Here's a cab view of a trip from North Station to Haverhill. There's no sound or station descriptions. The channel owner says it's a commuter train, but the non-stop, except one, between Boston and Haverhill makes me think this is the Downeaster on its way to Brunswick, Maine.
Here's a bit about the line as we see it. The train takes the New Hampshire mainline, aka the Lowell Commuter line instead of heading off to the right under the highway and parallel to the Orange Line subway towards Reading. On the left we see catenary and new tracks that belong to the new MBTA Green Line extension to Medford. This line is the former 1835 Boston and Lowell mainline. The light rail line sits where there were once two other lines. At one point in the cut, now obliterated, was where the Somerville Cut-off was located. This was a freight-only line that freed up the western mainline for commuter service and merged back into the western mainline in West Cambridge near Alewife.
The first station we pass through is West Medford, followed by Winchester, and New Boston Street before stopping at the Anderson Transit Center. There were once a number of freight customers along here plus two branches. In Winchester, we can see the stub that once belonged to the southern end of the Woburn Loop. This was cut in the 1950s when Rt. 128 (I-95) was put in, and completely abandoned in 1980 during a commuter cost cutting move. In this vicinity is also the former Stoneham branch that served an industrial park. This is now a trail. In Wilmington we see a cement plant on the left. This plant, now abandoned, sits on what was once the northern connection of the Woburn Loop.
The train continues on this very flat and smooth line with very few grades until it swings on to a single track towards Andover after passing through Wilmington. There was once a small 4-track yard here just after crossing Main Street (Rt. 38). This single track is the original Andover and Wilmington opened in the 1830s and is known as the "Wildcat". This single-track line merges into the now double-tracked B&M mainline opened in 1842. The line was redouble-tracked in the late 2010s after 40-years of being single-tracked.
The line through here passes through an industrial area that once had a number of neglected rail customers who left when Guilford ruined it for them. We then pass Lowell Junction on the left and we're surrounded by water from the Shawsheen River which we will crisscross a couple of times. The double track ends just short of Ballardvale, the first station in Andover. The double track picks up on the other side of the station but is stubbed and becomes active about a mile down towards Andover. This is due to a dispute with nearby NIMBYs who complain about "train noise".
Andover has an industrial area on the left located in old brick mills. This once had a number of rail sidings along Railroad Avenue and into the old mills. Just before diving under North Main Street on the left is the former Converse Rubber Co., now apartments. Shortly, we pass through Shawsheen. This station is closed and has been since the 1970s. Just after the station we see large brick mills that have been fixed up. Raytheon and other companies were once located here. It's now offices. We pass under I-495 before entering South Lawrence.
Lawrence is a beaten down industrial city. The South Lawrence yard, which has been nicely rebuilt by CSX, is still busy and there's a branch off to the left to a busy industrial park. This branch was once the Lawrence and Lowell now stubbed at the South Lawrence industrial park. Just after the beautiful green Warren truss road bridge holding Salem Street up is the former Manchester and Lawrence. This 1842/43 line was abandoned in the early 2000s by Guilford.
Notice all the ripped-up track here. There was a substantial station built here in 1930 in the same style as the original North Station. This station closed in the mid-2000s and is replaced by a huge concrete affair further down. At one point, this North Lawrence side had a good-sized yard here too that has been reduced to the single passenger track through the station plus two passing tracks for freight on the right. As you notice, this city looks empty and abandoned. It's worse than it ever was.
After passing under I-495 again, we enter North Andover. Just after the Marblehead Street crossing, there's a branch leading up-grade. This was once the Essex Railroad. The remaining stub on this end closed in the early 80s after vandals burned the bridge over Weir Brook mill pond. The mainline continues to the left and now parallels the Merrimack River for the rest of the run.
There are a couple of industries here. Bell Labs, up near the solar panels, is no longer there and that siding was ripped up about 20 years ago when the building became an office park. After riding for a bit, we are now entering Ward Hill, the southwestern-most part of Haverhill, or rather Bradford. There's a bit of a grade here and we can see an old factory that once accepted freight. This building was partially renovated into apartments.
Rt. 125 appears on the right and curves uphill into Bradford and there are numerous single-family homes on the right side. The left side still has the river. We have been rising upwards to climb over the upcoming Merrimack River bridge that was put in during the 1900 grade separation project.
We see the yard lead for the Bradford yard on the left. This was once a freight yard that served the abandoned Georgetown branch. Today, the yard is storage tracks for the commuter trains and parking lots for the commuter station. The platforms on the mainline are for the commuter train. Up on the hill above the very start of the new platform is Front Street where I used to live.
