Rockingham Racer wrote: Can someone knowledgeable tell me if the lead to the auto facility comes off the controlled siding, or the main? North side? South side?
The switch for the East Brookfield & Spencer Railroad is a trailing point switch when headin west, off of the Controlled Siding, which is the northern of the two tracks. Prior to the development of the auto site (and elimination of quite a few union postions thanks to the scabs)and CP-60, the northern track was the Main and the southern of the two was the Controlled Siding. After the implementation of the auto site and CP-60 the two were reversed name-wise.
Rockingham Racer wrote:How is that operation going these days? Still fouling the main?
It still isn't working as well as they planned. The company's dream was that East Brookfield would be able to handle as much volume as both the CP Yard in Holliston/Framingham and the Westborough facility, but it is far from being able to keep up. As for size it is bigger in every aspect except for one of the most important, unloading areas. The EB&S only has 5, maybe 6 tracks for it's unloading facility, and I believe they can only fit about 6 racks per track. Westborough was 6 tracks, but could hold about 10 to 12 racks per track. CP Yard had only 4 tracks but each could hold about 10 racks per track. There were also 2 other tracks that could be used in the CP Yard if needed.
Rockingham Racer wrote:Also, K295: is that garbage from Boston?
From what I have seen in the computer, K295 is not a regular train, but to answer your question, yes it is a trash train which originates in Beacon Park. Supposedly the people who do the trash at Beacon Park approached CSX a couple years ago and tried to get the railroad to give them a dedicated train six or seven days a week, but the powers at be didn't want to. Instead the trash continued to be put on Q421. The trash/recycling market is one of the biggest money makers nowadays, perhaps the decision makers at CSXT will realize that it may be worth giving the trash guy his own train (and maybe pick-up the trash out of West Springfield also).