Yesterday I journeyed into Boston for a lunch with a buddy of mine. He came in from Framingham while I came in from the north on the Haverhill line. I apologize for not having any pictures, but I didn't want to carry my tablet or camera and then worry about losing it, besides I had the sun in my eyes the whole way so we couldn't have seen much from the pictures anyway. So in place of pictures, I've including some links from Bing.
I picked up the inbound, to Boston, train at the relatively new Haverhill station which hosts both the MBTA commuter trains and Amtrak's Downeaster. This was once the site of a grand station with big waiting rooms and covered platforms. Today, all this gone and only a couple of the generic commuter platforms remain and a large parking lot near the station. The awful cold wind blows right off the Merrimack river, which is nearby, causing everyone to wait inside their cars for the train to arrive.
http://binged.it/1tKUpfS ---- Haverhill Station.
http://binged.it/1tKUMqT ---- the Merrimack River Bridge.
Where the big parking lot is today, was a small storage yard and a coal company. I remember that as a kid when I used to get the train from this location.
Eventually, the train arrived from the east by timetable, south by direction, however, it didn't stop and passed up beyond the station to cross over to the inbound track. It was empty and must have come out of the storage yard in Bradford, which is located just over the bridge. When the train pulled in from the south, I got out of my Jeep and watched the action. The train pulled up to Haverhill yard, or what's left of it, the engineer tooted the horn twice for the backup move, crossed over, and headed back on the inbound platform.
http://binged.it/1tKVe8h ---- Bradford Depot and storage yard
There have been a lot of improvements being done on the line, which I will detail in a bit, however, there's one that needs mentioning. The Merrimack River Bridge is being rebuilt. In 2011 it was discovered that there were some structural things that needed repairs so the trains now move over at slow speeds. Freights go about 15 mph while passenger trains are at 20 mph. This has caused some delays on this relatively busy stretch of track. A few repairs were done last year, with ties being replaced and some railings being added to the walkways. This year, this month (April), the "T" is supposed to start a full restoration of this 100 year old bridge.
We pulled into Bradford after crossing over the big bridge. What was once the Groveland branch, which ran as far as the old Haverhill Paperboard company, is now a pile of ties and rusty track. This is becoming a walking trail and will no longer see any track. What was once a small freight yard, is now a parking lot for commuters and 2 storage tracks for the commuter trains. I used to watch the old B&M shunt freight cars here when I was growing up. I live just up behind the station on nearby Front Street, and my dad and I would stand at the fence and watch the action, oh many years ago.
One of the biggest changes on the line is the signals. Slowly and sadly the old distinctive B&M Searchlight signals are being replaced by new tri-color Saftran signals. There are new signals in operation in parts while others are still facing away from the track. I suppose it's a sign of progress, but a sad one too.
After stopping at Bradford, we then picked up speed for a short distance when we encountered some slow orders due to MOW crews out performing their spring time maintenance and signal work along the line. As we passed the crews, the engineer blew the horn and they waved back. A short distance later, the outbound (to Haverhill) commuter train passed us as it headed to the start of its new inbound run.
We never really got up to track speed of 70mph before we had to slow for the road crossing and curves through North Andover and stop at Lawrence. Lawrence has seen substantial changes over the year, and can be a subject all on its own. There were once two yards here with many sidings and a number of mill branch lines, the old M&L, L&L, and the big Andover Street yard. All but the L&L branch and the Andover Street yard remain active. The old M&L is now weeds and has been taken out of service. What is left of the old second yard is now a few tracks, two main line and a siding, with the new station sitting where other tracks used to be. About 6 years ago, the old Lawrence station was closed and the new one was built farther north about a mile down the road. The old station as a classic 1920s Art Deco design, built at the same time as North Station was, even had similar architectural elements, and was quite the show place. Today the station houses some retail shops and the platforms are rotting away.
http://binged.it/1tL0zg7 ---- Lawrence "new" station
http://binged.it/1rtBBzx ---- Lawrence "old" station
http://binged.it/1tL11Li ---- Andover Street yard.
We passed the old M&L branch, went under Salem Street, and the passed the bigger Andover Street, or South Lawrence Yard. This is now a major yard on the old B&M, having picked up the roles from other nearby smaller yards over the years. The tracks are in deplorable condition, with many of them sinking into the dirt! There was a switcher doing some work as it was getting ready for some more traffic as he switched a bunch of tank cars.
The biggest and noticeable improvements can be seen as we head through Andover and inbound to Boston. We never did pick up speed due to the many MOW crews out, but we did move along pretty well. The line is being double-tracked, again. Notice I said again. This line was once double-track from Wilmington Junction all the way to Exeter New Hampshire. During the mid-1970s, the old bankrupt B&M removed the second track in many places including Andover. In the 1980s, the MBTA gained control of the line for commuter use, upgraded the single track to welded rail, and that's where it remained for the past 30 years. Since the infrastructure improvements have been made possible, the line is being restored again to double track. It was a happy sight for a change to see the crews putting in track rather than seeing ripped up rusty branch lines and weeded over sidings.
http://binged.it/1tL2WiI
As we sped along past Wilmington Jct, we passed the Brunswick-bound Downeaster coming off of the Wildcat branch. We continued on to North Station in Boston on the Reading branch. There have been few improvements done on this sections since it was reincorporated into the commuter service in the 1980s. The track from Reading into Boston is still jointed rail and the speeds are still slow due to the number of stops. Sadly, the old Wakefield to Danvers branch is dead, having been allowed to rot by Guilford back in the early 2000s. We then parallel the Orange Line MBTA subway from Oak Grove Malden all the way into North Station.
