Pioneer Valley Railroad

superwarp1 wrote:I doubt very much it's for the public. Must be for local businessmen and politicians

No kidding. But idk about you, its hard to make a CF-7 invisible.

superwarp1 wrote:I doubt very much it's for the public. Must be for local businessmen and politicians

It's actually a fund raiser for the Shelburne Falls Trolley Museum and is totally sold out. http://sftm.org/events.shtml#fantrip

No way, I've always been told by the PVR people due to insurance reasons we can't run any excursions. Way cool

They do one every year to the Holyoke carousel with a train all decked out in lights.

I used to drill at the PVRR when I was with the 226th Transportation Co. (Railway Operating), USAR, Westover ARB. That was a nice gig while it lasted. Those of us that formed the training cadre at the PVRR would report directly to Westfield, hold formation, and call in our personnel status to the company hqs. The PVRR was (is?) very
accomodating; it was a wonderful relationship. That was more than eight years ago, and I've been out of touch, but I understand that the 226 is currently going through the process of inactivation. Maybe someone can give me an update?

I used to know when the diamond was taken out. Maybe ten-twelve years ago? PVRR had only one customer south of the diamond and it just wasn't cost effective; as I understand it, PVRR had to share maintenance costs on the diamond.

kevin.brackney wrote:odating; it was a wonderful relationship. That was more than eight years ago, and I've been out of touch, but I understand that the 226 is currently going through the process of inactivation. Maybe someone can give me an update?

Last I knew, most of the tracks at Westover are gone. And all of the tracks running into the base were taken out at the beginning of the fall.

The diamond was taken out in 1997.

We only had one move on Westover that I'm aware of: The 226 was able to arrange to have one of our locomotives delivered onto the base for the air show. That was in 2000. I never believed we would be able to conduct future rail operations on Westover after that anyway. At that time the 226 had already established a contract with the PVRR.

I found this one photo on NERail. Says it was taken in 1999. I can't be sure, but it looks like the locos say US Army. And I don't believe the PVRR ever had any low hood GP's. So Previous to 2000 they must have had some sort of ops at Westover. Oh to have been as much of a railfan then... I live like 3 miles from the base *sigh*

http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?20001" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... ODE=&POYE=

If I remember correctly, the big deal breaker was Guilford; not being able to connect from the PVRR to Westover at Holyoke killed whatever ambitions the 226 may have had operating on Westover on a regular basis. The 226 maintained two GP(10?)s at Westfield that were stored outside, usually on the stub track that was once the main track across the diamond.

New PVRR pics:

http://photos.greatrails.net/show/?orde ... =1&key=660" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They have a new loco that is not a CF7:

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=232943" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"Pioneer Valley Railroad, DCP Midstream Terminal, get state grant to expand gas capacity -
The Pioneer Valley Railroad and DCP Midstream Terminal, a natural gas distributor in Westfield, have received a $150,000 Massachusetts Department of Transportation freight rail infrastructure grant to increase capacity in Westfield."

http://www.masslive.com/business-news/index.ssf/2016/09/pioneer_valley_railroad_gets_grant_to_ex.html

Caught PV1 and PV2 today. PV2 had the 7031 and worked Holyoke today. PV1 had the 2647 and worked the Easthampton Branch. Lots of work going on just north of Westfield yard. New tracks being laid.

I'm amazed to see that the old New Haven RR semaphore that served as the distant signal for the Westfield diamond is still standing.

Until a few years ago a similar signal stood on the Holyoke & Westfield line - believe it was removed when a spur was built.