Something Different Over The Mystic
CSXT's geometry train is seen crossing the Mystic River at MP 2.6 on the Keolis/MBTA Western Route mainline as it leaves the city of Somerville and enters Medford. The three car train has its standard one of a kind unit, CSXT 9969, an ex MARC GP40WH-2, double headed with MBTA 1129, a rebuilt GP40MC (rebuilt from an original CN GP40-2W like those beside her) dressed in the 'cranberry' heritage scheme. The train had to be capped with an MBTA locomotive due to the fact that 9969 is not equipped with ACSES PTC equipment necessary to lead on the MBTA lines.
The Keolis north side work train crew is in charge and will take the CSXT GEO train east testing to Lawrence then returned the train to CSXT at the former Pan Am Railways yard there. The T measures and tests its lines quarterly, but with no equipment of its own has always relied on Amtrak's Corridor Clipper car for this work. For whatever reason Amtrak is no longer able to support this so other arrangements were made. An Ensco truck tested all South Side lines except the Worcester Mainline and the MBTA/Keolis made arrangements with CSXT to borrow their train which was used to test east from Worcester, and the Grand Junction Branch, and all the former B&M North Side lines over the course of two and a half days. With the T in the process of building two GEO cars of its own it is unsure if this will ever happen again or if this was a strictly one off occurrence.
This four track, 11 span bridge is 965 feet long and 64 feet wide, with a 30 foot clearance. It has three rapid transit lines of the Orange Line's Haymarket-North Extension and the single commuter rail line. It was dedicated June 15, 1973 replacing the ancient four track wide Boston and Maine Draw 8. It is named the Edward Dana Bridge in honor of America's dean of mass transit, who retired from the MTA in 1959 after a 52 year career in transit having served as president of the Boston Elevated Company during its years as a private enterprise prior to the 1947 creation of the MTA.
Medford, Massachusetts
Friday May 23, 2025
Something Different Over The Mystic
CSXT's geometry train is seen crossing the Mystic River at MP 2.6 on the Keolis/MBTA Western Route mainline as it leaves the city of Somerville and enters Medford. The three car train has its standard one of a kind unit, CSXT 9969, an ex MARC GP40WH-2, double headed with MBTA 1129, a rebuilt GP40MC (rebuilt from an original CN GP40-2W like those beside her) dressed in the 'cranberry' heritage scheme. The train had to be capped with an MBTA locomotive due to the fact that 9969 is not equipped with ACSES PTC equipment necessary to lead on the MBTA lines.
The Keolis north side work train crew is in charge and will take the CSXT GEO train east testing to Lawrence then returned the train to CSXT at the former Pan Am Railways yard there. The T measures and tests its lines quarterly, but with no equipment of its own has always relied on Amtrak's Corridor Clipper car for this work. For whatever reason Amtrak is no longer able to support this so other arrangements were made. An Ensco truck tested all South Side lines except the Worcester Mainline and the MBTA/Keolis made arrangements with CSXT to borrow their train which was used to test east from Worcester, and the Grand Junction Branch, and all the former B&M North Side lines over the course of two and a half days. With the T in the process of building two GEO cars of its own it is unsure if this will ever happen again or if this was a strictly one off occurrence.
This four track, 11 span bridge is 965 feet long and 64 feet wide, with a 30 foot clearance. It has three rapid transit lines of the Orange Line's Haymarket-North Extension and the single commuter rail line. It was dedicated June 15, 1973 replacing the ancient four track wide Boston and Maine Draw 8. It is named the Edward Dana Bridge in honor of America's dean of mass transit, who retired from the MTA in 1959 after a 52 year career in transit having served as president of the Boston Elevated Company during its years as a private enterprise prior to the 1947 creation of the MTA.
Medford, Massachusetts
Friday May 23, 2025