Lowell/Haverhill Line Switch

When the Lowell Line switches into the haverhill line (or vice versa) where does the switch occur? Is it at a station or what? just curious

Are you refering to the Wild Cat branch between Wilmington Station on the Lowell Line and North Wilmington on the Haverhill Line?

The Wildcat Branch leaves the Lowell Line at Wilmington Station and cuts through Wilmington, joining the Haverhill Line on the North Wilmington/Andover Line, just west of the I-93 over-pass.

This is also the way the Downeaster goes.

This was the normal route to Haverhill in the late seventies and early eighties, I remember seeing a schedule (from 1979 or so) that showed the lines as such: The current Haverhill Line terminated in Reading and all trains to Haverhill went via the Wildcat.

didn't the MBTA or Amtrak remake the wildcat area? rebuild a station or platform where the two lines meet/branch off?

Wilmington Station, where the lines branch, was rebuilt within the last year or so.

North Wilimington Station, where the Reading/Haverhill trains now stop, has to be the dinkiest stop in full-time use.

Yeah Ron, it's like a bus stop. LOL

I remember when there wasn't even a "bus shelter" at North Wilmington and you used to get on/off at street level closer to rte. 62, then they built that slap of asphalt platform for wheel chair access and there was a proposal to put the platform further north of the intersection as to not block Rte. 62 for the fire trucks.

There used to be a small B&M station made of wood there that had a barber shop and the town's newspaper, however, it burned to the ground a few years ago.

Also, back in the 60's B&M made a stop on the Wildcat on Salem St. in Wilmington which was a temporary replacement of the N. Wilmington stop.
This had to do with the B&M wanting to abandon passenger service after Reading and run all the trains to Havehill on the Wildcat.

The old Salem St. stop parking area is used to dump old ties and ballast.

Why doesn't the MBTA just start running the trains going to Haverhil over the wildcat and have trains that just go to Reading. You woudld shave between 9-10 mins off the trip. Then the Lowell line could run express from Anderson to North Station and The Haverhil train can make the stops from Anderson to West Medford and vise virsa. Just throwing in my two cents

You just can't dump the Haverhill trains on the Lowell line due to capacity
issues:

1) Taking the Haverhill trains off the Reading line would reduce service
between Reading and Haverhill. The Northside commuter lines are
already operating with tight equipment cycles and there's no possibility
of adding sets at this time. And what would happen to the track
between Reading and CPW-WJ (where the Wildcat connects)? I'd hate
to lose or mothball it.

2) Capacity - This is the biggest issue between Wilmington and Lawrence
and Reading and Lawrence. TOO much single track. It has been the
Achilles heal to service expansion for many years and is now coming
to a head with the addition of Amtrak's Downeaster service.
For example within an hour or so during the PM rush hour you have
Amtrak 686, MBTA 236, 233, 235, Amtrak 685 and MBTA 237 all plying
those rails. If there is one signficant delay to any of the first three,
the delays are gruesome. Now add Guilford sneaking one of their
freight trains between Lawrence and CPF-LJ.

There are similar scenarios all through the day. Even a late night one
where MBTA 244, Amtrak 687, MBTA 243 dance around each other
and two Guilford freights - DOBO and LOSA.

Dave

I should have added a little more detail at first. This idea should only be done during the day from the first train until 7pm. One advantage is more trains would stop at Anderson giving people who take the train and new riders more options on which train they could take. During the non rush hour trains during the day you could still run a few trains up threw Reading all the way to Haverhil. During rush hours trains would operate just to Reading.One train set could take care of this it only takes 30 mins to Boston. This doesn't seem to difficult just some simple rescheduling.Double tracking or long sidings or even double track the stations is another idea that could happen.Who owns the track from Wilmington all the way up to Haverhil?

One train set to Reading during the PM rush hour? Only 30 minutes? You
are discounting turnaround time at Reading. Not to mention rearranging
the crew and equipment cycles. I assume you do want to provide any rush hour service to North Wilmington?

The MBTA owns the track to the New Hampshire state line, though we can only run as far as Rosemont.

One quick solution to helping the Reading Line is restoring the double track between CPW-WJ and CPF-LJ. This would create a long passing siding which would improve operations. But, like anything, its a question
of money.

Dave

There are a few trains that do go to haverhill via the lowell/wildcat each day, isn't there?

Yes, three inbound and two outbound, weekdays only. They are clearly indicated on the printed schedules for both lines.

Why do they crossover like that? Is it just to shave a few minutes off?