Retrieving The Last Car
GP40-2W MEC 516 on CSXT's ex Pan Am local BO-1 is seen inside the Rousselot plant for the last time as they pick up the final empty hydrochloric acid tank car. The facility is closing later this year after being in operation in some form for 206 years and with rail service for 173 of those! This may very well be the last time a train is ever seen on these rails, about 2 1/2 miles from Salem via pieces of the old Boston and Maine Danvers and South Reading Branches. Rousselot was the very last rail served customer on the north shore of Boston and come the following day nothing but window trains will ever polish the rails east of Everett Junction unless by some miracle other freight rail customers manifest themselves in the future.
It was a sad and historic day indeed....but I'm grateful I was able to witness it and document it with so many others. Thanks to Conductor Maher for making the classy signs that adorned the front and rear of 516 for this trip.
Peabody, Massachusetts
Thursday August 31, 2023
Retrieving The Last Car
GP40-2W MEC 516 on CSXT's ex Pan Am local BO-1 is seen inside the Rousselot plant for the last time as they pick up the final empty hydrochloric acid tank car. The facility is closing later this year after being in operation in some form for 206 years and with rail service for 173 of those! This may very well be the last time a train is ever seen on these rails, about 2 1/2 miles from Salem via pieces of the old Boston and Maine Danvers and South Reading Branches. Rousselot was the very last rail served customer on the north shore of Boston and come the following day nothing but window trains will ever polish the rails east of Everett Junction unless by some miracle other freight rail customers manifest themselves in the future.
It was a sad and historic day indeed....but I'm grateful I was able to witness it and document it with so many others. Thanks to Conductor Maher for making the classy signs that adorned the front and rear of 516 for this trip.
Peabody, Massachusetts
Thursday August 31, 2023