Southcoast Rail

I think the bigger issue would be all the single track between Boston and Quincy.

If all this old colony stuff is going to be speedy,dependable, successful, and consequently expandable, somehow, somewhere another track has to get on the drawing boards. every year that goes by without the second track solution probably adds at least another 50 mill to the final equation.

I'm surprised nobody else has posted this but bids are in(8/13) for Middleborough Secondary New Bedford mainline-- $403 million apparent low bidder Tutor-Perini Middlesex etc
https://bc.mbta.com/business_center/bid ... er=K78CN04

There's a FMCB meeting on the 24th, likely will get approved then.

"The MBTA’s oversight board approved a $403 million contract to prepare 24 miles of track and four new stations between Middleborough and New Bedford, as well as a new layover facility and signal system. The award comes a few months after the T awarded a separate $159 million contract for about 12 miles of rail to Fall River, the service’s other branch."

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/08/24/ ... act-award/

There is activity over much of the Fall River secondary. Work crews in several areas along the line. Land clearing is being rapidly completed for the Weaver's Cove layover. It is a fairly large site and very visible from N. Main St north of the current entrance to Weavers Cove. Some large office trailers are on site so I expect that will be a field office too.

I wonder what T's projection for South Coast Rail ridership is post-pandemic?

A good question about post pandemic ridership, johnpbarlow and I agree with Wicked that the single track being possibility problematic in regards to service frequencies. Also I would be understandably upset if the Middleboro Lakeville station was eliminated after I had rented a place near there. With that being said, there was an article in the Cape Cod times posted on September first about exploring the idea of a commuter rail service to Buzzards Bay could tie in with phase one of South Coast rail. Although not specified, such a hypothetical service could continue to make use of the existing Middleboro Lakeville station as well as a new station in downtown Middleboro. The station would also continue to be used by the Capeflyer as well. Whether or not the Buzzards Bay train would be a shuttle to Middleboro proper or a direct train to South station is still to be determined, but by tying it in to South Coast rail, the cost could be a little lower as the other factor is that not much upgrade of the track Between Middleboro and Buzzards Bay would be necessary as the line went through upgrades back in the 1980s and is also used by the Capeflyer.

Are you talking about https://www.capecodtimes.com/news/20200 ... rail-study ?

Bourne has been trying to get commuter rail service to the Cape for years and scored a win when the state said it would consider tying the Cape into the current South Coast Rail project.

By tying-in I assume they mean politically, as a sop so that Cape residents get something because Fall River / New Bedford got something. It's ironic that Bourne is now a paying member of the MBTA district but AFAIK Fall River, New Bedford or Taunton are not

Searching the MBTA website under projects doesn't come up with any projects, including the previous circa 2015 Buzzards Bay Commuter Rail Study. Seems like the MBTA website needs more transparency.

The new Middleborough station supposedly leaves room for a 400-foot-long shuttle platform for Cape Cod service. It would be on the southwest leg of the wye - not the Cape Main. That tells me a) the state doesn't take Cape Cod service remotely seriously and b) the state doesn't ever expect to get SCR Phase 2 done (as any post-Phase 2 service to Cape Cod would not be a shuttle).

Well if Mass Dot is not seriously considering ever providing Cape commuter service they're certainly throwing a lot of money out the window rehabilitating all the track and hyannis yard just for a few daily cars of trash and a handful of tourist trains.

According to this if and when I93 gets rebuilt the plan is to extend the double track of the Old Colony. Of course it needs more double tracking through Quincy.

https://www.ctps.org/data/pdf/studies/h ... oncept.pdf

In response to SOCO11’s earlier comments, seeing rapid progress on the construction of the Weaver’s Cove staging yard in Fall River; looks like the tree clearing is pretty much done. The Fall River mainline track is now visible from North Main St. In that area. Huge mounds of earth in several areas as the land grading proceeds. I’m new to the railroad.net board here, will try to post some photos as soon as I figure out how.

Tom Lapointe

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