I'd still like to know- Why did management even try sending them through that mud hole? mg: :sad: Boxcab E50
Well, it took them a few months but crews got out to fix the line. Even the equipment got stuck for a while (accroding to the 1st picture description): http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo=200711291833459404.jpg http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo=200711291830059344.jpg
How much actual track did they repair/replace? I see the one panel. Sure seems like it would require a lot more. Plus a whole bunch of ballast... Boxcab E50
I could help but notice the standing water. Evidentally, when it rains, the water rolls off the bank and off the bridge and settles into that low place under the bridge, over time that water just keeps backing up and makes a big, sloppy mess. What Pam-Am/Guilford is experiencing is a concept called drainage, or the lack there of in this case. If they were to dig out the ditches and least and run a culvert under the rails downhill to a creek or some form of water runoff. Adding some drainge there, and tamping are vicinity with new ballast might end up being cheaper than having to replace the rails and pull locomotives out of the mud. Evidentally their Chief Engineer or Foreman didn't pay attention in school.
Clay. Gloppy, lousy clay. If they don't drain that area, then they'll be back. Again. And again. Wasted $$$$! BTW- Happy Birthday, Pat... Boxcab E50
It so happens that I took that shot. This is what is left of the Watertown branch here in MA. They have one customer called Newlyweds that makes various food products. Guilford/PanAm just added a stretch of pre-fab track OVER that one location in an attempt to help the sinking situation. Quite frankly, I am glad that Newlyweds still wants rail service. I live close by, and already missed most of the last action in West Cambridge as well... JD
Yikes! Those photos make some of the recently embargoed lines in Oregon look like smooth-as-glass, state-of-the-art, mainline CWR.
Looks like the need that low area under the bridge. Otherwise, how will the get the auto carriers and the double stacks through there?
Only covered hoppers and maybe a tank car go on the line anymore. They do need to think about clearance under that small bridge, though.
That's cold, Frank. Funny, but cold. Far better than my "Little old trainmaster made the wrong turn..."
Why abandon? Just let it sink without a trace, the PanAm boys come flying in whining about bad geography, whimper to the STB for abandonment so they don't lose an engine with crew in the Watertown Tar Pit, and boom- problem solved. Would be a wee bit hard to salvage rails & ties sunk under that mud...... In re that pic of GoofyRail engine stuck in mud- how many 4x4s with winches and chains pulled this bad boy out?
