Grafton & Upton Railroad (G&U) Discussion

[SkiScorcher88]

Rail and transloading are considered 'Essential Business' per Mass Gov't, so I'm sure the G&U will do their best to keep their hard working employees employed, especially through such trying times. I would think that the economic fallout from this virus would weigh more heavily on future rail extension that the current health 'conditions'.

[craven]

In Hopedale 3/31 and watched ex-CSX MP15's 1191 & 1158 switching out racks and Ash cars from the yard.

MORE progress on rail installation...as they are ~ 150 yards from Green street. Machine positioning rail on the Rt. 140 side of Green street.

Spreader in the Hopedale Yard waiting for ballast on the newly installed rail/ties from the bridge to Green St..

[tonyschul]

After a contactless errand this morning, I swung by the G&U in Hopedale and Milford to check on their progress.

Rails have been dragged South of the end of track near the Green St overpass all the way to Rte 140 on both sides. No ties installed yet.
No rails at the north Pinz crossing, but there was a pile of ties there.

In the Milford wye, ballast and ties have been dropped.

There was a crew working North of the Green St crossing, but I could not see how many people were there.

[tonyschul]

Pictures taken today.........

140 North.jpg (425.86 KiB) Viewed 3943 times

140 South.jpg (390.2 KiB) Viewed 3943 times

[apple1]

Alot of activity approaching Green street Hopedale this morning!

[apple1]

Hope everyone is staying healthy. This mornings drive by revealed track is laid within a few feet of green street and starting at 140 and working back towards green street rails are also in place. Also, the road bed from 140 towards Milford had been freshly graded. Crews were on site this a.m.

[johnpbarlow]

As a follow-up to the post above, here are three photos from Tuesday 5/5/20 showing grading beginning at S Cedar St Milford where G&U should re-connect the CSX Milford branch. Also, here's the view west from the rte 140 crossing at Milford showing track being laid west toward Greene St in Hopedale.

[steam1246]

This may be in the category of "old news", but the story just came to my attention over the past weekend. Back in early June, 2019, Grafton & Upton Railroad Company, Conway Rail, LLC, and First Colony Development Co., Inc. filed suit in Federal district court in Massachusetts against David Swirk (former G&U General manager) and his Profile Mountain Holdings Corp--which bought the Conway Scenic Railroad in northern New Hampshire. The plaintiffs asked for a jury trial, and the defendants apparently filed a countersuit. Does anyone here on railroad.net know the outcome and/or the current status of this legal action?

[BandA]

Doesn't seem to be any way to access these public documents for free. Durn lawyers.

[bostontrainguy]

Earlier in this thread there was mention that G&U wants to build a wye in Milford. Is there any sign of that?

[johnpbarlow]

I think a wye would be difficult to build at Milford as I think the existing high tension power line RoWs might be difficult to thread track through while maintaining a reasonable curve radius. Plus given MBTA already relocated the original connection switch on the CSX Milford branch to be closer to Depot St and did not install a corresponding wye switch further south on the CSX track, I'm guessing it's not the MBTA or G&U's intent to build such a connection.

[b&m 1566]

This may be in the category of "old news", but the story just came to my attention over the past weekend. Back in early June, 2019, Grafton & Upton Railroad Company, Conway Rail, LLC, and First Colony Development Co., Inc. filed suit in Federal district court in Massachusetts against David Swirk (former G&U General manager) and his Profile Mountain Holdings Corp--which bought the Conway Scenic Railroad in northern New Hampshire. The plaintiffs asked for a jury trial, and the defendants apparently filed a countersuit. Does anyone here on railroad.net know the outcome and/or the current status of this legal action?

I don't recall ever hearing about this. What is/was the lawsuit over?

[craven]

I agree with Mr. Barlow's logic regarding not building a wye. Without the wye, the train would be required to cross Depot St. and use the Milford yard arriving and departing Hopedale yard.

There are a number of blue surveyors locating ribbons attached to shrubs/trees by the high tension power lines. Wonder what they are for??

Guess we'll be seeing the out-come in the next month or so.

[Narrowgauger]

It says Nature of Suit 380 Torts - Personal Property - Other Personal Property Damage
Cause 28:1332 Diversity-Property Damage

For those interested here is the link.

https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/cas ... wirk_et_al

Ted

[bostontrainguy]

I couldn't find the placement of the new switch on Google Earth or Bing, but I found this great new map site that shows it in amazing detail. It gets so much closer than any other services.

https://zoom.earth/