OCS To Worcester
I shared this shot recently: flic.kr/p/2oTS2Vr which made me think back to another ridiculously cool catch at this exact same spot just shy of five years prior.
Until the road was bought out by CSXT, Pan Am Railway's little vest pocket OCS was seen out on the road regularly, though trips other than on the mainline to Mechanicville or down to Boston were exceedingly rare. This was the only time in many years that it traveled down the Worcester main. After an amazing chase all day from the Hoosac Tunnel 100 miles east on the freight main they turned south (railroad west) for 23 miles down the Worcester Main to Barbers. They are seen passing the old freight house still dressed in tattered peeling standard B&M colors as they approach the Center Bridge Road grade crossing at MP X19.1.
PAR 1 and PAR 2 are ex Canadian National FP9s 6505 and 6516 built in 1954 and 1957 respectively by GMDD. They passed from CN to VIA Rail in 1978 before being picked up by the Conway Scenic in 1995 when they expanded into Crawford Notch. After 15 years spent hauling tourists in the White Mountains 6505 & 6516 would become PAR 1 & 2 when traded to Pan Am Railways in March 2010 for GP38 252 and GP35 216.
They are pulling the three car train consisting of dome car 102, lounge car 101, and observation/business car 100.
ST100 was originally Norfolk and Western business car 102 that was rebuilt and streamlined in 1957 from diner 1011 that was originally built by ACF in 1934. It was purchased by the D&H in 1976 and then passed to Guilford in 1984 and was retained after the 1988 bankruptcy and divestiture of the D&H.
ST101 also came from the D&H but was one of four originally built by Budd for the D&RGW in 1950 for use on the Denver-Salt Lake Prospector and was numbered 1290 named the Castle Gate. After that train was discontinued in 1967 the D&H acquired it and named it Champlain.
And ST102 was also built by Budd in 1950 for Wabash's Chicago to St. Louis "Blue Bird" and originally wore #201. It later became N&W 1611 until stored at Roanoke in 1966. In 1971 it went to Amtrak where it stayed for 22 years before ending up in private hands for 20 more years until PAR bought it in 2013.
Lancaster, Massachusetts
Thursday August 16, 2018
OCS To Worcester
I shared this shot recently: flic.kr/p/2oTS2Vr which made me think back to another ridiculously cool catch at this exact same spot just shy of five years prior.
Until the road was bought out by CSXT, Pan Am Railway's little vest pocket OCS was seen out on the road regularly, though trips other than on the mainline to Mechanicville or down to Boston were exceedingly rare. This was the only time in many years that it traveled down the Worcester main. After an amazing chase all day from the Hoosac Tunnel 100 miles east on the freight main they turned south (railroad west) for 23 miles down the Worcester Main to Barbers. They are seen passing the old freight house still dressed in tattered peeling standard B&M colors as they approach the Center Bridge Road grade crossing at MP X19.1.
PAR 1 and PAR 2 are ex Canadian National FP9s 6505 and 6516 built in 1954 and 1957 respectively by GMDD. They passed from CN to VIA Rail in 1978 before being picked up by the Conway Scenic in 1995 when they expanded into Crawford Notch. After 15 years spent hauling tourists in the White Mountains 6505 & 6516 would become PAR 1 & 2 when traded to Pan Am Railways in March 2010 for GP38 252 and GP35 216.
They are pulling the three car train consisting of dome car 102, lounge car 101, and observation/business car 100.
ST100 was originally Norfolk and Western business car 102 that was rebuilt and streamlined in 1957 from diner 1011 that was originally built by ACF in 1934. It was purchased by the D&H in 1976 and then passed to Guilford in 1984 and was retained after the 1988 bankruptcy and divestiture of the D&H.
ST101 also came from the D&H but was one of four originally built by Budd for the D&RGW in 1950 for use on the Denver-Salt Lake Prospector and was numbered 1290 named the Castle Gate. After that train was discontinued in 1967 the D&H acquired it and named it Champlain.
And ST102 was also built by Budd in 1950 for Wabash's Chicago to St. Louis "Blue Bird" and originally wore #201. It later became N&W 1611 until stored at Roanoke in 1966. In 1971 it went to Amtrak where it stayed for 22 years before ending up in private hands for 20 more years until PAR bought it in 2013.
Lancaster, Massachusetts
Thursday August 16, 2018