Panam Boston ops from MBTA

[riffian]

I have a limited time in Boston and hope to ride a couple of commuter trains and view remaining Panam operations, sidings and customers in the immediate Boston area. Which would be the best routes to ride? I'm a long time lurker on this board, am familiar with place names, but have no idea how they relate to the real world. I'll probably have enough time for a couple of short round trips out of North Station.

Any Information greatly appreciated.

Bill Root
New Castle, Delaware

[jr145]

There is really nothing in the immediate Boston area that you can see from the commuter rail train. There is Boston sand and gravel that you can see from any north station train but you won't see any operations going on. There is also the siding going into prolerizer in Chelsea visible off of the Newburyport/Rockport line, but theres a slim chance you'll see anyone working. If you really want to see things going on your best bet is to take a little bit longer trip and go up to Lawrence via the Haverhill line and walk towards the yard or take a trip up the Fitchburg to Ayer station. There is also Lowell station. You're guaranteed to see cars there but there isn't necessarily going to be any switching going on.

[newpylong]

What few customers are left are mostly on the Lowell Line/NH Division. You can ride from North Station to Lowell and return and see both active and former customers, plus the leads for the Billerica Shop, and the old Billerica and Bedford (now an Industrial lead).

[petahgriff8316]

As jr145 said, your best bet is probably Lawrence — however, I can say from personal experience that there is quite a bit going on in Ayer (about an hour trip from Boston). Not sure what the fare is but every time I have take the line out to Fitchburg I've seen quite a bit of freight action.

[jr145]

One of the reasons that a lot of railfans seem to hang out in ayer is the fact that you can see a lot of what is going on from the station itself. With Lawrence you would have to hang out on one of the roads and look down. With Ayer you can see the traffic going to and from the yard. Plus Ayer has more traffic. You've got a couple locals, AYMO/MOAY and possibly other road jobs. And every once and awhile you'll get a Fitchburg local.

[riffian]

Took advice and made a roound trip to Lowell this morning. Just after leaving North Station, we went over some tracks where one of the former St Lawrence and Atlantic leasers was shoving three or four covered hoppers just as we passed over. Also noticed a few tankcars spotted at at industry on the same tracks. What line is this and what industry? Just beyond the MBTA shops there was a line that came in to the Lowell line (from the west) with a cut of cars on it (scrap hoppers, tank cars). This line ended in an abandoned, weedy yard, and did not seem to connect to the Lowell Line with active tracks.

Just before Wilmington there was a spur line into the woods occupied by a cut of 70 ton hoppers (Sand, cement?), some of which were Maryland Midland. Did not know there was another customer on this line. Passed Tighe and Rohtman's and both had cars spooted at them (two each).

Thanks for advice and information........Bill Root

[csrrfan86]

The business with the tankcars near Boston Engine Terminal is M.S. Walker and they make different types of alchol. The place in Wilmington is Lehigh Cement (may have changed names?) and receive cement cars. There is also Atlantic Plywood near Mishawn that gets cars of plywood and Tighe has a warehouse in Winchester also.

-Wayne J.

[newpylong]

Took advice and made a roound trip to Lowell this morning. Just after leaving North Station, we went over some tracks where one of the former St Lawrence and Atlantic leasers was shoving three or four covered hoppers just as we passed over. Also noticed a few tankcars spotted at at industry on the same tracks. What line is this and what industry? Just beyond the MBTA shops there was a line that came in to the Lowell line (from the west) with a cut of cars on it (scrap hoppers, tank cars). This line ended in an abandoned, weedy yard, and did not seem to connect to the Lowell Line with active tracks.

Just before Wilmington there was a spur line into the woods occupied by a cut of 70 ton hoppers (Sand, cement?), some of which were Maryland Midland. Did not know there was another customer on this line. Passed Tighe and Rohtman's and both had cars spooted at them (two each).

Thanks for advice and information........Bill Root

The small yard (two tracks) you saw on the left heading outbound is called yard 8. It heads south off the Lowel Line and loops around to the tracks you saw behind BET.