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Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in New England

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 #1521322  by pumpers
 
bostontrainguy wrote: Fri Sep 27, 2019 10:21 am Playing around with Google Earth, Beacon Park looks to be about 3100 feet / 1,000 yards long and 750 feet / 240 yards wide excluding the leads.
I think that works out to only about 50 acres, compared to the 155 mentioned for Hopedale. Maybe the 155 was just a first stance for bargaining...
 #1521326  by Ridgefielder
 
MaineCoonCat wrote: Fri Sep 27, 2019 8:47 pm According to "Oliver", "New York Central Lines, LLC" in MIlford.. At the Hopedale town line it becomes "Pennsylvania Central Trans Co." Note that "Oliver"'s ownership data comes from the local municipality's Assessors..
New York Central Lines LLC was one of the three legal entities Conrail was split into in the CSX/NSC/CRR merger back in the late '90s. NYC was the CSX portion. So that probably accurately reflects CSX corporate ownership. No idea about that Hopedale entry, though. The successor entity to Penn Central was American Premier Underwriters, which was acquired by Great American Insurance in the early '00s.
 #1521338  by MaineCoonCat
 
I'm trying to figure out if that is one of the assets that went to them or Conrail..
 #1521418  by Hux
 
pumpers wrote: Fri Sep 27, 2019 9:19 am 155 acres would be one heck of a yard - that's 1/4 square mile. G&U is thinking big!
So it could be 2 miles long and 1/8 mile (220 yards , about 2 football field lengths) wide.
Does anyone know how that compares to other yards, such as the old Beacon Park?
Don't forget, there is a fair amount of wetlands in that 155 acres. Add in buffer zones and one can expect a significant reduction in the overall useable acreage.
 #1521646  by pumpers
 
MaineCoonCat wrote: Mon Sep 30, 2019 6:19 pm I'm trying to figure out if that is one of the assets that went to them or Conrail..
You might find the answer in the Conrail Final System plan - it gives in detail what the plan was for every line and branch.
http://www.multimodalways.org/archives/ ... P/FSP.html
The only caveat is that there was some wheeling and dealing after the plan until the final formation of Conrail, so what is the documents in that link is not exactly how it turned out. But it's pretty close.
 #1521648  by craven
 
Stopped by the Hopedale row on Thursday. Not much happening.. still messing with the new connections in the yard

Empty storage cars parked up to the bridge. No new construction from the bridge to Green street.

Nothing happening on the Franklin CSX connection in Milford.
 #1521683  by BandA
 
I know there were some bits that didn't have customers that were in limbo for years, like the piece in Newton between Riverside (NYC aka Framingham Line) and Riverside (MBTA green line Highland Branch).
 #1521688  by MaineCoonCat
 
pumpers wrote: Fri Oct 04, 2019 7:49 am 8< SNIP 8<
You might find the answer in the Conrail Final System plan - it gives in detail what the plan was for every line and branch.
8< SNIP 8<
The documents aren't searchable but I've downloaded and converted both to searchable pdf files. Anyone wanting copies, please PM me.

UPDATED 10/4/2019 20:34 EDT I think I found it. If I'm reading this right, Franklin Jct. to Milford was supposed to go to Conrail. See page 276.
.
Excerpt from pg. 276 - Final System Plan
Excerpt from pg. 276 - Final System Plan
milford secondary.PNG (45.52 KiB) Viewed 3548 times
.
So assuming (danger!) that that transaction was completed, some Assessors' offices apparently "didn't get th' memo"..
.
Excerpt from pg. 152 Final System Plan vol II
Excerpt from pg. 152 Final System Plan vol II
Excerpts Conrail FSP VII Searchable1.png (430.39 KiB) Viewed 3516 times
.
Excerpt from pg. 132 Final System Plan vol II
Excerpt from pg. 132 Final System Plan vol II
Excerpts Conrail FSP VII Searchable2.png (416.08 KiB) Viewed 3516 times
 #1522464  by MaineCoonCat
 
At 10:21 AM on Oct 2, 2019 In an article entitled "Silencing train horns could involve turning East Street into dead end", Lisa Redmond of the Telegram.com staff wrote: Silencing train horns could involve turning East Street into dead end
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G&U Grafton East Street.PNG
G&U Grafton East Street.PNG (981.42 KiB) Viewed 3202 times
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GRAFTON – Converting East Street into a dead end street and adding rail crossing/traffic improvements are recommendations made by Grafton and Upton Railroad to improve the North Main (Route 140), East and Waterville (Route 30) intersection and help reduce the train horns residents living near the intersection of complain about.

But, before any changes are made, selectmen Tuesday night, Oct. 1, agreed to schedule a public meeting to get input from residents about the proposed changes. No date has been scheduled as of the newspaper’s deadline.

At a July meeting, area residents voiced their concerns about the frequency and the hours horns are blown by trains traveling through the intersection, which is sometimes only feet from homes. Neighbors also complained about the disruptive “clanking″ coming from the uncoupling of railway cars during the early-morning hours.

Grafton and Upton Railroad President Michael Milanoski acknowledged Tuesday night that the train horns and clanking are “bothering everybody.″

Mr. Milanoski presented several alternatives for selectmen to consider for creating a safer rail crossing and to reduce the noise made by trains at this difficult intersection with the goal of creating a “quiet zone.″

Mr. Milanoski explained that after an outreach meeting in July, a study was done to offer several options including:

Alternative A: Keeping the existing intersection geometry with rail crossing improvements.

Alternative B: Adding a southbound left turn lane and rail crossing improvements.