As we climb up more and start the curve over the Merrimack River bridge, we can see the abandoned Georgetown branch that was closed in 1988. After crossing the bridge, we enter Haverhill and the video ends.
Here's a bit about the line as we see it. The train takes the New Hampshire mainline, aka the Lowell Commuter line instead of heading off to the right under the highway and parallel to the Orange Line subway towards Reading. On the left we see catenary and new tracks that belong to the new MBTA Green Line extension to Medford. This line is the former 1835 Boston and Lowell mainline. The light rail line sits where there were once two other lines. At one point in the cut, now obliterated, was where the Somerville Cut-off was located. This was a freight-only line that freed up the western mainline for commuter service and merged back into the western mainline in West Cambridge near Alewife.
The first station we pass through is West Medford, followed by Winchester, and New Boston Street before stopping at the Anderson Transit Center. There were once a number of freight customers along here plus two branches. In Winchester, we can see the stub that once belonged to the southern end of the Woburn Loop. This was cut in the 1950s when Rt. 128 (I-95) was put in, and completely abandoned in 1980 during a commuter cost cutting move. In this vicinity is also the former Stoneham branch that served an industrial park. This is now a trail. In Wilmington we see a cement plant on the left. This plant, now abandoned, sits on what was once the northern connection of the Woburn Loop.
The train continues on this very flat and smooth line with very few grades until it swings on to a single track towards Andover after passing through Wilmington. There was once a small 4-track yard here just after crossing Main Street (Rt. 38). This single track is the original Andover and Wilmington opened in the 1830s and is known as the "Wildcat". This single-track line merges into the now double-tracked B&M mainline opened in 1842. The line was redouble-tracked in the late 2010s after 40-years of being single-tracked.
The line through here passes through an industrial area that once had a number of neglected rail customers who left when Guilford ruined it for them. We then pass Lowell Junction on the left and we're surrounded by water from the Shawsheen River which we will crisscross a couple of times. The double track ends just short of Ballardvale, the first station in Andover. The double track picks up on the other side of the station but is stubbed and becomes active about a mile down towards Andover. This is due to a dispute with nearby NIMBYs who complain about "train noise".
Andover has an industrial area on the left located in old brick mills. This once had a number of rail sidings along Railroad Avenue and into the old mills. Just before diving under North Main Street on the left is the former Converse Rubber Co., now apartments. Shortly, we pass through Shawsheen. This station is closed and has been since the 1970s. Just after the station we see large brick mills that have been fixed up. Raytheon and other companies were once located here. It's now offices. We pass under I-495 before entering South Lawrence.
Lawrence is a beaten down industrial city. The South Lawrence yard, which has been nicely rebuilt by CSX, is still busy and there's a branch off to the left to a busy industrial park. This branch was once the Lawrence and Lowell now stubbed at the South Lawrence industrial park. Just after the beautiful green Warren truss road bridge holding Salem Street up is the former Manchester and Lawrence. This 1842/43 line was abandoned in the early 2000s by Guilford.
Notice all the ripped-up track here. There was a substantial station built here in 1930 in the same style as the original North Station. This station closed in the mid-2000s and is replaced by a huge concrete affair further down. At one point, this North Lawrence side had a good-sized yard here too that has been reduced to the single passenger track through the station plus two passing tracks for freight on the right. As you notice, this city looks empty and abandoned. It's worse than it ever was.
After passing under I-495 again, we enter North Andover. Just after the Marblehead Street crossing, there's a branch leading up-grade. This was once the Essex Railroad. The remaining stub on this end closed in the early 80s after vandals burned the bridge over Weir Brook mill pond. The mainline continues to the left and now parallels the Merrimack River for the rest of the run.
There are a couple of industries here. Bell Labs, up near the solar panels, is no longer there and that siding was ripped up about 20 years ago when the building became an office park. After riding for a bit, we are now entering Ward Hill, the southwestern-most part of Haverhill, or rather Bradford. There's a bit of a grade here and we can see an old factory that once accepted freight. This building was partially renovated into apartments.
Rt. 125 appears on the right and curves uphill into Bradford and there are numerous single-family homes on the right side. The left side still has the river. We have been rising upwards to climb over the upcoming Merrimack River bridge that was put in during the 1900 grade separation project.
We see the yard lead for the Bradford yard on the left. This was once a freight yard that served the abandoned Georgetown branch. Today, the yard is storage tracks for the commuter trains and parking lots for the commuter station. The platforms on the mainline are for the commuter train. Up on the hill above the very start of the new platform is Front Street where I used to live.
As we climb up more and start the curve over the Merrimack River bridge, we can see the abandoned Georgetown branch that was closed in 1988. After crossing the bridge, we enter Haverhill and the video ends.
