PR3 On The East Junction
Normally the bastion of original Providence and Worcester GP38-2s wearing the old school red/orange and brown colors it is a bit unusual to see two big 4000 hp GE B40-8s assigned to Valley Falls. But allegedly due to ACSES upgrades to Amtrak's PTC system the geeps can't operate on the corridor so 4003 and 4001 (blt. Jun. 1988 as NYSW 4006 and 4004 respectively) were assigned to local PR3.
Here is a going away view as they head toward Metals USA in Seekonk on the former East Junction line now all part of the continuous East Providence Running Track here at about MP 6.9 just past Ferris Ave. in the Rumford section of town.
This stretch of track is particularly interesting to me because it was the original Boston & Providence Mainline opened in 1835 and despite it's rickety modern appearance there are clues to its status a century and a half ago. The most obvious is that this is about 3/4ths of mile into a nearly 16 mile long arrow straight strestch of tangent that extends to East Jct and continues along the modern day Amtrak Northeast Corridor Mainline thru Attleboro and Mansfield. This line has a fascinating history that I wrote about earlier. You can read it with the caption that goes with this photo of CSXT working further up the line by East Jct.: flic.kr/p/2j6Liod
East Providence, Rhode Island
Wednesday January 14, 2021
PR3 On The East Junction
Normally the bastion of original Providence and Worcester GP38-2s wearing the old school red/orange and brown colors it is a bit unusual to see two big 4000 hp GE B40-8s assigned to Valley Falls. But allegedly due to ACSES upgrades to Amtrak's PTC system the geeps can't operate on the corridor so 4003 and 4001 (blt. Jun. 1988 as NYSW 4006 and 4004 respectively) were assigned to local PR3.
Here is a going away view as they head toward Metals USA in Seekonk on the former East Junction line now all part of the continuous East Providence Running Track here at about MP 6.9 just past Ferris Ave. in the Rumford section of town.
This stretch of track is particularly interesting to me because it was the original Boston & Providence Mainline opened in 1835 and despite it's rickety modern appearance there are clues to its status a century and a half ago. The most obvious is that this is about 3/4ths of mile into a nearly 16 mile long arrow straight strestch of tangent that extends to East Jct and continues along the modern day Amtrak Northeast Corridor Mainline thru Attleboro and Mansfield. This line has a fascinating history that I wrote about earlier. You can read it with the caption that goes with this photo of CSXT working further up the line by East Jct.: flic.kr/p/2j6Liod
East Providence, Rhode Island
Wednesday January 14, 2021