Grafton & Upton Railroad (G&U) Discussion

bostontrainguy,

Yes, they are installing another switch before S Cedar street. (they are not using any of the old buried track)
and I am assuming that this will be pointed towards and connected to the Franklin line 150 yards towards the power lines.

This way the engine leading could cut off the cars after they clear the new Cedar St switch, run through the " new switch between Depot and Cedar Streets" then up the Franklin line. reverse down the line past the newer Franklin witch, then back up the new tracks and connect to the cars. Engine on the lead and off to Franklin parts unknown.

Of course, they place the MP15 1191 & 1158 on either end would avoid a lot of this wrangling

There is a new pic on NERAIL showing new ties coming off of that switch in the link I posted. Looks like the photographer is standing on South Cedar Street looking north. You can see the existing rail in the road where it used to cross South Cedar Street but I am sure they will have to completely rebuild the two track crossing.

Here's a link to Edward Freedman's photo looking from S Cedar St toward Depot St:
http://photos.greatrails.net/showpic/?p ... ex=2&key2=

The photo shows the switch installed by the MBTA further up the track several months ago as well as new ties indicating where the points of the 2nd switch will be (I wonder if the frog will be in the middle of the S Cedar St crossing?). My understanding is this 2nd switch will connect a track that is to parallel the G&U mainline back down toward Vernon St but I could be wrong. If the 2nd track were to connect to the CSX Milford branch further south, I think the MBTA would have installed it when it moved the first switch from south of S Cedar St closer to Depot St a few months ago.

Also if G&U's goal for connecting to the Milford branch is to service BlueLinx and Garelick Farms in Forge Park, simplest access to both these industries would require engines at each end of the cars as, facing east, BlueLinx has a trailing point switch and Garelick Farms has a facing point switch to a very short lead (see attached photos).

the image of bluelinx must of been taken on a sunday morning. not a single vehicle in the parking lot. garelick farms declared bankruptcy in 2019. evidently they're hanging in there.
how often are those 4 rail cars switched out? there's another switch at northeast energy associates bellingham as well as a good looking crossing on depot st. how often does a train go into
there? hopefully the G & U can liven things up. they've done an amazing job so far. is anyone selling G & U gear?

what does Garelick Farms receive by rail? Looks like covered hoppers so I'd imagine plastic resin for making bottles?

dup - where's the delete button?

I often wonder when somebody in the engineering department plans to add a siding for a new business if they ever say, "you know we should make them all face in the same direction!" I know it's primarily dictated by topography but it looks like Garelick Farms could have been built either way.

I wonder if when Blue Seal was being planned the railroad had any say in the orientation of the site so that the switch would be facing the other way. Certainly the architects must have to work with the railroad or a set of guidelines when planning a rail-served building.

A recent article in TRAINS on the NY&A mentions that they are building new sidings with switches at both ends to speed up freight service on the busy passenger LIRR.

Jon Delli Priscoli, owner/rebuilder of Grafton and Upton RR, looks to add Mass Coastal to his RR empire per filing at STB.

Excerpt:

A. Description of Proposed Transaction -- 49 CFR § 1180.6 (a)(l)(i)

Delli Priscoli owns all of the outstanding stock of Grafton and Upton Railroad Co., a Class III rail carrier operating a line between Grafton, Massachusetts and Milford, Massachusetts. Delli Priscoli also owns all of the outstanding stock of Holdings, which is a newly formed holding company that intends to purchase all of the outstanding membership interests of Mass Coastal, as described more fully below.

Mass Coastal is a wholly-owned subsidiary of San Luis & Rio Grande Railroad Co. ("SLRG"), which is the debtor in a Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding pending in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Colorado. Mass Coastal operates lines between Middleboro and Yarmouth Massachusetts, between Middleboro and Taunton, Massachusetts and between Taunton and New Bedford and Fall River, Massachusetts.

