Franklin LIne Freight ?

[MarkB]

I walk across the Franklin line at the Oakdale station in Dedham regularly. Yesterday, I saw a train come through slowly towards Boston with about 9 boxcars and an open car loaded with lumber. This is about the 3rd time I've seen a train come through there loaded with lumber. Any idea where the loads come from, and where they go? Just curious.

[BostonUrbEx]

As you probably know, the train will go into Readville Yard. The lumber will ultimately go to a Home Depot distribution center in Westwood.

[MBTA3247]

There's no Oakdale station anywhere on the T; the stations in Dedham are Endicott and Dedham Corp. Center.

The freight on that section of the Franklin Line would be coming from Framingham via Walpole and heading to Readville. A local out of the CSX yard there serves several industries along the Northeast Corridor. Besides the Home Depot distribution center, I think there's also a lumber yard in Stoughton that still gets rail shipments.

[theseaandalifesaver]

This should be moved to the CSX forum.

I think freight traffic has dwindled down over the years for Readville. I remember as a kid in the early to mid 90's being taken to watch the freight trains and the yard was always very full and very busy. These days it just looks very empty and sad. It's even sadder when you think it's one of the only active yards left in Boston.

[MarkB]

The question has been answered, so you're welcome to move it. I live along the end of the Readville yard, and I can tell you that it is used regularly, though not as much as when Stop and Shop was there. For some reason, there's often shuffling of cars going on over Sunday night/Monday mornings. Oh yeah, and the other afternoon, one of the super-bright lamps over the tracks blew up in a ball of orange flame and shrapnel.