I exposed this view of Central Vermont GP9s on Kodak 120 Tri-X Professional, a film that came with an ISO rating of 320 compared with 400 for the off-the-shelf variety.
This was CV’s southward road freight number 444 which terminated at the Palmer yard, south of the crossing with Conrail’s former Boston & Albany.
I made this image on July 23, 1986; the previous day Conrail began its single track operation of the Boston Line by cutting-in CP83 and CP92, removing one track from service and thus ending directional double-track operation (rule 251) between those two points.
Close examination of this photo will show that the old westward main track is cut short of the CV crossing.
This was one of many photos I made around Palmer during the single tracking of the B&A route. Today the CV route is operated by New England Central, and the Boston & Albany line is CSX. There were far fewer trees by the tracks back in 1986.
Tracking the Light Posts Daily.
It was removed in the course of a few minutes. Once the new controlled switch was installed for the old westward main to join the old eastward main (switch visible in the photo), Conrail crews unbolted the diamond and lifted it out, placing it on the north-side of the tracks where it remained for quite some time. It was weeks before the new signaling was working, and months before it was working reliably. Most of the old westward main track remained in place for more than a year until the rails were lifted, and the ties (sleepers) were there even longer. Brian Solomon
Was the diamond taken out overnight?
Michael Walsh