William A Brandt, the Chapter 11 trustee of SLRG (the "Trustee"), has entered into a Membership Interest Purchase Agreement dated May 11, 2020 (the "Agreement") with a so-called "stalking horse" bidder to sell the membership interests of Mass Coastal. Pursuant to bidding procedures established by the Trustee and the Bankruptcy Court, the Agreement is subject to higher and better offers by interested parties. Holdings intends to make such an offer, thereby entitling it to participate in an auction under the auspices of the Trustee and the Bankruptcy Court. The winning bid at the auction will entitle Holdings, following approval by the Bankruptcy Court, to acquire the membership interests of Mass Coastal.

Delli Priscoli and Holdings are filing this Verified Notice even before knowing for certain that Holdings will be the winning bidder and entitled to acquire the
membership interests of Mass Coastal in order to meet a closing schedule imposed by the Bankruptcy Court and the bidding procedures. The schedule contemplates a closing shortly after the anticipated approval of the sale by the Bankruptcy Court on a schedule that would not allow sufficient time for Holdings and Delli Priscoli to file a Verified Notice after being selected as the winning bidder. In order to assure the passage of the 30 day period before this Verified Notice becomes effective, it is necessary to file this Verified Notice at this time in order to close the transaction within the timetable established by the Trustee. Closing within such a timetable would avoid the potential forfeiture of Holdings' deposit.

Upon acquisition of Mass Coastal, Delli Priscoli, through Holdings, will control two rail carriers -- Mass Coastal indirectly and G&U directly. The rail lines respectively owned or operated by G&U and Mass Coastal do not connect with each other or with any other railroads in their respective corporate families. The acquisition of control of Mass Coastal is not part of a series of anticipated transactions that would connect the railroads with each other or with any railroad in either of their respective corporate families. Furthermore, the transaction does not involve a Class I carrier. Consequently, the proposed transaction comes within the scope of 49 CFR § 1180.2 ( d)(2).

Although purchase price is not given, should G&U prevail at the Mass Coastal bankruptcy auction, a non-refundable deposit of $250,000 will be made to the seller, SAN LUIS & RIO GRANDE RAILROAD, INC.

Maps of the shortlines are attached below.

https://dcms-external.s3.amazonaws.com/ ... 300689.pdf

Extremely interesting and I suspect Mr. Delli Priscoli would be very capable of growing freight traffic in Southeast Mass and Cape Cod. It will be a breath of fresh air compared to all the losses of service and abandoned sidings. I expect to see Gold Medal Flour connected soon and some other interesting developments.

And I will add that I am still pissed about the stupid Falmouth rail removal.

I agree. G and U could bring a lot to New Bedford, Taunton and Fall River. Gold Medal is a sure bet but I think he could develop port business starting with the salt operation in Fall River. There was an effort to unload in Fall River and move by rail to other places including an all MC move to the Cape.

Sorry if this has been answered before but I was wondering how the exchange with CSX is done. Does G&U just leave a cut on the CSX mainline or does CSX come into the G&U yard for pickup? Thanks.

I don't know the precise answer to your question but the CSX mainline is actually the MBTA mainline so I'm guessing cuts of cars are not left north of the G&U switch to the Worcester main at N Grafton. Based on my observation of upgraded and expanded G&U yard track at N Grafton, I'm further guessing that CSX sets-off inbound cars on one yard track and picks up outbound cars off another.

John is correct. CSX drops the cars in the G&U yard full and then picks up the empties. There are pictures out there somewhere of CSX engines switching in the G&U yard near the old dry goods transfer shed.

When CSX sold all that trackage to the State of Mass., did they get exclusive operating rights? Could G&U work some of those lines or at least transverse them?

The rail connection is now complete from Hopedale to Vernon St. in Milford. Most of the ties and rail are aligned from the CSX switch main line to Vernon St. Guessing the connection could be made in the next week or two. Keep an ear out for possible test train. This would be fun to watch as we have been following this rebuild for years!!