22K At Ayer
Having been tied down only a dozen miles to the west for hours, Pan Am Southern train 22K (NS 47th Street Yard Chicago to PAS Ayer Yard) has finally reached its destination as a recrew leads the train east down main 2 passing the T passenger platforms approaching CPF AY on Pan Am's Freight Mainline at Pan Am milepost 315.75 (measured from Mattawamkeag, ME) and milepost 35.75 (measured from Boston North Station on the Keolis/MBTA Fitchburg Line). They will clear the east leg of the wye then back their train south into the yard to start cutting it up to spot the intermodal ramp. At right stands the surviving former B&M interlocking tower dating from 1928 that closed in 1980.
Cab signal and ACSES equipped NS SD60E 6953 has led BNSF ET44C4 3842 and UP C44ACM 7211 over the length of the former Boston and Maine Fitchburg Division from Mechanicville. Once the CSXT acquisition is consummated and NS begins to exercise its trackage rights from Voorheesville over the Berkshire and Boston Subs (ex Boston and Albany) this intermodal traffic will arrive in Ayer via the Worcester main instead of the Freight main meaning scenes like this will soon be a thing of the past.
Ayer, Massachusetts
Friday April 15, 2022
22K At Ayer
Having been tied down only a dozen miles to the west for hours, Pan Am Southern train 22K (NS 47th Street Yard Chicago to PAS Ayer Yard) has finally reached its destination as a recrew leads the train east down main 2 passing the T passenger platforms approaching CPF AY on Pan Am's Freight Mainline at Pan Am milepost 315.75 (measured from Mattawamkeag, ME) and milepost 35.75 (measured from Boston North Station on the Keolis/MBTA Fitchburg Line). They will clear the east leg of the wye then back their train south into the yard to start cutting it up to spot the intermodal ramp. At right stands the surviving former B&M interlocking tower dating from 1928 that closed in 1980.
Cab signal and ACSES equipped NS SD60E 6953 has led BNSF ET44C4 3842 and UP C44ACM 7211 over the length of the former Boston and Maine Fitchburg Division from Mechanicville. Once the CSXT acquisition is consummated and NS begins to exercise its trackage rights from Voorheesville over the Berkshire and Boston Subs (ex Boston and Albany) this intermodal traffic will arrive in Ayer via the Worcester main instead of the Freight main meaning scenes like this will soon be a thing of the past.
Ayer, Massachusetts
Friday April 15, 2022