Why New Four Track Bridge on CSX in Mass?

I was just checking out the CSX line in Massachusetts on Bing maps and noticed a new four-track bridge was built in Indian Orchard over Parker Street. There seems no need for it. In fact the line reduces down from double track to single track just east of here and remains single track all the way to Palmer. Why such a huge bridge seemingly in the middle of nowhere? Anyone have any ideas?

Pic here:
http://binged.it/1bhkIQj" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

PS. Earlier pics show the tracks originally split and one track was on each bridge. More recent pics show both tracks moved to the southern most bridge.

bostontrainguy wrote:I was just checking out the CSX line in Massachusetts on Bing maps and noticed a new four-track bridge was built in Indian Orchard over Parker Street. There seems no need for it. In fact the line reduces down from double track to single track just east of here and remains single track all the way to Palmer. Why such a huge bridge seemingly in the middle of nowhere? Anyone have any ideas?

Pic here:
http://binged.it/1bhkIQj" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

PS. Earlier pics show the tracks originally split and one track was on each bridge. More recent pics show both tracks moved to the southern most bridge.

http://www.zekedev.com/sites/boston_line/trackchart.cfm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

According to the B&A track chart the mainline went from 2 to 3 tracks starting just over the Wilbraham town and running the whole width of the city to Union Station. Parker St. bridge was right near the beginning of the third iron. 4th track was some very short turnout centered right on the bridge, and it looks like there might've even been a 5th (non-bridge) track on the southerly side feeding a customer on Parker.

Whatever used to be there it got very busy very quick for a very compressed stretch almost smack on top of Parker.

My guess is they are building a new structure to move the current ROW onto and then demolish the old one.

Might be bridge repair/replacement. When MA rebuilds bridges, they leave at least one side/lane open for traffic. Move the tracks over to one side, repair the bridge, and then swap back and do the other half. Also take into consideration some bridges take up to 3+ years to be replaced in MA also...go figure.

J

These bridges were re-built a couple of years ago and the bridges were raised to avoid trunk strikes due to low clearances. The BING map view is old taken during the time of the reconstruction when the track were shifted between the two bridges during the construction. The tracks now are split over both bridges. There was a customer siding on the south side before construction start but the siding was eliminated.

railman616 wrote:The BING map view is old taken during the time of the reconstruction when the track were shifted between the two bridges during the construction. The tracks now are split over both bridges.

Google Maps has a newer image, which shows the current configuration you described.