Alternative C (recommended solution): Converting East Street to one-way eastbound only, adding rail crossing improvements and adding a southbound left-turn lane.


Read more of this story at Telegram.com's web site
 #1522868  by johnpbarlow
 
G&U Expansion update as 10/18/19:
New stack of used but decent ties has been staged at Milford presumably to be used to connect the last quarter mile or so between Vernon St crossing and S Cedar St connection to CSX/MBTA track.
G&U Ties stacked Milford 101819 small.jpg
G&U Ties stacked Milford 101819 small.jpg (311.8 KiB) Viewed 2936 times
Looking south at Hopedale, the orginal main line (currently a storage track) that is being rebuilt to Milford got new rail/ties/stone on an slightly re-aligned RoW to accommodate additional siding(s).
G&U Hopedale Yd View toward Rte 16 Hopedale 101819 4 small.jpg
G&U Hopedale Yd View toward Rte 16 Hopedale 101819 4 small.jpg (269.03 KiB) Viewed 2936 times
Looking north, a turnout has been cut in on the original main to connect to a new siding.
G&U Hopedale Yd northerly view Hopedale 101819 2 small.jpg
G&U Hopedale Yd northerly view Hopedale 101819 2 small.jpg (369.61 KiB) Viewed 2936 times
 #1523277  by FLRailFan1
 
MaineCoonCat wrote: Fri Oct 04, 2019 7:10 pm
pumpers wrote: Fri Oct 04, 2019 7:49 am 8< SNIP 8<
You might find the answer in the Conrail Final System plan - it gives in detail what the plan was for every line and branch.
8< SNIP 8<
The documents aren't searchable but I've downloaded and converted both to searchable pdf files. Anyone wanting copies, please PM me.

UPDATED 10/4/2019 20:34 EDT I think I found it. If I'm reading this right, Franklin Jct. to Milford was supposed to go to Conrail. See page 276.
.
milford secondary.PNG
.
So assuming (danger!) that that transaction was completed, some Assessors' offices apparently "didn't get th' memo"..
.
Excerpts Conrail FSP VII Searchable1.png
.
Excerpts Conrail FSP VII Searchable2.png
Where did you find those pages? I'd love to get info on a few more branches -- Including the Armory
 #1523279  by MaineCoonCat
 
FLRailFan1 wrote: Wed Oct 23, 2019 8:15 pm SNIP 8<
Where did you find those pages? I'd love to get info on a few more branches -- Including the Armory
This was the link. How much it helps in your inquiry, I dunno.. http://www.multimodalways.org/archives/ ... P/FSP.html
 #1523858  by MaineCoonCat
 
Update re:
johnpbarlow wrote: Fri Sep 27, 2019 6:35 pm b&M 1566 - I don't know with authority the ownership of the current track in Milford (MaDOT 2018 Rail Plan says it's owned by CSX) but the only operator of trains into Milford AFAIK is MBTA who runs a periodic inspection trip to the end of track across Depot St. CSX no longer has any freight activity in Milford since Ardagh Mfg closed in spring 2018. And the track work that has been done in terms of relocating what should become the G&U connection switch and rebuilding the S Cedar St grade crossing was all done using MBTA equipment. So I'm guessing MBTA / MaDOT is the owner? And I believe MaDOT owns the CSX former Framingham Secondary track over which CSX runs freight traffic to Walpole/Mansfield/Readville etc.
According to the current MassDOT Rail inventory, the Milford Secondary from Franklin Jct. is still owned by CSX. This includes trackage through the Forge Park station.
MassDOT Rail Inventory Milford Secondary (Forge Park vicinity)
MassDOT Rail Inventory Milford Secondary (Forge Park vicinity)
massdot rrail inventory Milford Branch Franklin Sta .PNG (1.09 MiB) Viewed 2370 times
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https://geo-massdot.opendata.arcgis.com ... 3%2C42.091
.
Gratefully, with R&PEditor's help, still looking for further info.
 #1524812  by craven
 
Stopped by the Hopedale row today. Not much happening.. still messing with the new connections in the yard

Empty storage cars parked up to the bridge. No new construction from the bridge to Green street.

Nothing happening on the Franklin CSX connection in Milford.
 #1524846  by johnpbarlow
 
Here are a few photos taken on Saturday 11/09/19 to illustrate craven's report of Sunday:

The view of track work from the south end of Hopedale Yard (ie, the rte 16 grade crossing) shows a newly constructed turnout about to be installed on the existing main track that crosses rte 16 to the Hopedale St bridge that will connect to the new siding. Apologies for poorly focused iPhone photo.
G&U Hopedale Yard view from rt 16 crossing 110919.jpg
G&U Hopedale Yard view from rt 16 crossing 110919.jpg (239.98 KiB) Viewed 1941 times
Here's the view of the north end of the yard showing the now in use switch from the existing track to the siding under construction
G&U Hopedale Yard north end view 110919.jpg
G&U Hopedale Yard north end view 110919.jpg (262.97 KiB) Viewed 1941 times
Lastly, the view under a loaded centerbeam car sitting on the existing track recently upgraded with new welded rail showing rail installation on the new siding. When complete, both ends of the siding will connect to the existing track affording the option of running engines around a cut of cars. Just a crazy guess but perhaps this siding will permit G&U to top and tail a train heading south of Milford with a pair of engines to streamline the reverse move at Milford?
G&U Hopedale Yard new rail being installed 110919.jpg
G&U Hopedale Yard new rail being installed 110919.jpg (254.14 KiB) Viewed 1941 times
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