Boston Switch
Having wrapped up their work over on the East Providence side, Providence and Worcester Railroad local freight PR-3 is now headed south toward the Port of Providence for the rest of their days work. This is the official timetable end of the Main Line at MP 5.1 (as measured from Union Station) at this one time junction known as 'Boston Switch' and from here to Cranston Yard they will be on Amtrak property. Visible to the right and partially obscured by the spring greenery is the crumbling tile roofed pagoda style interlocking tower here where Amtrak's Northeast Corridor mainline down from Boston curls in from the northeast. Sharp eyes will note the white painted concrete New Haven Railroad era milepost 190 at the right edge of the frame.
That line was built as the Boston & Providence in 1847 as a new route into the city from East Jct. near South Attleboro, MA. Their original 1835 route traveled to East Providence where passengers and freight were ferried across the Providence River into downtown. From this point to Union Station the P&W (which opened its line into Providence that same year) and B&P were operated a joint facility. In 1892 the P&W was leased to the New Haven and a year later the former B&P (by then in the Old Colony fold) joined the growing empire and both routes now fell under the aegis of the same company.
In 1914 a massive grade separation and line relocation project in Pawtucket took place. This was about the eastern limits of the work and according to Edward J. Ozog's phenomenal Railroad's of Rhode Island site:
"SS 156 was built to protect the east end of the line relocation. Switches and signals were operated by electricity. The plan of the tower was similar to SS 154 built at the same time at the west end of the relocation but adjusted for its location and orientation. The tower was reduced to short hours when the depression struck and it was closed in 1935 and its duties transferred to Woodlawn Tower. In 1937 the interlocking machine was sent to Bridgeport for use in SS 60.".
Remarkably some 87 years after the last shift was worked here it still stands guard as a tangible link to the Ocean State's railroading heritage. And interestingly though named 'Boston Switch' there is no longer an actual switch here and the closest physical connection (even though technically Amtrak property begins here) is about 1.4 miles ahead at LAWN interlocking.
GP38-2s 2008 and 2006 are original to the road having been built new for the then only 7 year independent company by EMD in Dec. and Feb. 1980 respectively), and they still proudly wear their red and brown colors despite being a member of the Genesee and Wyoming family for more than six years already.
Central Falls, Rhode Island
Monday May 22, 2023
Boston Switch
Having wrapped up their work over on the East Providence side, Providence and Worcester Railroad local freight PR-3 is now headed south toward the Port of Providence for the rest of their days work. This is the official timetable end of the Main Line at MP 5.1 (as measured from Union Station) at this one time junction known as 'Boston Switch' and from here to Cranston Yard they will be on Amtrak property. Visible to the right and partially obscured by the spring greenery is the crumbling tile roofed pagoda style interlocking tower here where Amtrak's Northeast Corridor mainline down from Boston curls in from the northeast. Sharp eyes will note the white painted concrete New Haven Railroad era milepost 190 at the right edge of the frame.
That line was built as the Boston & Providence in 1847 as a new route into the city from East Jct. near South Attleboro, MA. Their original 1835 route traveled to East Providence where passengers and freight were ferried across the Providence River into downtown. From this point to Union Station the P&W (which opened its line into Providence that same year) and B&P were operated a joint facility. In 1892 the P&W was leased to the New Haven and a year later the former B&P (by then in the Old Colony fold) joined the growing empire and both routes now fell under the aegis of the same company.
In 1914 a massive grade separation and line relocation project in Pawtucket took place. This was about the eastern limits of the work and according to Edward J. Ozog's phenomenal Railroad's of Rhode Island site:
"SS 156 was built to protect the east end of the line relocation. Switches and signals were operated by electricity. The plan of the tower was similar to SS 154 built at the same time at the west end of the relocation but adjusted for its location and orientation. The tower was reduced to short hours when the depression struck and it was closed in 1935 and its duties transferred to Woodlawn Tower. In 1937 the interlocking machine was sent to Bridgeport for use in SS 60.".
Remarkably some 87 years after the last shift was worked here it still stands guard as a tangible link to the Ocean State's railroading heritage. And interestingly though named 'Boston Switch' there is no longer an actual switch here and the closest physical connection (even though technically Amtrak property begins here) is about 1.4 miles ahead at LAWN interlocking.
GP38-2s 2008 and 2006 are original to the road having been built new for the then only 7 year independent company by EMD in Dec. and Feb. 1980 respectively), and they still proudly wear their red and brown colors despite being a member of the Genesee and Wyoming family for more than six years already.
Central Falls, Rhode Island
Monday May 22, 2023