Mass Coastal Railroad (MC) Discussion

Looking at google maps noticed that there are tracks that lead into the Canal Generating Station in Sandwich and was curious how often they receive tank cars. Originally thought everything came in by barge.

I think they keep an ammonia car in there. It periodically goes to BOREMCO in Fall River to refill. Every couple months? I am sure someone else knows more.

Yep...it's in a quasi "captive service" between Fall River and Canal Electric.

SOCO11 wrote: ↑Mon May 15, 2023 11:19 am I think they keep an ammonia car in there. It periodically goes to BOREMCO in Fall River to refill. Every couple months? I am sure someone else knows more.

Canal Plant #3 is a natural gas peak power plant and uses ammonia in its Selective Catalytic Reduction system. This is a pollution control process that removes nitrogen oxides from the flue gas before it is released into the atmosphere. The ammonia use varies as this is a peak plant that operates only when high demand for electricity is needed for the grid. I have only seen one rail tank car at a time on the siding, so there probably is some additional built in storage on site.

MNCRR9000 wrote: ↑Sun May 14, 2023 8:30 am Looking at google maps noticed that there are tracks that lead into the Canal Generating Station in Sandwich and was curious how often they receive tank cars. Originally thought everything came in by barge.

- Fuel oil delivery by barge / tanker
- Natural gas by pipeline
- Ammonia by Rail
- Fly ash removal by Rail if still generated from Canal plant #1 / #2

SOCO11 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 07, 2023 9:44 am Construction in Fall River beyond SCR. Brush clearing and cleanup along ROW into the yard and extending the track at the end of the runaround. There is also work at the adjacent demolished mill building on Ferry St. Drilling (soil samples?) and other activity.

Youtube video https://youtu.be/bvJ7ezfpeig from South Coast Rail Videos. Demolished building site is on market. Potential for a rail served building.

Unfortunate pedestrian death in Wareham from trespassing on Wareham narrows RR bridge. Bridge is next to a crossing with functioning signals & train was sounding it's horn giving plenty of warning to just jump into the water, as he could have saved his own life. People just don't seem to learn from these unfortunate incidents and I'm sure the Train crew was affected by this as they tried to save him but were too late.

https://www.capecod.com/cape-wide-news/ ... n-wareham/

There is a walkway on one side of the tracks...does this walkway clear the train? Also geez look how close RT 6 is, with it's official sidewalk...

Most walkways on railroad bridges are not designed to allow people and trains to coexist, but to allow MOW crews to inspect and work on bridges safely when they have clearance to do. This is not true of transit system bridges which usually have walkways designed to allow the safe egress from a train while on the bridge and so have clearance for a train to pass a person.

Historically on and adjacent to the cape the natives seem to feel that the railroad is an excellent place to ride bicycles, four wheelers, motorcycles, not to mention a nice place for a walk, and absolutely terrific for fishing.

I'm trying to understand how this fisherman could possibly have ended up as he did, with the horn blowing. Perhaps he was standing on the walkway and thought that it would clear the train.

Ear Buds?

Modern headsets (including ear buds) can be very good at drowning out external sounds (mostly by playing a sound that cancels out the external sound), so it is entirely possible the trespasser really didn't hear the train until it was too late.

Google's street view shows people who trespassed on the railroad to go fishing there.

Given the curve and vegetation, and the possibility of ear buds or headphones, I wonder is the person was on the tracks (I can't see a train pushing someone over that railing on the walkway, just crushing them against it), and just didn't hear the train or was used to hearing the train while fishing down beside the trestle like those depicted in the Google street view and thought nothing of it when that horn sounded basically on top of him.

The recent image (July 2021) from Google maps shows two "No Trespassing" signs on each side of the bridge.
https://goo.gl/maps/N7KrmAQhiEPTznmH9

Is there a police force that actively polices the MassDOT right of way that is used by Mass Coastal and the CapeFlyer at this location? Maybe the MBTA police? I'm assuming that MC does not have its own railroad police department.

Do the local police in Wareham have any responsibility for policing the bridge if they see someone on it? My guess is "no", unless they are contacted with a report of trespassing on the bridge.

Here on Cape Cod I have never seen any law enforcement department stop and tell people to get off the tracks / bridges unless someone files a complaint in which they will investigate the incident. But I have seen Mass Coastal employees and contractors inform people in a professional manner that they are trespassing and tell them they must leave the ROW.