Here's some freight action on the Pan Am Railways/MBTA mainline through Andover, North Andover, and Lawrence, MA up to Plaistow, NH. I used to railfan this area when I was younger from about 1973-1998. Sadly I never took videos. Who had a video camera back then other than our parents! This stretch of track is probably busier now than more recently in the past, but sadly busier with commuter and Amtrak trains. There are only 6 to 8 freights a day along this stretch now. In the past there were a lot more, but when Guilford took over in the early 1980s, they caused a strike. After the strike, the traffic dried up, plus manufacturing has dwindled as well since then.
http://youtu.be/q82QX09DIk0
In this video you'll see various locomotives used in run throughs. leases and power pools. There are units from CSX and others as well as the home units from Pan Am which include the old Gray-Orange Guilford units as well as the newly-painted PanAm ones in dark blue. The new units also have giant front porches. Has anyone else seen this before? This is new to me and a lot of other people around here. We can't figure out why they did this. Also notice how some of the G-units blow smoke. You'd think they were Alcos!
There is also new trackwork near Andover depot and the throat to Lawrence Yard on the Andover side, just after the Route I 495 overpass towards Frye (Shawsheen). The MBTA and Amtrak are redouble-tracking this stretch plus they added back in a third track to Lawrence yard. This is totally awesome to see this track going back in after being removed for nearly 40 years!
John
http://youtu.be/q82QX09DIk0
In this video you'll see various locomotives used in run throughs. leases and power pools. There are units from CSX and others as well as the home units from Pan Am which include the old Gray-Orange Guilford units as well as the newly-painted PanAm ones in dark blue. The new units also have giant front porches. Has anyone else seen this before? This is new to me and a lot of other people around here. We can't figure out why they did this. Also notice how some of the G-units blow smoke. You'd think they were Alcos!
There is also new trackwork near Andover depot and the throat to Lawrence Yard on the Andover side, just after the Route I 495 overpass towards Frye (Shawsheen). The MBTA and Amtrak are redouble-tracking this stretch plus they added back in a third track to Lawrence yard. This is totally awesome to see this track going back in after being removed for nearly 40 years!
John
(We need that sky, those trees, and those locos! :udrool: ) I wish I could actually see the NE US in person