Spur off Saugus Branch at route 1 underpass

Hi, I was wondering if anyone had details on this spur that used to branch of the Saugus Branch where is goes under route 1. No trace of it remains now.

Take a look here (there are cars on it in the pic):

http://www.historicaerials.com/aerials. ... &year=1969

Warren

There used to be a (military?) seaplane depot around there. Perhaps it served that?

This spur was for gravel trains from Bow, N.H. and Ossipee, N.H. that brought
in material for the prosposed Route 1 extension to Logan.

Matter of fact, the cover photo of the new issues of Railroad Explorer Magazine may be one of those
unit trains. Also, I believe the B&M Historical Society Bulletin had an article on them...

Dave

Thanks for the info. Makes sense. It crossed that graded section of what was to be 95? through Rumney Marsh but was construction was cancelled.

The siding was for the gravel for the to canceled building of I95 to cross the marsh north to Peabody. Not for a RT 1 extension to Logan.

Peter

Look at the aerial form that time, looks like a lot of houses would have come down for the construction had it continued any further.

They did take a lot of houses, there was a clear path down from Peabody down into Lynn, the route was going to go down thru Lynn Woods and swing over to Saugus and run parellel to the marsh road over the marsh.

Peter

Look at the aerial form that time, looks like a lot of houses would have come down for the construction had it continued any further.

Which is the main reason why the construction of I-95 north and south of Boston was canceled after it had already begun. It would also have cut a swath across Cambridge and the Fenway neighborhood. A lot of buildings had already been demolished along the New Haven RR right-of-way in Jamaica Plain, where the Orange Line/Amtrak ditch runs now.

Non-rail related but the link describes in detail where these unbuilt highways were going to be.
http://www.bostonroads.com/roads/inner-belt/

The EGE wrote:There used to be a (military?) seaplane depot around there. Perhaps it served that?

I don't know for sure if there were any military seaplane operations in that area. (The pond looks a bit small to accomodate Navy or Coast Guard aircraft.)

However, there were light, general aviation seaplane operations conducted on that body of water from the old Revere Airport -- which you can see in the 1955 aerial photo, but is gone by 1969. The owner sold the airport property for development some time between 1959 and 1961, and moved his flight school to Beverly Airport.

The Northgate Shopping Center now occupies the former airport site.

i didn't realize the spur went that far. i never noticed that on historic aerials. i just thought it was a siding to park cars. interesting.

Go here to see the history of the Revere Airport http://members.tripod.com/airfields_fre ... tml#revere

John, the guy in the white car with the wing on back