Continuing with yesterday’s theme of change on the Fitchburg Route, these photos were made on an exploration of recent investment along the old Boston & Maine line between Gardner and Ayer, Massachusetts.
In earlier Tracking the Light posts, I’ve focused on the old searchlights and other changes to the Fitchburg Route.
In May (2016) Rich Reed provided a detailed tour for Felix Legere, Paul Goewey and me, and we examined some of the new signals that have been installed, along with other changes, such as the construction of a new MBTA storage yard near Westminster, Massachusetts.
Panoramic composite view of MBTA’s new storage facility near Westminster. Exposed with a Fuji XT1.
Ultimately these improvements will facilitate expanded MBTA operations on the Fitchburg Line while enabling Pan Am freights to continue to share mainline tracks with commuter rail.
Photographing changes to railway infrastructure is challenging because often construction results in visual discordance. Broken ties, piles of ballast, and messy scenes resulting from digging and other work are hard to photograph in a meaningful way.
New signal bridges at Westminster. Exposed with a Fuji XT1.Pan Am Railway’s freight EDPO (East Deerfield to Portland, Maine) crawls through the worksite at Westminster. Consider my use of foreground and background. Notice the old infrastructure and the new. Exposed with a Fuji XT1.Pan Am’s EDPO at Wachusett; since I last made photos here the trees and underbrush have been cleared away and the cutting widened among other changes. Exposed with a Fuji XT1.New signals on the move. Exposed with a Fuji XT1.Would this photo have been better on a clear day? Mind you I’d be looking into the noonday sun! (I’m on the station platform on the northside of the line).An outbound MBTA train approaches the Fitchburg Station.Pan Am’s POED (Portland to East Deerfield) roars west through Shirley. We learned that the new signals here illuminate when a train is coming from the opposite direction. Good to know!An MBTA HSP46 pushing the back of a Boston-bound train passes the new signal gantry at the Willows (east of Ayer, Massachusetts). Panned with a FujiFilm X-T1.
2 comments on “Fitchburg Review: Pan Am, MBTA and New Signals—10 New Photos.”
Michael Walsh on said:
The image of the new signal bridges at Westminster, with no trains in the scene, makes very effective use of the rubbish on the trackbed. Another book – “Classic Railroad Rubbish” (and how to photograph it!) Seriously, some very good pictures indeed have been made of this kind of location.
John O'Connor on said:
Super set of photographs Brian.
I always think those tri-light signals look very frightened, especially when the red aspect is lit.
The image of the new signal bridges at Westminster, with no trains in the scene, makes very effective use of the rubbish on the trackbed. Another book – “Classic Railroad Rubbish” (and how to photograph it!) Seriously, some very good pictures indeed have been made of this kind of location.
Super set of photographs Brian.
I always think those tri-light signals look very frightened, especially when the red aspect is lit.