Yard 21 - Somerville

GP40MC1118 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 15, 2020 11:28 pm 3rd Iron is along the retaining wall, the 4th Iron is next to the Orange Line

Thank you.

Was there ever a number 1 or number 2 track for the yard 21 leads?

Maybe long ago (like before the Orange Line), I only knew them as the 3rd & 4th Irons.

D

Work continued this week with two front end loaders removing and scooping up dirt, rock, old ties, etc. One long track still remains next to the "orange line" tracks to about the Cambridge St bridge.

Saw a rail train parked at the end of the old Saugus branch last night.

I'm assuming the rail is probably for the yard 21 leads.

I have seen no work as of yet to repair the compromised retaining wall. Are there any plans to fix this while they work on the track or are they leaving it as is for now?

I passed through Sullivan Square yesterday. There's a wooden form positioned against the retaining wall for pouring new concrete, though I couldn't tell you if they've already done the pour.

On my way home yesterday afternoon (2/11) a single track was being put down including a bumper at the very far end that use to lead into Yard 21.

Today on the way home from work the laying of a single track continues and is all the way up to about the middle of the Sullivan MBTA station. The track is being put down next to the fence along the Orange line. There was also trucks doing grading and leveling work on the other side of the new track.

It looks like they used concrete railroad ties. Can anyone confirmed?

RenegadeMonster wrote: ↑Thu Feb 20, 2020 1:13 pm It looks like they used concrete railroad ties. Can anyone confirmed?

I can confirm that they are concrete. Looks like they are recycled.

Maybe they use some 140 lb rail!

The correct term is "re-laid" but yes they are concrete and they came out of the Lowell Line, which had a small segment of concrete ties in the area where GLX is rebuilding the line. They'll last a considerable amount of time in a yard track.

A switch is now being installed at the northern end of the Yard 21 track. With a single track stub that would hold at least one locomotive for running around. If the Orange Line has a slow order going south I should be able to get a picture.

Track work continues in the north part. The switch is done and the 2nd track has been re-laid up to about the Mystic Ave bridge. No progress on the track next to the Orange line in the past week. Regarding the single track stub at the north end it is about 250 feet long and could hold three engines.

I was out and about, with the proper PPE, and I got some pictures of the status of the Yard 21 lead from a SB Orange Line train.

Both tracks in place.

Incomplete 3rd track.

At the north end of the of the Yard 21 leads:



Luckily got a new Orange Line car coming and going so the windows weren't scratched up.