Grafton & Upton Railroad (G&U) Discussion

Is there a known date when the G&U will begin running to Bluelinx and Garelick farms via the Milford connection?

February 1st. Article in the Millbury Newspaper today.

here is an article in yesterday's [ 1/ 27] milford daily news.

https://www.milforddailynews.com/story/ ... 279845001/

...when will the G&U get overhead rights to the Walpole Yard from Milford & Franklin? Now that they are interfacing freight traffic with the Milford Yard? Get approval from the MBTA, etc? More power to the little guy, G&U...go get’m...

Why would they ever need them (rights to Walpole)? The whole point (as far as CSX is concerned) of having the G&U serve the line between Milford and Franklin is to eliminate the need for CSX to serve those customers from Walpole, and eliminate Walpole as a location they need to be concerned with other than passing through it. There aren't any customers between Walpole and Franklin, nor are there likely to ever be any going forward. All of the cars that used to get dropped in Walpole for a local crew will now be dropped in North Grafton for the G&U.

Would they drop them in N Grafton or in some future yard in Milford/Franklin? Seems like the N Grafton terminus is quite busy these days. If they have a second yard at Milford/Franklin they could effectively have two trains running a day. One N Grafton to Upton and another Franklin to Hopedale. That would seem to make most sense to me, but then again the only railroading I’ve done is HO gauge

G&U reports to the STB that an agreement has been reached with the Town of Hopedale (as reported on this forum a few posts earlier)

...GU and the Town have participated in a mediation followed by discussions concerning the resolution of the issues described in the Verified Petition for Declaratory Order filed by GU with the Board on November 23, 2020. These issues include matters raised by the Town in the litigation it has filed in the Land Court in Massachusetts and the preemption issues raised by GU in the Verified Petition.

Earlier this week, GU and the Town reached an agreement in principle that would resolve all of the issues between them. The parties are in the process of drafting documentation to memorialize the terms of the settlement agreement...

G&U is requesting a further abeyance of this matter until 2/24/21 by which time the agreement with Hopedale should be finalized and the Mass Land Court case should be dismissed.

Progress!

SkiScorcher88 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 28, 2021 8:16 pm Would they drop them in N Grafton or in some future yard in Milford/Franklin? Seems like the N Grafton terminus is quite busy these days. If they have a second yard at Milford/Franklin they could effectively have two trains running a day. One N Grafton to Upton and another Franklin to Hopedale. That would seem to make most sense to me, but then again the only railroading I’ve done is HO gauge

Since nobody other than the G&U would be picking things up in Franklin (CSX isn't going to interchange cars with them at both ends - there's nothing to gain from it), they're unlikely to do that. There are enough places to have one train pass another that if they decide they need to have two crews working at the same time (and have the power to run two trains at the same time) that they won't have a problem with it, even if they're both based out of North Grafton.

article in the milford daily news:

https://www.milforddailynews.com/story/ ... 300582001/

Unreadable - Paywall.

I could open the article; perhaps there is a limit on the number of free views/month?

This has always been a dream of Mr Priscoli to run all the way to Franklin. How would he have known that CSX would be willing to relinquish this business? Article implies the line was shut down when only the connection with the G&U was moribund. 10MPH (2-3 hour round-trip) is fine, it's safer. He is setting unrealistic expectations - if the railroad becomes busy or has a busy period, they will need to increase speed and people will be like "you said you were only going to run 10MPH, now you want to go 25MPH and will squish our babies" Dairy Farmers of America was required to divest the Garelick plant & distribution, but they couldn't find any buyers as it is "unprofitable" and "partially distressed", so they get to keep it. Plastic pellets are normal cargo, the lumber must be for expansion now that ownership has been resolved. Unclear if the option to purchase the land under the plant has been exercised.https://www.justice.gov/atr/case-docume ... 6/download

Motion for dismissal with STB: https://dcms-external.s3.amazonaws.com/ ... 301631.pdf

GP40MC1118 wrote: ↑Tue Jan 26, 2021 11:46 am John - You are correct on it starting life as a MP GP50. I got tripped up by UP 2107 versus UPY 2107! 2107
MP20B-3 Ex-UPY 2107, UP GP50 (1662), UP GP50 964, MP GP50 3504 BN: 797322-5 BN: 11/80
Notes: Wore UP Yellow as MP 3504. Renumbered 1/17/92 to 964. Planned renumbered to 1662 not completed.
Retired 9/30/04. Retired 8/25/06 "core" unit for MPI MP20B-3 Project. Released MPI 10/10/06 as UPY 2107.
UP designation is MP20GP.

Also understand that both units are here for PTC installations, then headed to Metro-North

Haven't heard about this; Metro North?

Jeff Smith wrote: ↑Wed Feb 17, 2021 3:15 pmMotion for dismissal with STB: https://dcms-external.s3.amazonaws.com/ ... 301631.pdf

My question, can you operate a railroad and a rail yard without eventually contaminating the groundwater below? It seems like all rail yards are contaminated. Therefore you can't safely locate town wells near rail yards or rail yards above aquifers.