Pan Am Worcester Main Line

A couple of weeks ago I was watching RUPO pull through Danville Junction and noticed
most of the PAR boxcars in the train were around 45 years old and with the FRA 50 year-
old retirement rule I wondered what they would be replaced with. Probably a minor
issue for CSX.

Latest observations, from yesterday, of progress on the Worcester line upgrade; observed that stone was dropped from somewhere to the east of Rt 117 xing thru to somewhere west of Clinton. Stone was being plowed by a track machine in the area of the Clinton siding.

Johnhenry thanks again for your updates. On 11/9 you posted a picture of what appeared to be a track machine under cutting and cleaning ballast on the Worcester mainline. Do you know if they undercut and cleaned where the CWR was installed or was it just spot cleaning? I believe there was a bridge that needed to be undercut for NS double stack on the line.

They dug out ballast along the ends of the ties, sifted it, and poured the dirty stuff into piles a few feet from the rails. They did this for the entire new welded rail section that starts at New Bond St and goes to the east end of the Clinton siding. I'm not sure if they did this operation east of there. They have dropped new stone in an westward direction to a little past Prescott st. I expect there will be another stone train soon to drop all the way to New Bond.
They have not, to my knowledge, done any undercutting, IE lowering of the track.

From the looks of it, in the last few days stone has been dropped and plowed across the Wach Res causeway and through West Boylston. Not sure but probably all the way to Greendale in Worcester.

I heard some chatter about a work train this morning, but I was in another room and didn't hear any more. I've been keeping my eye out for another stone train soon. The bad weather has certainly been holding off for the to continue working. I saw a CSX truck with a small crane working at the Burncoat Street crossing. They have a lot to pick up along the way including a huge pile of track plates at New Bond.

Yesterday (Thur) just after 10am, I observed 427 coming over the Rt 12 UGB in West Boylston doing well over 10mph (my guess would be 20-25). Easy to tell after so many years at 10.

Yes sir...last Saturday (12/31) was the first day of 25 from Clinton west to Burncoat. It's good to see!