A short segment of the Pan Am Railway’s Boston & Maine Greenville Branch extends northward from Ayer, Massachusetts.
While photographing around Ayer the other day, Bob Arnold, Paul Goewey and I had been discussing the branch, where it crosses Ayer’s West Main Street on plate girder bridge.
“I always wanted a photograph there.”
As luck would have it, a little later in the day our wish was granted.
Pan Am Railway’s local FI-1 (based in Fitchburg) crosses West Main Street in Ayer. I’ve been under this bridge dozens of times, but I’d never seen a train on it before. FujiFIlm X-T1 with 18-135mm lens.
Although like wish granted by a Genie in the bottle, this one came with caveats. The train went up the branch in very dull light, with the ugliest leased engine available and long hood first, with one car.
Beggars can’t be choosers, to quote the cliché. So we worked with what we had.
Ah yes, the old Boston & Maine Greenville Branch. A relic of another era. A vestige of former times. How neat it would have been to see a 4-4-0 with combine coach marching along this rural branch line?No 4-4-0 today. Not even one of Pan Am Railway’s nice blue GP40s. St. Mary’s cemetery is older than the railway. FujiFilm X-T1 photo.Approaching the Route 2A crossing. A Pan Am Railways highway truck is at left. Speed on the branch is a gingerly 5 mph.To deliver this car into a siding, the locomotive ran around, and then reversed. FujiFilm X-T1 digital photo.The switch stand dates to the era of the 4-4-0! FujiFilm X-T1 digital photo.FI-1 makes its drop. FujiFilm X-T1 digital photo.
