays and usually betwen 10am and 1:00pm.

l008com wrote:I'm sure you've all seen pictures of this branch? Its really cool, true freight train street running, for a couple of hundred feet at least. Anyway, does anyone know how often the business at the current end of this branch gets cars? And maybe what time of day they usually get around to switching them? I would LOVE to witness this in person!

Is this still active?, if i may be correct, dosn't it connect into the GRS/MBTA Mainline just past the passenger station?

Did this ever connect to that line where you can still see the tracks next to that closed down mill? I know there is an old trestle ober there to by the mill area.

It used to run behind FA tower, now long gone. I used to hang out there as a kid, and even then, this branch was rickety. FA tower stood behind the tire shop on Broadway, about 300-400 feet north of Andover St., hence the CP designation of today: AS.

Wasn't this a former Boston and Lowell line? I think that I read that the B&L wanted to invade B&M territory in Lawrence, and B&M wanted to invade B&L territory in Lowell. After consoidation, the B&M Lowell branch was prefered. The B&L line is now just a small branch, the Lowell Hill.

Reading about the street trackage on this branch reminds me of some more well known street trackage I am familiar with in Garfield, New Jersey. I am referring to the Munroe Street trackage of the New York & Greenwood Lake. Anyway, getting back to the subject of this thread, I would like to view the photos of the Lowell Hill branch street trackage on NERAIL. What search string will bring me to it? Thanks in advance