Fun at Mansfield This Morning

The interlocking just south of Mansfield froze this morning. Not surprising, since it's used for only one regularly scheduled passenger run per day. (Freights sometimes turn here too).

So 831/832 couldn't turn, and it was sent to Attleboro to reverse course. Behind it, 803 outbound and the 7:20 Acela to New York were stacked up waiting to clear Mansfield southbound. When the Acela finally went by Mansfield station, it did so at about 10mph, compared to its usual 150!

On the inbound side, passengers for 832, 806, and 808 were all waiting for 806 when it finally showed up at 8:15am, 35 minutes late. The Amtrak Regional which preceded it northbound sent a loaded platform-full of commuters reeling backwards when it blasted through. Fortunately some of us know the difference between an Amtrak electric and an MBTA diesel, and were able to warn our shivering neighbors to back away!

did u happen to notice if the CSX freight was working the Mansfield yard today?

It was tough to see -- my glasses were frosted over

MBTA F40PH-2C 1050 wrote:did u happen to notice if the CSX freight was working the Mansfield yard today?

B735 didn't work at all today.....both engines were dead when the crew reported for work in Walpole.

I believe B710 was to go engine lite from Readville to Mansfield to break-up track in the industrial tracks.

The 832 (7:21am inbound local) from Mansfield was cancelled again this morning. So two trainload's of commuters waited for 806 (7:40 express). The T had the 806 make all local stops, and so it arrived at 8:33, just over the 30-minute late mark for 832's passengers to request their free rides for the second Friday in a row.

While on-board, I called Smartraveler, and pushed T1* to see what they ahd to say. They got the 832 situation correct, but also announced that Fitchburg train 404 would be 25 minutes late into SOUTH STATION. If it ever shows up at SOUTH STATION, please let me know

Train #404 derailed behind MIT on the Grand Jct. running track.....sorry, it won't be ariving at South Station today. LOL


Seriously, what did the MBTA give as the reason for cancelling #832 today?

The explanation was "mechanical problem." But this is a catch-all. For all we know, it could be the car shortage, and they decided to cancel one train instead of having six short ones. (832 is usually six single-level cars.) I have no idea if it ever got out of the starting gate.

I forgot to mention.... while checking the MBTA Web site for info on the Commuter Rail, there was a brief period when it said:

All trains are running on or close to schedule.
We apologize for any inconvenience.