Railroad Forums 

  • Swap Wedgemere For Montvale?

  • Discussion relating to commuter rail, light rail, and subway operations of the MBTA.
Discussion relating to commuter rail, light rail, and subway operations of the MBTA.

Moderators: sery2831, CRail

 #1604300  by l008com
 
Fun fact, there is a right of way to the neighborhood to the east via the begining of the Stoneham Branch, and theres a right of way to the neighborhood to the west via simply a right of way between two businesses at the nashua st/draper st intersection. It looks like you could even go under the montvale bridge and behind the elementary school to get super easy walking access to the neighborhood to the north/west too. I'm really surprised the city has never pushed for this. I guess they think driving to anderson is the solution.
 #1604303  by charlesriverbranch
 
If you're on the wrong side of the tracks at Anderson/Woburn, you have to walk for miles to get to the station even though it's right in front of you. I've never understood why it was built that way.
Last edited by CRail on Wed Aug 10, 2022 5:22 pm, edited 1 time in total. Reason: Unnecessary quote removed.
 #1604305  by Arborwayfan
 
I'm not sure what state law requires, but I was picturing a station that consisted only of a sort of medium-high, with no low platforms at all, as at the new station in Bourne. So all the available boarding places would be on a high platform.
 #1604310  by MBTA3247
 
IIRC, the Lowell Line is a wide-clearance route into Boston, so full-length high-level platforms aren't an option without a passing track for freights.
 #1604314  by l008com
 
charlesriverbranch wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 5:11 pm If you're on the wrong side of the tracks at Anderson/Woburn, you have to walk for miles to get to the station even though it's right in front of you. I've never understood why it was built that way.
I never thought about it but that does seem kinda weird. They already have the pedestrian bridges, it would be pretty easy to extend one and have it land down on new boston road. and theres a large field over there so there is space. Hmm.
MBTA3247 wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 6:34 pm IIRC, the Lowell Line is a wide-clearance route into Boston, so full-length high-level platforms aren't an option without a passing track for freights.
I have never in my life seen a train actually use the bypass track at anderson, other than for parking. *shrug*
 #1604324  by CRail
 
The New Hampshire route is absolutely a "High & Wide" route and that is what that siding is for. Typical manifest freights do not conflict with high platforms, but any high/wide car certainly will. Winchester's design includes a gauntlet on the No. 2 track to route high/wide moves around the new high level platforms there.
 #1604552  by BostonUrbEx
 
Gauntlet tracks have been removed from the Winchester station plans. The MBTA has opted instead to be on the hook for transload costs between Lawrence and Boston. They figure that will be both cheaper and easier in the long run than installing and maintaining gauntlet tracks or bypasses. And they're probably right.
 #1604558  by The EGE
 
I don't know if any full-length high-level platforms with the hinged edges. That's a lot of platform edges for the freight crew to flip up! Also, there's been a lot of issues with water intrusion on the retractable edges. One at North Billerica collapsed in 2015, the mini-highs had to be replaced at West Natick a few years back, and Beverly and North Beverly are planned for replacement soon.
 #1604685  by stevefol
 
MBTA is on the hook for transload costs to Boston?? How many car loads a year does this affect? Does it mean no more boxcars to the produce center (not that there are many)?
 #1604712  by BostonUrbEx
 
For example, if a transformer needs to be offloaded in Lawrence because it can't get to Everett by rail, then the MBTA pays for the trucking between Lawrence and Everett. It's a rare occurence for a transformer to go to Everett, and the only other wide loads in the past 5 years that I can think of would be some bowed out gondolas going to Schnitzer because they were overloaded.