Rail activity in Gardner, MA

My Dad and I are planning to go to Gardner to do some fanning. What can we expect to see and what is the best way to get to the T Station from Rt. 2? Thanks.

Josh

While I haven't been to that neck of the woods, I can tell you a few things. First, if you are asking if the T commuter rail goes there, it doesn't. It stopped running there I believe in the mid 1980s. The closest MBTA will get you is Fitchburg. However, there are plans of bringing it back to Gardner. In fact, MBTA wants to rehabilitate its entire Fitchburg Line. I believe that the old station still stands. In Gardner, you mostly see Guilford freights. Although other toys might pop up.

Out at Gardner on the ST Freight main, in a 24 hr period, you'll likely see 4-5 mixed freights, 2 Intermodal trains and if you're lucky, either a loaded or empty unit Coal train. You'll also likely see the PW come up from Worcester with cars for the ST interchange. I think the ST runs a local freight out that way once or twice a week too. Up until the early 80's, Gardner had more like 12-14 thru freights a day, but much of that traffic (Maine Paper/Forest products and Ford Autos) now goes via CSXT to Worcester/Barbers then up to the ST at Ayer, or has been lost altogether due to poor service and/or plant closures.

My guess is that you will have a much better railfanning experience in Fitchburg or Ayer. At Fitchburg, you will have MBTA. At ayer, not only will you have MBTA, but you will have CSX. This is all on top of the Guilford Traffic.

If I was to find myself in Gardner, Massachusetts and wanted to observe some P&W and/or PAR activity, where are the best places to go? I'm completely unfamiliar with the area, so please be as descriptive as possible. Suggestions for best times of day and best days of the week would be most welcome. Thanks!

MEC407 wrote:If I was to find myself in Gardner, Massachusetts and wanted to observe some P&W and/or PAR activity, where are the best places to go? I'm completely unfamiliar with the area, so please be as descriptive as possible. Suggestions for best times of day and best days of the week would be most welcome. Thanks!

Try the PanAm forum, under topic "Gardner Gawking", which gets updated on a regular basis - JoeF

Sounds to me like the Jade restaurant parking lot on Union Square st.is were the action is. You may want to check with jaymac, he would know the best times the be there.

For GPS-navigator purposes or website purposes or whatever-mapping-service-is-preferred purposes, the Jade II restaurant, 12 Union Sq., Gardner, MA, is a good target destination. The location, with some modifications to topography, is the same as the old B&M station, and the Jade lot is literally trackside for the Freight Main, the yard, the Heywood IT, and the PW Gardner Branch. Slightly to the west and at a slightly lower elevation is the aptly described lower lot. Since TCs, recrews, and maintainers use that lot, I tend to avoid it just so there's no interference with the folks who are actually working. There are 2 gas stations, 2 Dunks, a KFC, and the Jade for various types of fueling, all within a short space.
Timing? The Callahan Mantra -- "Do you feel lucky?" -- is the least disappointing one. MOAY has be a bit "flexible," but AYMO is generally through around 1400. There may be an FI-1 or an ED190 or a POED or an EDPO, but far more likely, there won't be, at least for the EDs during daylight hours.
Saturday ops on the PW can be spotty, and the otherwise noonish arrival of the PW may be in some flux.
There has been some weekday lane-loss in the Fitchburg area for work on the Jersey barriers, and that can cost some predicted time. The MSP troopers tend not to be avenging angels as long as there is no reason for them to be. Mass. has a new law requiring traffic to move over not just for moving emergency vehicles but also for emergency vehicles stopped on the side of the road. Too many troopers have been injured when stopped on the side of the road, so drivers who violate the law by not changing lanes away from stopped emergency vehicles are asking for attention.
A scanner combined with some prior knowledge of MPs can be especially helpful in anticipating arrival time. Gardner is also 4 miles west of the Freight Main summit, so even with a rubber duckie, reception can be good. Given that the FRA was through on 05-21, there may be a whole new batch of speedos.

Thanks, guys!

Merged with an old topic I found on the same subject.