Mill burns down along P&W

Interesting article on this mill burning down. Although not directly related to railroad operations, it does illustrate the long (and I mean long) history of the P&W.

Was the mill still active? Was it a freight customer? Is it still along an active ROW? Would the fire have impacted rail ops?

Discuss.

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http://www.projo.com/news/content/WOONS ... f6a93.html

Banigan developed a deep insight into the rubber-making process through his visits to rubber plantations in South America and constructed the plant in 1889 at what he saw as an ideal location next to the Providence & Worcester railroad tracks alongside the Blackstone River.

Jeff,

The mill wasn't active; though it had been purchased not too long ago by the American Wood Pellet Co. and could have been a potential new customer. BTW, the building was insured.

The mill is alongside the Providence Main, and MOW crews have been on site evaluting the ROW since yesterday morning. As of this morning, the main was still shut down. Ethanol moves have been via the NEC to/from New London but no general freight.

- Bill

This is the second abandoned mill to burn down along the P&W in the last year......last summer an aboandoned mill outside of the yard in Worcester that was supposed to be converted into the Blackstone Valley Visitor Center on Rte 146 burned to the ground as well....

Thanks for the background; shame such historic buildings are lost. I wouldn't read much into the building being insured, though. As old as some of them are, they must be tinderboxes; the slightest spark would be enough.

One of the mill's walls adjacent to the ROW was deemed unstable and had to be demolished. Normal operations on the Providence Main resumed with PRWO last night. It will be interesting to see what caused the fire - hopefully not mice with matches....

161pw165 wrote:One of the mill's walls adjacent to the ROW was deemed unstable and had to be demolished. Normal operations on the Providence Main resumed with PRWO last night. It will be interesting to see what caused the fire - hopefully not mice with matches....

http://www.myfoxboston.com/dpp/news/loc ... h-20110609

Interesting. Thanks, I hadn't seen that update.

Here's another update: http://woonsocket.patch.com/articles/af ... -to-owners

With the owners of American Wood Pellet, a green energy company that bought the property last December, prepared to move forward with rebuilding, Wojcik foresees few struggles on the road to recovery. Prior to the fire, Wojcik was working with representatives from Providence and Worcester Railroad to secure cargo shipping of AWP's future supplies.

Good to see they are going to rebuild AND that P&W gets a new customer.