Yard and trolleys at Lowell, MA?

there's a lot going on there.

what's up with the HUGE yard i saw?

and the trolly line?

the yard is there. that's all i can say.

the trolley line is run by the seashore trolley museum and the national park service. SERy owns the new orleans trolley, the other two are national park service's replicas.

do they still run the trollys?

what goes on in the yard? anything?

where does the MBTA run through?

theseaandalifesaver wrote:do they still run the trollys?

what goes on in the yard? anything?

where does the MBTA run through?

1. Yes. The trolley line uses ex-B&M industrial trackage and it is operated by the National Park Service as part of the Lowell National Historical Park. Rides are free as part of the NPS tours. Check their web site for details. There used to be a lot more trackage in downtown Lowell but the rest of it is long gone. The historical trolley operation started up in the 1980s and has three 1980s-built replica cars plus loaners from Seashore.

2. Not much anymore. Local business in Lowell is pretty much dead. In pre-Guilford days it was a busy place.

3. MBTA commuter trains use the former B&M New Hampshire Division trackage west of downtown... that should be on any map that shows rail lines.

And Lowell is home to the B&M historical society.

NRGeep wrote:And Lowell is home to the B&M historical society.

what? where is this and what do they have to offer?

Here's their website: http://www.trainweb.org/bmrrhs/

theseaandalifesaver wrote:do they still run the trollys?

To add on to what TomNelligan said: Trolleys operate every year mid-March to the fallowing weekend after Thanksgiving (When Lowell lights the city up for Christmas).
Also wanted to show this website http://www.railwaypreservation.com/vint ... lowell.htm
Check out the links at the bottom of the page!

There were three yards in Lowell:

The Bleachery was the yard between the MBTA mainline
and Meadowcroft Street.

The New Yard was between the Concord River Bridge and
Lundberg Street overhead bridge off the inbound MBTA
mainline.

The Turnout was a small four track yard across the mainline
from Lowell Tower extending from Hale Street to Gorham St.

Dave

the trolleys are run by the Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport ME

Seashore Trolley Museum: http://www.trolleymuseum.org
Lowell Trolleys: http://www.trolleymuseum.org/lowell_01.html

stevo wrote:the trolleys are run by the Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport ME

Trolleys in Lowell are operated by the National Park Service, not Seashore. National Park owns and operates the trolleys in the city of Lowell. Seashore and their car Desire is owned and operated by volunteers belonging to Seashore Trolley but still have to operate on a set schedule made by the National Park Service. On July 6, 2004 Pan Am (then Guilford) sold the industrial track which the trolleys operate on to the National Park Service. According to one of the National Park Trolley Operators, Pan Am (in terms with the sale agreement) still holds the right to operate the line if the need for freight service comes back.

b&m 1566 wrote:According to one of the National Park Trolley Operators, Pan Am (in terms with the sale agreement) still holds the right to operate the line if the need for freight service comes back.

To where? The ballpark? The University? The museum?

Just don't see it happening, ever...true passenger service is more likely to come back.

There was talk of somehow extending the line to the ballpark. The tracks running from the ballpark down the street opposite it were still there last I knew (around '91 I bottomed out my Camaro and cracked the oilpan open when I had two tires between an unpaved section - not my fault! I was forced over by a truck not paying attention), but where they turned up Suffolk St., the trackage was torn up and is now a parking lot that is park of University property now, and there was precious little parking there as it is. They'd probably have to make it street-running down Suffolk St. to really connect it.

This could in theory allow passenger service from Gallagher Terminal (Lowell CR station) to the ballpark. I just don't think it will happen.

Just rember if intrested you too can operate at Lowell. Seashore Trolley Museum is always looking for voluenteer operators to operate their equipment. They have a yearly training session in the spring at the Museum. Thne specefic training at Lowell upon completeing the level 1 operator traning session. Any questions about becomming an operator or voulenteer at Lowell feel free to PM myself or any other member you see in RR.NET. Thanlks

hmm...maybe i should help in lowell...it's a bit closer to home for me.

caduceus wrote:

b&m 1566 wrote:According to one of the National Park Trolley Operators, Pan Am (in terms with the sale agreement) still holds the right to operate the line if the need for freight service comes back.

To where? The ballpark? The University? The museum?

Just don't see it happening, ever...true passenger service is more likely to come back.

There was talk of somehow extending the line to the ballpark. The tracks running from the ballpark down the street opposite it were still there last I knew (around '91 I bottomed out my Camaro and cracked the oilpan open when I had two tires between an unpaved section - not my fault! I was forced over by a truck not paying attention), but where they turned up Suffolk St., the trackage was torn up and is now a parking lot that is park of University property now, and there was precious little parking there as it is. They'd probably have to make it street-running down Suffolk St. to really connect it.

This could in theory allow passenger service from Gallagher Terminal (Lowell CR station) to the ballpark. I just don't think it will happen.

I do agree with you in that it’s next to impossible that freight service will return on the industrial spur. However if a big company was to settle with in the limits to the track it could be revived. That spur was still in use in to the late, late 1980's (88 or 89 I think). Your comment on Passenger service will never, ever happen. The spur itself was an industrial spur and never had anything to do with passenger rail. The south section of the Wye was removed years ago to construct the road and Gallagher terminal leaving only the north section of the Wye intact (which has since been removed in the last few years). If any passenger rail was to head down the spur the train would have to go up to the north leg and then back into the spur which would take too much time; not to mention there really is not need for a full size commuter train to head down the spur anyways. However your not far off with the passenger idea, if you looked at the link I provided in one of my previous post, you will see that a project is in the works to expand the trolley system to go through the city; connecting to the Gallagher Terminal, running all the way to the spinners ball park and so on and so forth. If this expansion happens a railroad museum will be built and trolley service will be use as an option to commute around the city year round as well as still being an operation for the National Park Service.