Increase Worcester service start-up date.

[johnpbarlow]

Took a mid-day round trip Wellesley-Worcester on Weds 3/26/14 and both trains ran OT but the transit times seem like they could be reduced. Station dwell times were short due to the light passenger load of a mid-day train. Two questions wrt the eastbound trip:

1.After departure from Worcester, the train remained on track 1 to CP-39 where it crossed over to track 2. Train speed between WUS and CP-39 seemed leisurely and we accelerated noticeably after clearing CP-39. Is this standard operating procedure? Prior to CSX upgrading the intermodal yard, there used to be a crossover at CP-43 - does that exist anymore? Or does CSX have exclusive use of track 2 to CP-39?

2. Prior to arrival at Framingham, the train slows to 15ish mph at CP-23, the west end of Nevins Yard, and continues at this speed to the station where the CP-21 signal shows a stop indication to enable the Concord St crossing to be used by car traffic until train departs. OTOH, for eb Amtrak Lake Shore Limited, the CP-21 signal is set to clear meaning Concord St crossing gates are activated prior to and for the duration of 448's Framingham stop. Is the CP-21 eb signal aspect controlled by the MBTA dispatcher? Given there are now 20 eb MBTA trains v. 1 eb Amtrak per day, I can understand why the eb signal should remain at stop until an MBTA train departs but why does the ultra slow speed need to start at CP-23 rather than CP-22? Couldn't T trains operate at 30ish mph between CP-23 and CP-22?

Thanks.

[Ironman]

Took a mid-day round trip Wellesley-Worcester on Weds 3/26/14 and both trains ran OT but the transit times seem like they could be reduced. Station dwell times were short due to the light passenger load of a mid-day train. Two questions wrt the eastbound trip:

1.After departure from Worcester, the train remained on track 1 to CP-39 where it crossed over to track 2. Train speed between WUS and CP-39 seemed leisurely and we accelerated noticeably after clearing CP-39. Is this standard operating procedure? Prior to CSX upgrading the intermodal yard, there used to be a crossover at CP-43 - does that exist anymore? Or does CSX have exclusive use of track 2 to CP-39?

2. Prior to arrival at Framingham, the train slows to 15ish mph at CP-23, the west end of Nevins Yard, and continues at this speed to the station where the CP-21 signal shows a stop indication to enable the Concord St crossing to be used by car traffic until train departs. OTOH, for eb Amtrak Lake Shore Limited, the CP-21 signal is set to clear meaning Concord St crossing gates are activated prior to and for the duration of 448's Framingham stop. Is the CP-21 eb signal aspect controlled by the MBTA dispatcher? Given there are now 20 eb MBTA trains v. 1 eb Amtrak per day, I can understand why the eb signal should remain at stop until an MBTA train departs but why does the ultra slow speed need to start at CP-23 rather than CP-22? Couldn't T trains operate at 30ish mph between CP-23 and CP-22?

Thanks.

1. Yes, standard procedure. The speed limit for passenger trains is 25 MPH from WUS to CP-44, and 40 MPH from CP-44 to MP 42.2, except on track 2 where it stays at 25 MPH. That's why the MBTA trains prefer to use track 1. CP-43 still has a crossover, it's just not universal and never was. Nothing changed there. Speed is 50 from MP 42.2 to MP 39.5, just before CP-39. However, if a train is crossing over at CP-39, the best signal it can have is an approach limited in the cab and a limited clear at CP-39, which means it won't be going any faster than 45 MPH. From MP 39.5 the speed is 60 MPH, which is why you notice the acceleration after the train clears CP-39.

2. The 15 MPH speed limit is head end only EB, and it does begin at CP-22, but there are a couple of other things in play here. If CP-21 is displaying a stop signal, the train will be down to 15 MPH before it gets to CP-22 no matter what due to a restricting signal in the cab. Another thing is that there is only a mile between CP-23 and CP-22, so even if CP-21 is displaying clear, the train will be slowing down fast at CP-23. All signals are controlled by the MBTA dispatcher. CSX has nothing to do with dispatching the main line here anymore. By the way, this is pretty much the way it's been for years. The only thing that is new is the 25 MPH limit on track 2 from CP-44 to MP. 42.2. It used to be 40.

[Komarovsky]

Are the reduced speeds due between cp44 and cp39 due to track condition or something else?

[Ironman]

Permanent speed restrictions due to curvature.

[johnpbarlow]

Re: the restricting aspect at CP-22 that leads to eb T trains running at slow speed starting at CP-23, could MBTA insert westward facing signals at the CP-22 end of the station platform that would display the restricting aspect so CP-22 could display a higher speed aspect?

I assume the best answer here is to replace the Concord St grade crossing with an underpass/overpass but I don't know if that happens in my lifetime.

Thanks again for the helpful info.

[Komarovsky]

Lots and lots of tie bundles between Southboro and Westboro just appeared today along the ROW. A sign that the class 4 upgrade is going to happen this year?

[The EGE]

Wouldn't be surprised. Half of that $15 million is to be spent this year, and it's track-work season.

[MBTA F40PH-2C 1050]

Lots and lots of tie bundles between Southboro and Westboro just appeared today along the ROW. A sign that the class 4 upgrade is going to happen this year?

ah yes, forgot to mention this the other day....tie bundles start just West of CP 28 in Southboro, and as of Monday, were placed as far as CP 30. Track 1 is going to be receiving the work sometime soon, all the of the ties that need replacing have been tagged between CP 28 and MP 32 IIRC

[GP40MC1118]

Big Track equipment move happened this afternoon from W.Cambridge to Beacon Park. 17
pieces in total. Went across the Grand Jct around 320PM..

D

[Komarovsky]

All the track equipment is not on a siding just east of the Westboro yard. Today it looms like they managed to start tie replacement on the eastern most portion of the project area

[harshaw]

does anyone know when the track work on the worcester line will be complete? A bit agonizing going through westborough right now

[Komarovsky]

It looks like they've done work out to around the town center of Westboro, but I've also seen a few places where they've placed new tie bundles in areas they've already done work. Maybe they found the existing ties were in worse condition then they originally thought? None the less they've done quite a lot of work fairly quickly, I wouldn't be surprised if they were finished by early May.

The next question though is when will they do the other track along the same stretch and if they'll be doing any more work to bump speeds west of Framingham. One good candidate in my mind would be the stretch of track after the curve leading out of the Worcester Yard to Wyman Gordon. No reason that track has to be limited to 40mph after the curve since it's all relatively straight.

[MBTA F40PH-2C 1050]

Between CP 33 and CP 39 is the next planned track work section