AYMO / MOAY / 22K / 23K (Ayer-Mohawk trains)

There is only one track (which happens to be #2) between Fitchburg and Ayer over which the stacks can travel due to clearances. So the EB had to wait for the WB to clear.

And I'm guessing that the layout at Ayer only allows one pig train at a time to work the yard. There would be no great hurry to get the EB there until the WB clears that area.

DAW

I'm happy that clearance-route Line 13s are being issued and followed, but it does seem that AYMO keeps getting shoved back, and maybe that's because MOAY keeps getting shoved back. It does seem like a self-perpetuating feedback loop has been established. Maybe we're even witnessing one of Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.'s chrono-synclastic infundibula.

This time it was BNSF 5003 leading NSs 9692 and 9549 plus 23 racks and 97 tables and wells at a stately 10mph or so up to Patterson Road, Shirley, for the 08-11-2011 AYMO at 1310. The approach was so stately that impatient motorists started doing the down-gates slalom. The reason was 422 on 1, perfectly on time, but the Alphonse-et-Gaston timing had most of the Shirley gates down for what seemed like a long time. 422 got east of the station at 1322 and AYMO got west of the 40.2 talker at 1336. Permission was needed through a work area in Fitchburg, so AYMO got west of Wachusett on 2 at 1440, again at stately speed. Things got a bit quicker once on the western side of the hill, highballing Gardner even as the PW Gardner Switcher was completing its daily drop of racks. AYMO was west of CPF-345 at 1517 and west of the 346.6 talker at 1520.
Anyone know if this power set is here for awhile?

Today around 5pm, MOAY rolled into Gardner to make his P&W setoff. What caught my eye was 5-8 Walmart trailers in the train. First time I've seen or heard of these on AYMO/MOAY...

I think wm went to using Prime instead of their own trucks, maybe that is why.

Lots of Walmart's stuff goes on those trains, they just usually are in unmarked containers. Which helps keep people from screwing with them looking for TVs, etc...

"FYI" to forum members: I took a few dozen separate MOAY/AYMO threads and merged them into this consolidated thread. This should make life much easier for anyone who tries to search for MOAY or AYMO topics.

Going forward, please post your MOAY/AYMO sightings/questions/comments here.

Awfully quiet in here lately... are the AYMO/MOAY spotters still in winter hibernation?

A nice, non-hibernation day, so:
On 04-19-2011 at 0921, D-3 got on the air to give MOAY its yarding instructions. A trip to Home Despot followed by an arrival at Ayer, and here was MOAY still yarding its pigs. The first part had gotten shoved to 1, the overflow going to 2, with NSs 7545, 8810 and 9548, still with the 13 racks, shoving off main 2 and almost clear of the wye switch at 1027. Supposedly, it was last night's MOAY that got set back, but dunno where or for how long. Of the pigs that I saw, there was an especially heavy Hunt representation, more containers than trailers.

Dunno if it was a second section or if getting set back is getting to be SOP, but someone -- FI-1? -- called MOAY clear of CPF-FG at 1139 on 04-20-2012.

Hi Everyone,

I figured I would get the following info out there since I'm being told by my sources it's not much of a secret anymore:

Apparently the current plan for NS's New England operations is as follows:

The current MOAY/AYMO (CP 934/935, NS 22/23K) will continue to operate from Chicago, IL to Ayer, MA handling Ayer Intermodals. However I have been told the 22/23k will also start handling all of the Mechanicville (Albany) Intermodals on the top of the double wells and a block on the rear of TOFC/COFC that currently runs as NS 205/206 to Mechanicville directly.

The current NS 205/206 (CP 938/939) operating Chicago, IL to Mechanicville, NY are supposed to become or change to a dedicated pair of autorack trains within the next few months. These Autorack trains will operate as a solid autorack train from the West (Chicago/Buffalo) directly to Ayer, MA (working Mechanicville). Obviously they may not be the 205/206 trains, but rather a new train symbol (I believe I heard 14T/287 while on the NS side).

From what I have been told, PAS has already hired the manpower necessary to operate another pair of trains from Mechanicville to Ayer. I would presume these will run as a 2nd MOAY/AYMO, but who knows.

Some of the details and plans are obviously subject to change with these trains. But all signs are pointing to the fact that another pair of trains is coming to the Westend of the B&M soon. There may even be further changes/increases as NS gets more intermodal lanes (specifically North/South) up and running to Mechanicville/Ayer in the future.

Jim Cerulli
cprsunburysub yahoo group Owner

Thanks for the info, Jim!

Jim-
A second to MEC407's thanks!
A few days after the dedicated rack and dedicated pig moves happen, you may hear some cheering from the direction of Ayer when drivers realize that the new order of things is not just a trick. With the current apparent pattern of midmorning or later MOAY arrivals at Ayer, bad grade-crossing traffic gets even worse. MOAY pulls its entire train east of the East Wye and then shoves back to fill one track with pigs, with the pig overflow going to another. Then -- with either AYMO's power or AY-4 --the racks go east to the new auto yard, the gates having dropped and risen another buncha times more than the driving public enjoys. All-rack and all-pig moves should make things at least a bit better.

Dumb question -- why do AYMO/MOAY trains have CP designations? Beyond Mohawk Yard, do they continue west /come east over the D&H/CP to/from Binghamton to connect to NS?
Also, once at Binghamton, do these trains we're talking about come/go over the Southern Tier, or do they connect west/south on D&H/CP and then NS to Harrisburg?
Thanks, JS
EDIT. I am guessing that that Pan Am Southern (ex Boston and Maine?) goes west through Mechanicville all the way to Mohawk Yard, so CP isn't needed to get from Ayer to Mohawk. Could be wrong on that of course.

Hi Jim,

I am not privy to any NS info non-Pan Am Southern, but I can validate what you have heard in regards to the dedicate autorack train. I have been told "as soon as the crews qualify" this is going to happen. So this could be any time.

That is interesting that they plan to tack on more tonnage to 934/935, even with the autoracks coming off it. MOAY/AYMO has been in the 9K length range just about every day, I am sure CP doesn't care for that. I bet with the racks coming off and the Albanys going on instead it will be just as long or longer.

Good news to see another pair on the B&M for sure.