John
I picked up the inbound, to Boston, train at the relatively new Haverhill station which hosts both the MBTA commuter trains and Amtrak's Downeaster. This was once the site of a grand station with big waiting rooms and covered platforms. Today, all this gone and only a couple of the generic commuter platforms remain and a large parking lot near the station. The awful cold wind blows right off the Merrimack river, which is nearby, causing everyone to wait inside their cars for the train to arrive.
http://binged.it/1tKUpfS ---- Haverhill Station.
http://binged.it/1tKUMqT ---- the Merrimack River Bridge.
Where the big parking lot is today, was a small storage yard and a coal company. I remember that as a kid when I used to get the train from this location.
Eventually, the train arrived from the east by timetable, south by direction, however, it didn't stop and passed up beyond the station to cross over to the inbound track. It was empty and must have come out of the storage yard in Bradford, which is located just over the bridge. When the train pulled in from the south, I got out of my Jeep and watched the action. The train pulled up to Haverhill yard, or what's left of it, the engineer tooted the horn twice for the backup move, crossed over, and headed back on the inbound platform.
http://binged.it/1tKVe8h ---- Bradford Depot and storage yard
There have been a lot of improvements being done on the line, which I will detail in a bit, however, there's one that needs mentioning. The Merrimack River Bridge is being rebuilt. In 2011 it was discovered that there were some structural things that needed repairs so the trains now move over at slow speeds. Freights go about 15 mph while passenger trains are at 20 mph. This has caused some delays on this relatively busy stretch of track. A few repairs were done last year, with ties being replaced and some railings being added to the walkways. This year, this month (April), the "T" is supposed to start a full restoration of this 100 year old bridge.
We pulled into Bradford after crossing over the big bridge. What was once the Groveland branch, which ran as far as the old Haverhill Paperboard company, is now a pile of ties and rusty track. This is becoming a walking trail and will no longer see any track. What was once a small freight yard, is now a parking lot for commuters and 2 storage tracks for the commuter trains. I used to watch the old B&M shunt freight cars here when I was growing up. I live just up behind the station on nearby Front Street, and my dad and I would stand at the fence and watch the action, oh many years ago.
One of the biggest changes on the line is the signals. Slowly and sadly the old distinctive B&M Searchlight signals are being replaced by new tri-color Saftran signals. There are new signals in operation in parts while others are still facing away from the track. I suppose it's a sign of progress, but a sad one too.
After stopping at Bradford, we then picked up speed for a short distance when we encountered some slow orders due to MOW crews out performing their spring time maintenance and signal work along the line. As we passed the crews, the engineer blew the horn and they waved back. A short distance later, the outbound (to Haverhill) commuter train passed us as it headed to the start of its new inbound run.
We never really got up to track speed of 70mph before we had to slow for the road crossing and curves through North Andover and stop at Lawrence. Lawrence has seen substantial changes over the year, and can be a subject all on its own. There were once two yards here with many sidings and a number of mill branch lines, the old M&L, L&L, and the big Andover Street yard. All but the L&L branch and the Andover Street yard remain active. The old M&L is now weeds and has been taken out of service. What is left of the old second yard is now a few tracks, two main line and a siding, with the new station sitting where other tracks used to be. About 6 years ago, the old Lawrence station was closed and the new one was built farther north about a mile down the road. The old station as a classic 1920s Art Deco design, built at the same time as North Station was, even had similar architectural elements, and was quite the show place. Today the station houses some retail shops and the platforms are rotting away.
http://binged.it/1tL0zg7 ---- Lawrence "new" station
http://binged.it/1rtBBzx ---- Lawrence "old" station
http://binged.it/1tL11Li ---- Andover Street yard.
We passed the old M&L branch, went under Salem Street, and the passed the bigger Andover Street, or South Lawrence Yard. This is now a major yard on the old B&M, having picked up the roles from other nearby smaller yards over the years. The tracks are in deplorable condition, with many of them sinking into the dirt! There was a switcher doing some work as it was getting ready for some more traffic as he switched a bunch of tank cars.
The biggest and noticeable improvements can be seen as we head through Andover and inbound to Boston. We never did pick up speed due to the many MOW crews out, but we did move along pretty well. The line is being double-tracked, again. Notice I said again. This line was once double-track from Wilmington Junction all the way to Exeter New Hampshire. During the mid-1970s, the old bankrupt B&M removed the second track in many places including Andover. In the 1980s, the MBTA gained control of the line for commuter use, upgraded the single track to welded rail, and that's where it remained for the past 30 years. Since the infrastructure improvements have been made possible, the line is being restored again to double track. It was a happy sight for a change to see the crews putting in track rather than seeing ripped up rusty branch lines and weeded over sidings.
http://binged.it/1tL2WiI
As we sped along past Wilmington Jct, we passed the Brunswick-bound Downeaster coming off of the Wildcat branch. We continued on to North Station in Boston on the Reading branch. There have been few improvements done on this sections since it was reincorporated into the commuter service in the 1980s. The track from Reading into Boston is still jointed rail and the speeds are still slow due to the number of stops. Sadly, the old Wakefield to Danvers branch is dead, having been allowed to rot by Guilford back in the early 2000s. We then parallel the Orange Line MBTA subway from Oak Grove Malden all the way into North Station.
John
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