Haverhill Line Upgrades (Western Route)

Any idea if/how this will affect Downeaster service this weekend? So far, nothing has been posted by Amtrak or NNEPRA.

Haven't seen anything yet about the Downeaster. In the past, there have been instances where the Downeasters ran but commuters did not - I guess just thinning out the train traffic was enough to create enough working windows.

Some work at the JK interlocking this weekend among other things. Vale still waiting until after Labor Day.

octr202 wrote:Haven't seen anything yet about the Downeaster. In the past, there have been instances where the Downeasters ran but commuters did not - I guess just thinning out the train traffic was enough to create enough working windows.

That pretty much sums it up. Expect a few delays here and there to Downeasters particularly Saturday, but they're running.

Saturday morning saw a tamper and ballast regulator getting ready to work around the JK area...they were actually down near the site of the former Frost interlocking in Shawsheen village. They were sitting on the currently active main track, so not clear if the Downeasters were operating via new track through Andover.

Later in the day, I saw crews working around the station in Andover and around Essex/Pearson. There are many new pylons/bollards going up to limit motor vehicle access as much as possible around this somewhat awkward crossing, and also permanent warning signs. They've also put in concrete with ridges designed to de-motivate drivers from turning onto the tracks between the two streets. I'll try to get out and take some photos at some point this week when it's quiet down there.

this morning I noticed at Andover station, a new fence between the running rails. I guess we will not be allowed to cross over to the new station platform once it goes in!

insider485 wrote:this morning I noticed at Andover station, a new fence between the running rails. I guess we will not be allowed to cross over to the new station platform once it goes in!

Safety/accessibility standard for new construction. Doesn't matter much at a grade crossing situated station because built-to-code street crosswalks do the job and absorb the majority of ped traffic by default. But they're no longer allowed to do unprotected track crossings at platforms anymore, especially mid-platform track crossings. Grandfathering of track crossings stops at first whiff of station-mod or station-repair construction action triggering the new safety requirements, so you are witnessing that triggering "whiff" right now at Andover. If a track crossing is needed on the opposite end they have to install a signalized protected ped grade crossing like several of the Old Colony stops which corral their egresses to fenced and flasher/gate-protected sidewalks. Mass Architectural Board actually prefers full up-and-over grade separation whenever possible a la Littleton despite its position at a grade crossing. But they aren't as draconian about side platforms in constrained real estate and in-situ mods in constrained real estate as they are islands and/or cleanroomed property. Ballardvale and Andover won't be held to the extreme standards that relocated Littleton and semi-relocated South Acton were.

octr202 wrote:Saturday morning saw a tamper and ballast regulator getting ready to work around the JK area...they were actually down near the site of the former Frost interlocking in Shawsheen village.

I think you mean Frye, octr. Frost, in Lawrence is quite active.

D'oh, yes, Frye. Always get those two mixed up.

Here's the machinery out near the ex-Frye in Andover Saturday morning.

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Meanwhile, back at Andover station (where I can't get any interlocking names wrong), here's evidence this morning of the new fence installation. Looks like posts are all up, just need to finish the chain link install.

Also note that the flaps have been removed from the mini-high...hopefully in preparation for repair.

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Thanks for the shots. I wish that a platform would be built on the Track 1 side, though. Is there any more talk about that possibility?

Nothing's been officially announced. If Andover has it's act together (not a safe bet) they'll coordinate this with the T and try to get it built as part of the town DPW yard redevelopment. But that's a big if.

Had it been coordinated with the MassDOT highway overpass replacement, they could also design in ramps along the track up to North Main St, for northerly pedestrian access (and essentially eliminate the need for any kind of pedestrian bridge crossing at the station, since that would work in conjunction with the grade crossing at the other end. But alas, I doubt that's occurring. ("What do you mean people walk to the station??")

The conceptual plans for Andover DPW yard redevelopment showed no platform on the outbound track and a separate pedestrian bridge; the poor/no coordination hypothesis is sadly supported by data.

Thanks for digging that up. Of course, "conceptual plans" often aren't accurate, but at least the placement of the pedestrian bridge confirms that no one's considered how people actually use the station. Putting the bridge all the way down by Pearson St is almost pointless, since the road crossing is so close, and the effective stopping area of the trains is all the way up the other end of the station. Under that plan, most people who live north of the station will continue to climb over the hill behind the mini-high to enter/exit (and in fact, if the outbound platform is built, I suspect people will try to walk around the east end of the intertrack fence to avoid a long walk around). Hopefully someone will actually look at rush hour at the station before plans get firmed up, but that's doubtful.

In other news, the digging around Lowell Jct. is getting more serious, stretching from Lowell Jct Rd. all the way up east of the Shawsheen Bridge. There's also clearing going on inside the active leg of the wye (the Pan Am freight main). Down towards WJ, no progress on the retaining wall or turnout construction visible, but quite a good sized amount of material (rail, switch components, ties, even a couple signal bungalows) staged down there.

Outside this project, but worth noting that signal work continues along the inner portion of the line at several locations. It's hard to catch sometimes at speed, but it looks like work now taking place at Fells (I believe that's the right name - the end of double track east of Oak Grove).

They've now filled in and graded the area inside the east leg of the wye at Lowell Jct (not the whole thing, but enlarged the area right inside the switch). Given the very (very!) limited space on the east side of the embankment, I'd assume it's to relocate the signal bungalow to that area to make way for the new eastbound main track.

Thanks for the updates. I guess there will be fewer from you now that you'll be on I-93 and I-495. Good luck with THAT!