Railfanning the commuter rail operations

Ron Newman wrote:On the Lowell line, the West Medford grade crossing is a good place to see both commuter trains and the Amtrak Downeaster. I think some freight moves through there too, but I'm not sure.

Speaking of West Medford (High Street), I believe that there is still a crossing tender on-duty there, which makes it different from others since this and the one in Wakefield on the Haverhill/Reading Line are the only two left which still have tenders.

There is also a crossing tender at the Gloucester Crossing at Cabot Street in Beverly.
John Collins

I've heard that the photo permits are hard to get. Anyway, no offense to any subway or light rail buffs, but I'm not one for photographing light rail as much as commuter rail and amtrak. NJT's photo permit is easier to get but I still don't like it. Anyway getting back to the T, I have photographed from that park right by North Station. I am definately riding a northside line since I did a southside line the last time. I've heard that the Rockport Line is supposed to be very scenic, especially the drawbridge between Salem and Beverly. It would probably be like riding NJT's North Jersey Coast Line. Waht is the station like in Rockport?

The station in Rockport is nothing special -- some stub tracks next to a small parking lot and a few stores.

It used to be easy to walk all the way from East Cambridge to Charlestown, crossing every track in the yard between. This is probably less true now with Big Dig and other construction, but still worth a try.

Another photo opportunity on the north side I hadn't thought of:

Take the Orange Line to Community College (one stop north of North Station). The exit puts you up onto the Gilmore Bridge (turn right when you get out of the station onto the bridge sidewalk), which is the road bridge across the North Station leads. Its not far from BET, and you can get some shots to the north of the shops and yards there. The one drawback (other than it being a cold spot in the winter) is that there is only a sidewalk on the north side of the bridge, which means all the MBTA trains will have the locomotives facing away from you when you're taking pictures.

Questions about Rockport
1. Can one get a good shot of an entire trainset there.
2. I believe that one can walk to the village from the station? Am I right about that.
I think on the way back from Rockport I will get off in either Bev or Salem and take some pictures before I head back to Boston.

Ok one thing straight... photo permits are not easy to get anymore. you used to be able to go in and pick one up, now you have to put in for one a week in advance, go through screening, pay a fee, and probably more now.

Corey, you're wrong.

The MBTA Photo Permit is easy to get. You send in your application (write to T Customer Service to obtain the application). You can fax it or e-mail it back to the T, and then it gets processed. You usually hear back from the Marketing Dept. within a working week (they say allow up to two weeks). The permit costs NOTHING, it is FREE. It is good SYSTEM WIDE and is valid for ONE MONTH. There was absolutely NO HASSLE to obtain a permit from the T- aside from having to show up on a weekday to claim it. And to erase any doubt, you need a T Photo Permit to take pictures ANYWHERE ON T PROPERTY- this includes light rail, rapid transit, and commuter rail. T property generally refers to platforms and stations, any public non-T areas are fair game.

NJT? They want to photograph and fingerprint you. You are also required to call the NJT Police and let them know a day in advance where you plan to be to take pictures. NTJ easier than MBTA? I don't think so. And I won't debate it here.

-otto-

njt/mnrrbuff wrote:Questions about Rockport
1. Can one get a good shot of an entire trainset there.
2. I believe that one can walk to the village from the station? Am I right about that.
I think on the way back from Rockport I will get off in either Bev or Salem and take some pictures before I head back to Boston.

1. You should. There are parking lots that surround much of the station and layover tracks. Now, on a weekend there will be several trainsets laid up for the weekend in the yard...not sure, but I doubt there will be much there on a weekday midday.

2. Absolutely. From the, take a right on the main road (Railroad Ave). Its the one the Dunkin Donuts is on behind the end of the tracks. Walk down to the big intersection. There, take either the first or second street on the left (Main St. and Broadway, respectively), and follow till you see the harbor. Its a 10-15 minute walk.

I might decide to ride the Old Colony. I was thinking about riding to Kingston and then finding a way to get to Plymouth and heading back to the city of tea. Can one walk between Kingston and Plymouth/Cordage or are there buses running between the two. In addition, I was wondering where I could get good views of Southampton St yard. I remember 5 years ago, my high school marching band went up to march in the St. Patty's day parade and the buses picked us up right on an overpass that gives you a great view of the yard.

Otto Vondrak wrote:NJT? They want to photograph and fingerprint you. You are also required to call the NJT Police and let them know a day in advance where you plan to be to take pictures. NTJ easier than MBTA? I don't think so.

I have to agree with Otto on that one!! I inquired about a photo permit in May of 2004 and never went through with getting one because the woman took 3 days to return calls and she then told me that she needed exact times and locations of where I wanted to take photographs, which as I explained to her, I was going to play it by ear.

njt/mnrrbuff wrote:In addition, I was wondering where I could get good views of Southampton St yard.

The overhead bridge at Southampton Street used to be very good with the Boston skyline in the background, but I never tried it after the electrification so I don't know about the catenary & cat poles taking up some of the shot. Anyway, to get there take the Red Line to "Andrew" when you come out of the station (in the same direction as the buses) you will be out onto Dorchester Ave., turn right and go around the corner passing Dunk'n Donuts on your right, this will be Southampton Street. Walk less than 1/4 mile and the street will go over the Old Colony Line at Fly Interlocking, the Red Line tracks that lead to the Cabot Street shops, and the Amtrak yard lead. If you want there is a sidewalk along the ramp leading towards I-93 North and Widett Circle. This will give you some side shots of the Southampton shops builing which usually has power parked on the side facing I-93. FYI: Widett Circle is a public road which loops the meat market warehouses and is paralel to Amtrak's loop which is used to turn in-bound trains prior to parking them in the yard. (At the opposite end you can get shots of equipment going through the car-wash and moves on the Dorchester Main-Line at Loop Interlocking......all from public property.

It's a short walk from Rockport station to the center of town -- about 7 minutes, I think.

Thanks, Kind of figured that out when I looked at mapquest's website. I will only have 38 minutes there.

I might decide to go to Newburyport. I know for a fact that the station isn't near anything. In addition, I will have thirty minutes on the ground there. Perhaps I might stay on the southside.

Here below is a link to the local bus service in the Plymouth/Kingston area.

Before the Wal*Mart in Cordage Park moved, the busses would stop at the MBTA commuter rail station located just behind the Wal*Mart building. You cold then connect between the Plymouth and Kingston Stations on the bus.

Now, the bus does not go into Cordage Park er,..ah,..now naned "Cordage Commerce Center" However, it is only about a 5 minute walk out to Court Street to Arthur's Restraunt where the bus stops and then heads to the Kingston Station.

http://www.gatra.org/pal.htm


Hope this is clear.

Paul