Grafton & Upton Railroad (G&U) Discussion

KEN PATRICK wrote:there are no economics in a move that has two shortlines in a class 1 move, today, in massachusetts. to suggest that the mbta restore to blackstone cannot survive the straight-face test for freight. everyone should appreciate history. massachusetts shortlines are doomed to a marginal existence in the absence of a state mandate for pricing on massachusetts-owned rail. our state dot is staffed by lawyers who don't understand that railroad 'costs' are always accompanied by 'smoke'. i believe it's time for our state to enjoy a real return on taxpayer's investment. how else to encourage new traffic? ken patrick

I agree. No Polar Express for the kiddies. Lil' bastards need to learn the hard way that Santa isn't real, and that if he was he would not be transportable at a cost-effective enough rate per-axle.


Ugh...isn't one thread enough for this screeching? Does it really need to start spreading?

F-line to Dudley via Park wrote:

KEN PATRICK wrote:there are no economics in a move that has two shortlines in a class 1 move, today, in massachusetts. to suggest that the mbta restore to blackstone cannot survive the straight-face test for freight. everyone should appreciate history. massachusetts shortlines are doomed to a marginal existence in the absence of a state mandate for pricing on massachusetts-owned rail. our state dot is staffed by lawyers who don't understand that railroad 'costs' are always accompanied by 'smoke'. i believe it's time for our state to enjoy a real return on taxpayer's investment. how else to encourage new traffic? ken patrick

I agree. No Polar Express for the kiddies. Lil' bastards need to learn the hard way that Santa isn't real, and that if he was he would not be transportable at a cost-effective enough rate per-axle.


Ugh...isn't one thread enough for this screeching? Does it really need to start spreading?

Yeah! This is OUR thread Ken!

About the western G&A connection with the B&A/NYC go to the UNH historic map collection. The 1944 map clearly shows the track in place, but the 1953 map indicates the track has been removed. I traced the western leg of the wye on the ground about a dozen years ago and the remnants were still visible with a house squarely on the row. http://docs.unh.edu/MA/graf44ne.jpg will get you started.

Sorry; my post didn't want to take the correct jpeg. Go to upper left map sections in both cases.

Okay so now I'm dreaming of the Roger Williams trainset providing a one-seat ride between Worcester and Milford (WRTA, MWRTA or MBTA auspices/subsidy?). No clue what equipment they'd use for a "Polar Express" but IIRC it would call for STEAM motive power, would it not? Hey, I did say I'm dreaming!

Any excursions with RDCs or other 'classic equipment ' will have to be confined to the G&U's rails. First off, because the B&A has no intermediate way side signals all leading units are required to have properly tested cab signals prior to entering the line. I know of no recent instances of a waiver being granted. A CSX or MBTA unit would have to be added as a leader. Also a CSX or MBCR crew would have to be on board this excursion as a Class 1 engineers license is required to operate an engine on a Class 1 railroad,plus both of these outfits are union shops. Is the G&U unionized ? Keeping the whole event on the G&U would be a lot simpler.

papabarn wrote:Okay so now I'm dreaming of the Roger Williams trainset providing a one-seat ride between Worcester and Milford (WRTA, MWRTA or MBTA auspices/subsidy?). No clue what equipment they'd use for a "Polar Express" but IIRC it would call for STEAM motive power, would it not? Hey, I did say I'm dreaming!

Clarification: My "one-seat ride, Milford - Worcester" dream has nothing to do with the "Polar Express".. Even if neither will ever happen..

! was present at the Grafton town meeting where Mr Driscolli mentioned the possibility of a Polar Express train on the G&U. He even brought out that the there would be enlarged parking space available in Grafton Center where the old cinder-block station once stood. With that, I would assume that the base of operations for this would logically be from Grafton Center. He also mentioned a willingness to have his rough-paved parking lot available for activities related to the Town Common, details to-be-worked-out-later. Since there is no run-around track at Grafton Center, my speculation would be that the train would mirror the P&W in that there would be a facing engine on each end with passenger equipment in the middle. I don't have any idea as to how HEPVAC utilities would be provided...

The Milford Daily News wrote:UPTON —

The Planning Board may stick with its idea of petitioning the federal Surface Transportation Board to look into the activity at the Grafton & Upton Railroad, but if they do, it may be without the help of a lawyer.

Read more: Attorney spurns Upton board in railroad case - Upton, MA - Wicked Local Upton http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x1 ... z1rqNMqU2D

papabarn wrote:

The Milford Daily News wrote:UPTON —

The Planning Board may stick with its idea of petitioning the federal Surface Transportation Board to look into the activity at the Grafton & Upton Railroad, but if they do, it may be without the help of a lawyer.

Read more: Attorney spurns Upton board in railroad case - Upton, MA - Wicked Local Upton http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x1 ... z1rqNMqU2D

I wonder if they played this at the last alderman meeting:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8lT1o0sDwI

Forget it....he's rolling.....

WAAAA HAAAAA!!!!! What a bunch of NIMBYs. Don't know when to call it quits.

Apparently not.

The Milford Daily News wrote:UPTON —

By the end of the month, the Board of Selectmen will likely have a report from a municipal task force which will offer polar opinions on whether the town should petition a federal agency to investigate the operations at the Grafton & Upton Railroad.

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x1 ... z1ryfBpWry

Morgan Rousseau/Daily News staff - Milford Daily News wrote: Firefighters practiced putting out fires by applying 500 to 1,000 gallons of training foam to the railroad’s tankers.

Read more: Area firefighters get foamed up - Hopedale, MA - Wicked Local Hopedale

Any word on the progress of their push to Milford? Have they reached Hopedale yet?