Mass Coastal Railroad (MC) Discussion

Falmouth Secondary to Otis wrote: ↑Thu Dec 02, 2021 3:24 pm Numerous bundles of new RR ties spotted on the Cape Main at Canal junction and also nearby on the Falmouth Secondary at Bell Road RR crossing area. Hyrail excavator with gripper for ties and brush cutter attachment parked close by so time will tell. The Falmouth Secondary / Otis Industrial track was just rehabilitated a little over a year ago by Railworks with new ties / ballast stone so will be watching to see where they are going to be used. Perhaps the crossing at Bell Road will be rebuilt or the long talked about Wye connection construction, though not likely.

New Bid to be awarded for more tie / ballast work on the Cape Main & Falmouth Secondary this spring / summer. Major work was just done in Summer of 2020 by Railworks so will see what additional work is done this year. Both lines will be in top condition afterwards for sure when work is completed.

https://www.commbuys.com/bso/external/b ... entUrl=bid

I wonder if this material is coming from the two storage yards off Route 28 in Rochester? Lots of ties and even switch panels being built. Maybe for SOCO Rail too.

Looks like one of those predetermined bidding situations. I assume there were very few qualified bidders who attended the mandatory pre-bid conference at the offices of MC.

And love the official addresses for the project:

Ship-to Address:
Chief Financial Office Unit
10 Park Plaza
Boston, MA 02116
US
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (999)999-9999

Bill-to Address:
Chief Financial Office Unit
10 Park Plaza
Boston, MA 02116
US
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (999)999-9999

Falmouth Secondary to Otis wrote: ↑Thu Dec 02, 2021 3:24 pm ... at Canal junction...

Is that signal cabinet from the NH era? Obviously double-tracked at some point.

Mass Coastal's newest addition for power sitting with a cut of cars at the Attleboro tower, off of B725-27, LTEX 3815 a GP38-3M

Red/Grey paint, that's the leaser that spent some time up on the CMQ.

Ex-BNSF/ATSF GP35M, originally a ATSF GP35. Built 6/65.

Falmouth Secondary line is getting marked for RR Tie / ballast replacement due to start sometime in June after the Cape Main is completed. Falmouth & Otis line had extensive tie / ballast replacement most recently done during the summer of 2020 so it should be in brand new condition when completed. Haven't heard of any increased rail traffic for anything so wondering why MassDOT is doing so much rehabilitation work on this line? Only possibility I can think of at the moment is maybe the Military is going to finally rehab it's own service lines out on Otis starting at the WYE leading into the base. Otis Military rail Lines are presently overgrown and would need a good brush out to begin with for sure !

GP40MC1118 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 28, 2022 4:13 pm Ex-BNSF/ATSF GP35M, originally a ATSF GP35. Built 6/65.

LTEX 3815 Derailed in Fall River at night on 5/16/22
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnUXCC8q40w

New bids have been out for At grade crossing surface rehabilitation and signal upgrades for Cape Main / Middleboro Subdivision / Framingham Secondary / Falmouth Secondary. Good to see continued upgrades !

https://www.commbuys.com/bso/external/b ... entUrl=bid

Barletta Engineering Heavy Division has started tie / ballast work on the Falmouth Secondary line and presently is stopped for the night at MP 1.79 in Monument Beach ready to resume work tomorrow heading towards North Falmouth.

Barletta Engineering Heavy Division has replaced ties on the Falmouth Secondary up to the Otis switch as of Friday 6/10/22. Starting to stockpile ballast stone at Pocasset Station location MP 3.60. Looks like Barletta is stopping at the Otis switch as I see no further markings for tie replacement continuing on to the Otis Industrial track so far.

Cape Cod Railfan day is on Saturday August 20th to be held at the Hyannis Rail yard see link below for details

https://www.capetrain.com/railfan-day/

Southcoast Rail Videos has footage of testing new siding into former Revere Copper in New Bedford https://youtu.be/YJMInHpN81Q
Exciting that business is picking up around that yard with the frozen seafood too. On that same YT page there is a vid of a new siding going in for Parallel Products in the north of New Bedford- they have ambitious plans for multiple tracks. Excel scrap in Freetown is now shipping out of their site even before trackwork into it is started. These government grants are finally showing some results. They need to approve some $$ to rebuild track down to RI border in Fall River. MCRR has shown they can pick up the customers.

Cavossa Disposal Corporation was awarded a $413,326 MA IRAP grant to help modernize the Upper Cape Cod Regional transfer station. Great news as the Falmouth Secondary line and the Otis Industrial track have recently been rehabilitated with new RR ties / Ballast.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/massa ... cf986aa526