Pictures and the Boston & Albany mainline

It is very surprising you saw more WB's than EB's. I've spent 3 or 4 days recently out in the Charlton area and each time have seen at least 3-4 EB movements between 8-11:00 AM. Granted it was later in the week, but still strange. I guess it really is hit or miss!!

One thing nice about being West of Springfield is that there's the Selkirk/W Springfield Q trains that you obviously don't see East of Springfield.

Good luck!

roberttosh wrote:One thing nice about being West of Springfield is that there's the Selkirk/W Springfield Q trains that you obviously don't see East of Springfield.

Good luck!

There's only one West Springfield to Selkirk (Q425) which runs Monday-Saturday and only one eastbound out of Selkirk to West Springfield (Q424), which runs at night.


MBTAF40:
The local you saw @ Palmer was B740 out of West Springfield.

The van train westbound would be Q119.

CSX Conductor wrote:

roberttosh wrote:One thing nice about being West of Springfield is that there's the Selkirk/W Springfield Q trains that you obviously don't see East of Springfield.

Good luck!

There's only one West Springfield to Selkirk (Q425) which runs Monday-Saturday and only one eastbound out of Selkirk to West Springfield (Q424), which runs at night.

I was referring to the EB and WB counterpart, not two WB's.

roberttosh wrote:I was referring to the EB and WB counterpart, not two WB's.

I clearly stated Q425 & Q424 are the west & east bound counterparts.

CSX Conductor wrote:

roberttosh wrote:I was referring to the EB and WB counterpart, not two WB's.

I clearly stated Q425 & Q424 are the west & east bound counterparts.

I realize that, I was just explaining that I knew there wasn't two Selkirk to W Springfield trains which it seemed you were insinuating I had said.

It may make it easier for parking to photograph trains on the double grade crossings listed above.......the other night I saw that large concrete blocks have been placed by Bridge Street crossing blocking the little road parallel to the tracks on the south side. This was probably done to reduce the numer of idiots that try to beat the westbound trains at the First Street crossing.

i saw this photo of CP57 on NERAIL:

http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?20050 ... 435760.jpg

i notice that tracks and the interlocking are getting worked on, the signals look new, is this when CONRAIL removed the second track on the B&A?

Speaking of your ventures on the B&A, when ya gonna post the pics from Framingham a few weeks ago, eh? lol

Single-tracking of the B&A took place from approximately 1985 to 1988 and proceeded from east to west. The photo in the link provided by MBTA F40PH-2 1050 shows CP 57 shortly after it was cut in. A short time later, a "transition" was made beneath the Rt. 131 bridge in Charlton depot, which shifted the single main from track one coming away from CP 57 over to the old track 2 main. Track 2 is the single main for about two miles east, then shifts back to the old track 1 and remains there all the way to CP 48/Jamesville.
There are a number of other "transitions" scattered around which were made necessary because both of the old main tracks did not have CWR, and ConRail wanted the single main to be on CWR. The most obvious transition, since it is in the middle of a tangent, is in North Wilbraham, around MP 90. Most of the rest are "hidden" in curves. Some examples are; both sides of State Line tunnels and the first curve east of CP 123.

Hey guys, just wanted to through this out there, but I am going to try and hit up the B&A mainline either at Palmer or West Springfield sometime next week. I learned from my last mistake and I am going to go sometime later in the week. If it becomes another miss, it will probably be my last trip out west haha

Good luck with the adventure. Another good spot would be the Amtrak station in Springfield as you might catch the CSO coming off the Amtrak Springfield Line to shove over to West Springfield yard or the other way. Also, you might cath the Amtrak Vermonters (usually the East/Northound is held at Springfield for the crew of the West/Southbound), as well as the Amtrak cab cars used on the Springfield Line Shuttles.

Thanks CSX, I haven't decided yet, but I looked at drive times for Springfield, and I might just head over there. At least I will have the Amtrak action and not watch the grass grow in Palmer. What time should I arrive at Springfield? The first EB's usually go through at what time? Also, is the Springfield station area a safe place to be in the early morning? and could I run into any problems with R.R. police?

Shame about the miss in Palmer. My last day there wasn't that spectacular either, but then I didn't seek the expertise of the fine folks in this forum beforehand.

That's why I stick to B725 in the morning-it's close to home, always on time, and usually has something new on it.