Warwick RR (P&W Warwick Industrial Track)

Hi, Does anyone know why the Warwick RR ROW has been being cleared out over the past couple of weeks? The tracks were abandoned as they were, so they are still there (but may not be usable after 30+ years). The clearing out seems to extend from the main line connection to the factory areas along the Pawtuxet River. No changes yet to the disused RR crossing gantries at Elmwood Ave. Thanks!

Is the Warwick RailWAY line abandoned, or just out of service?
That's a world of difference.

Lee

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =3&theater" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =3&theater" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =3&theater" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ebtmikado wrote:Is the Warwick RailWAY line abandoned, or just out of service?
That's a world of difference.

Lee

Abandoned. RIDOT owns it under landbank.

Well, I don't think its landbanked...the rails were still there, just overgrown. Now the brush has been cleared back, and at the west end of the track are a whole bunch of gondolas as well as large piles of new wooden ties. Now the track had been out of service since the 80s I think, but the presence of the gondolas tells me the switch to the mainline has been reconnected (if it ever was removed). Neither the gondolas nor the tie piles were there when I last checked a week ago... As of yet nothing new has happened with the US 1 Elmwood Avenue crossing. No gates, lights/gantries remain out of service, track is paved over at a couple spots...Any further info appreciated!

To clarify Henry's pictures (thanks Henry so much for documenting), although the ROW has been cleared east of the US 1 crossing, the track is out of gauge in many spots and unusable without a full rebuild, and neither subgrade nor ballast are present. There are still a number of factories operating along the line, all the way to the Pawtuxet River bridge (which is still intact) and even beyond, so there is hypothetically potential for business...

Warwick Industrial Track is going back into service! I just talked to a friend that works at Elmwood Sports and he said the line is being activated for a company getting deliveries beyond Elmwood Ave. Not sure if it's at the end of the line in the old Ciba Geigy building. The tracks go through the Elmwood Sports through part of the parking lot that's how I was able to find out. No clue how soon it will be active again.

Drove by there today at dusk and they have successfully cut flangeways through the pavement on Elmwood Ave (US 1) so that the rail is passable, though the crossing is still unprotected at this time. However, they have moved the first two pieces of equipment east of the crossing and begun serious work on the ROW. There's a small back end loader which is cleaning carefully around the rails and the subgrade and trying to expose the remains of the ties there and has proceeded several hundred feet east of the crossing and there's another machine behind it just east of the crossing that I didn't identify, but it doesn't appear to have started work yet.

Just a shot in the dark, because I do not know with any real authority, but it would appear that the most likely customer would be Safety Kleen Systems, the last building to the south of the tracks before the river. At least one of thier other locations recieves tank cars and the businesses in the other rail accessible buildings appear to have to do with clothing and fashion. The building adjacent to Safety Kleen is a cabinet maker which could, though I would doubt it, recieve wood on centerbeams or other materials in boxes.

Here are some more pictures I posted on Facebook, making real good progress! Click on the picture to see the other 18 I've posted!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =3&theater" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Safety Clean and Clean Harbors will be the customer at the end of the line. Found out through John Tattrie

The neighbors are concerned...

http://cranstononline.com/stories/back- ... cks,120391

Ignorance of your surroundings and teaching your children responsibility/awareness are not the responsibility of a railroad.

^^^agreed....do your research before buying property

Forgive the "dust" bump

I drove by a few weeks ago and took some more pictures, not quite active yet but shaping up nicely! Enjoy!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =3&theater" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;