Yard 21 - Somerville

[GP40MC 1116]

I know Pan Am uses the double track to store cars from the Scrap operation in Everett. I have seen BO-1 in the past head towards Yard 21 and use the runaround to move to the other track, did they keep the runaround intact?

[consist]

No. The double track was left up to and including the switch...but not even a carlength of single track beyond, so it's useless as a runaround.

[dieciduej]

No. The double track was left up to and including the switch...but not even a carlength of single track beyond, so it's useless as a runaround.

I think there is enough for a run around, hard to tell with the trees and shrubs in the way. If there is I wouldn't trust the trackage. Is there any plans to fix the double tracks or to scrap the whole lead to the former Yard 21 now that a condo has gone up, opposite Sullivan Sq?

JoeD

[Ed Canney]

re: [b]question about run around track.[/b] Checked that today on the way home and it is still there. Can't see how long it is because of bushes blocking the view. All of the rail and ties in the yard ripped up.

[consist]

The view I got from an Orange Line train, it looked to me like 15-20 feet of rail past the switch. Enough for a hirail truck to run around, but not a loco. I'll look again in the morning.
Is a dead-end rail like that even safe for a loco to approach? Can it get within 10 feet of the end without spreading the rails? Seems like there'd be some rules forbidding coming that close to putting it in the dirt.

[F-line to Dudley via Park]

No. The double track was left up to and including the switch...but not even a carlength of single track beyond, so it's useless as a runaround.

I think there is enough for a run around, hard to tell with the trees and shrubs in the way. If there is I wouldn't trust the trackage. Is there any plans to fix the double tracks or to scrap the whole lead to the former Yard 21 now that a condo has gone up, opposite Sullivan Sq?

JoeD

ROW is definitely going to be preserved to Sullivan for Urban Ring potential, and with the new northbound-extension Green Line yard planned out in that direction there is a viable ROW snaking around BET to the Yard 21 trackage for a cheapie Sullivan mini-extension. Which would be a good one to have as a transfer and load-balance for the OL, plus would replicate the Sullivan terminus that used to feed the subway via two Charlestown branches splitting at North Station Under until 1950's bustitution.

[FatNoah]

I managed to get a decent look at the tracks on my Orange Line commute. It's hard to tell, but it looks more like at least 50+ feet of tracks are left after the switch.

[diburning]

I managed to get a decent look at the tracks on my Orange Line commute. It's hard to tell, but it looks more like at least 50+ feet of tracks are left after the switch.

From what I can see, the track ends a couple feet from the switch, then the other 50+ feet is not connected

[dieciduej]

I've noticed in the past several weeks they have been using the leads to the old B&M Yard 21 for storage. The tracks that are closest to the Orange Line tracks has stored several MBTX MoW cars, a couple of flats with old rail panels and a dump car, for awhile. The track against the wall/embankment hasn't really been used since the acid tank car leak back in April 2004. As of the end of last week they have stored a string of cement hopper cars and two tank cars. The tank cars are just about at the temporary end-of-track, two ties and an orange cone, under the Maffa Way overpass. Is this going to be the new storage space? The trackage, by my eyes, needs a lot of work as well as the shoring up of the retaining wall holding up Brighton St. Otherwise this will be an incident in due time.

JoeD

[GP40MC1118]

PAR and the MBTA have been using the 3rd & 4th Iron leads from "FX" to just past Sullivan for over a year
now. Nothing really new...With the lack of other storage tracks around for both parties, expect this to
continue for a long time...

D

[BostonUrbEx]

As mentioned, this is not new at all. There are plans to enhance the condition of the tracks, but those may have been postponed while GLX was up in the air for a bit.

[dieciduej]

PAR and the MBTA have been using the 3rd & 4th Iron leads from "FX" to just past Sullivan for over a year
now. Nothing really new...With the lack of other storage tracks around for both parties, expect this to
continue for a long time...
D

As mentioned, this is not new at all. There are plans to enhance the condition of the tracks, but those may have been postponed while GLX was up in the air for a bit.

It was just the first time I have seen cars all the way to bumper.

I feel sorry for the conductor or brakeman, they are going to need an ocean of calamine lotion!

JoeD

[eustis22]

There appears to be a good stretch of track thru the old Hood Plant and along Medford St on Charlestown. Why can't that be used for storage?

https://www.google.com/maps/search/hood ... a=!3m1!1e3

[deathtopumpkins]

There appears to be a good stretch of track thru the old Hood Plant and along Medford St on Charlestown. Why can't that be used for storage?

https://www.google.com/maps/search/hood ... a=!3m1!1e3

I believe there are clearance issues getting under the I-93 Sullivan Square off-ramp.

[GP40MC1118]

You are looking at the Mystic Wharf Branch, which has been long out of service. It's
main connection at FX Interlocking was severed when the MBTA removed the diamond
across the mainlines. This was direct on/off connection. There may be a connector
track (once called the Davis Track) still in place that runs towards Boston Sand & Gravel
and where the derelict RDC's are. That is track is pretty much unusable.

D