Pioneer Valley Railroad

Interchange track bridge update:

The entire span has been removed and crews are working on the supports in the canal and on the abutments. Looks like there were some serious structural issues.

Photo today 10/17 of bridge removed and work on the piers.
Photo by Charles England.

http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo ... ex=4&key2=" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Bridge update: As of 10/26 the piers in the canal have been capped with new concrete platforms and forms were being built in place to create new abutments on either end of the bridge.

Does anyone know if there are plans to signalize the Cabot St crossing? Currently protected by a couple crossbucks. It's a busy street it would seem to make sense.

I'm curious to see how fast interchange traffic resumes once the bridge is put back in service. After the 2010 redecking it was at least six months before the first train rolled over it.

While there is no doubt that the NSC half of PAS would probably like to expand service on the rehabbed Conn River in Mass, there is some question whether or not PAR desires to deliver it. On the other hand, Pioneer Valley is probably reluctant to get so far in bed with the puzzling PAS that they jeopardize their relationship with CSX. No question that the new connection does offer all of the carriers new possibilities, if they want to take a chance.

Hope the money to rehab the bridge hasn't been spent in vain and will do some good.

Took a spin by the bridge and as of 4pm today 3 of 4 decks were back in place.

The most fortunate short lines are those who have more than one connection to the outside world. Competition is a good thing. It is a good incentive for the Big Railroad to offer good service and rates to the short line.
I seem to remember that the P&W used this to their advantage once they got the use of the Worcester-Gardner line and established an interchange at Gardner.

As reported over in the Pan Am forum the bridge repair looks to be complete. Decks/ties/rails are laid and connected on both ends. I'll keep an eye out down there for any interchange traffic, hopefully we'll see some soon.

Supposedly the first interchange car for the PVR from PAS will be a lumber car arriving very soon.

New customer in Westfield looks to open in 2019. Word is that the reopening of the PAS interchange attracted the company to PVR

https://www.masslive.com/business/2018/ ... ected.html

As of 12/31 there is one loaded lumber car on the Pan Am/PVRR interchange track in Holyoke. Not sure if it's the first one or when it showed up but it's there now. Will be interesting to see how much use it gets going forward. Happy new year!

So it's been close to a year since the interchange was reconnected. What has traffic been like and have there been any additional customers?

Ive only seen lumber cars (loaded and the returning empties) and some scrap gondolas from Sullivans.

While not PVRR/Pan Am interchange traffic Pan Am grabbed a transloading deal with Republic Services of Springfield at the old Holyoke yard. Republic trucks trash containers from their Springfield facility to Holyoke to load them onto flat cars for shipment. Thats the only new customer in Holyoke at this time.

Crews are currently replacing ties on the PVRR adjacent to Lockhouse Road in Westfield.

The Cabot St crossing in Holyoke has been completely rebuilt and modernised. New crossing panels installed along with cantilever lights over the road for both directions. No gates at this time.

Interchange business is steady with PVRR receiving multiple loaded lumber cars for Lowe's from Pan Am every week.