Pan Am Worcester Main Line

The CWR looked to be new to my untrained eye but I can’t be certain. I think the 115 lb to 136lb joint bars will be used temporarily to connect the CWR strings to the existing 115 lb rail at the crossing. Once the CWR is installed, I’m guessing Corman will return and replace the old 115 lb panel with the new 136 lb panel and weld it all together. And there are also a couple of prefabbed insulated rail joints that must get installed near the roadway.

Tonight's M427 had a long ride from Ayer west tonight. At about 16:45 they got a Line 13 to protect seven crossings that were cutout from Still River WOR 2.71 to Mill St. Lancaster WOR 7.82. I'm sure this will continue for a while until the track work is complete.
If anybody is interested they were also told they were "set back 2 hours to 9 AM tomorrow."

All crossings have been replaced from Clinton to Harvard. All new 136# rail. Crew working in Lancaster near Neck Road South today.

Here are 3 photos taken Monday 7/24/23 midday at Still River Depot Rd crossing. The first photo is looking north from the crossing showing the then uninstalled 136lb CWR strings. Photo 2 is a southerly view of the rehabbed crossing with the new 136lb track panel installed. Photo 3 shows the 136lb rail to 100lb rail joint plates that were used to connect the old 100lb stick rail to the 136lb crossing track panel - what a mismatch!

I forgot exactly where their ownership ends, it will be interesting to see where the rebuild stops. It's closer to Depot Road I think. Even they don't really give two sh*ts about PAS, but since they will be traversing the Hill Yard they may keep on going through it too for a Running Track all the way to the wye.

Checking the STB filings, the CSX/PAS split is at the old MP X25.5, which is officially right at the Depot Rd crossing.

Yesterday afternoon was busy for Clinton. On the Worcester main, track cars were returning from the east to park on the Clinton siding (where I also saw them on Monday). Then a parade of track cars came in from the south on the Agricultural branch, stopping on that siding, at least temporarily.

I’m very pleased with the big capital improvements that csx is making in the Clinton area after decades of decay
There’s a long term future here

I went to Depot Rd last Thursday 8/3 and the welded rail has been installed through the crossing but not past it, so it looks like that is the CSX/PAS limit. Track looked like it hadn't been surfaced at that time and needed stone.
CWR also installed both sides of Still River Depot Rd.

The inside edge of the removed rail on the left side appears to be heavily beveled
I assume that’s wear

Outside rail is always worse because the flange is always trying to ride up.

Speed upgrade to 25 presumably in the coming weeks with all the cwr installed

Looks like the welded rail,CWR,is all installed from Harvard to Clinton.Every crossing was replaced and cleaned up.The rail gang equipment was all on the siding in Clinton,but there were no workers around.I wonder if this rail gang will install the welded rail on the Fitchburg Sec. next.I will post a note on that later today.I wonder what kind of shape the old crossing ties were in.There were 5 or 6 crossings in Lancaster,ma within about 1 1/2 miles.

RJ Corman is in the process of replacing the Clinton siding rail with CWR. One rail is installed the entire length and the second one is ready for installation. No new ties. They offset the rail in places on the existing ties where there was more to spike into, otherwise the exact same treatment as the main.

I saw a bunch of guys at the Rt 117 last Wednesday. One piece of track equipment was all that I could see on the north side of the crossing.