Backing Into Lawrence
Just another frame of this odd couple...something I never thought I'd see!
The Keolis work train crew has cleared Andover Street and is shoving down into Lawrence yard to set out the CSXT geometry train on the scale track before cutting off light with their locomotive and scooting back to BET.
The three car train consists of CSXT 994366 (Geometry/theater car TGC3), 994365 (support car Hocking Valley), and 994369 (crew car Grand Rapids) with its assigned one of a kind unit, CSXT 9969, an ex MARC GP40WH-2. Double headed on the east end is MBTA GP40MC1129 in the 'cranberry' heritage scheme and on the west end is MBTA F40PH-3C 1033. The train had to be capped with MBTA locomotives due to the fact that 9969 is not equipped with ACSES PTC equipment necessary to lead on the MBTA lines.
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 contracted with CSXT to borrow their train which was handed off in Worcester. It was used to test east from Worcester, the Grand Junction Branch, and the eastern route on Wednesday then later this morning will head out and test the New Hampshire and Fitchburg Routes. Finally on this morning it tested the Western Route to as far as this point before wrapping up. With the T in the process of building two GEO cars of its own it seems unlikely that this will ever happen again but around here you just never know!
The brick building at left was built in 1887 by J.H. Home and Sons, paper machine manufacturers. The one-story brick factory, 64 feet by 300 feet, with monitor roof, at 109 Blanchard St. was extended to 64 feet by 410 feet in 1892. Then in 1900 a one-story brick foundry, 75 feet by 50 feet was added and was later enlarged as well.
In the background is yet another ubiquitous brick mill building. This particular one dates from 1900 and was once home to the Monomac Spinning Company, producers worsted yarns for weaving and knitting. Today it is known as Heritage Place and has been beautifully restored as residential and office space.
And down in the yard is CSXT's local power in the form of a pair of former Pan Am GP40-2Ws of CN heritage, MEC 516 in PAR blue and MEC 507 in its retro 'heritage' Guilford scheme which it was repainted into in 2020, the last unit ever freshly painted as such.
Lawrence, Massachusetts
Friday May 23, 2025
Backing Into Lawrence
Just another frame of this odd couple...something I never thought I'd see!
The Keolis work train crew has cleared Andover Street and is shoving down into Lawrence yard to set out the CSXT geometry train on the scale track before cutting off light with their locomotive and scooting back to BET.
The three car train consists of CSXT 994366 (Geometry/theater car TGC3), 994365 (support car Hocking Valley), and 994369 (crew car Grand Rapids) with its assigned one of a kind unit, CSXT 9969, an ex MARC GP40WH-2. Double headed on the east end is MBTA GP40MC1129 in the 'cranberry' heritage scheme and on the west end is MBTA F40PH-3C 1033. The train had to be capped with MBTA locomotives due to the fact that 9969 is not equipped with ACSES PTC equipment necessary to lead on the MBTA lines.
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 contracted with CSXT to borrow their train which was handed off in Worcester. It was used to test east from Worcester, the Grand Junction Branch, and the eastern route on Wednesday then later this morning will head out and test the New Hampshire and Fitchburg Routes. Finally on this morning it tested the Western Route to as far as this point before wrapping up. With the T in the process of building two GEO cars of its own it seems unlikely that this will ever happen again but around here you just never know!
The brick building at left was built in 1887 by J.H. Home and Sons, paper machine manufacturers. The one-story brick factory, 64 feet by 300 feet, with monitor roof, at 109 Blanchard St. was extended to 64 feet by 410 feet in 1892. Then in 1900 a one-story brick foundry, 75 feet by 50 feet was added and was later enlarged as well.
In the background is yet another ubiquitous brick mill building. This particular one dates from 1900 and was once home to the Monomac Spinning Company, producers worsted yarns for weaving and knitting. Today it is known as Heritage Place and has been beautifully restored as residential and office space.
And down in the yard is CSXT's local power in the form of a pair of former Pan Am GP40-2Ws of CN heritage, MEC 516 in PAR blue and MEC 507 in its retro 'heritage' Guilford scheme which it was repainted into in 2020, the last unit ever freshly painted as such.
Lawrence, Massachusetts
Friday May 23, 2025