Tag Archives: Mass-Central 1751

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Ware River Valley Vignettes‑Mass Central at Gilbertville.

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Early November is a great time to explore the Ware River Valley. The trees are largely bare, yet a few colored leaves still cling to higher branches.

Vestiges of old industries survive, as the old Boston & Albany branch meanders up the valley. This is a railroad that was left for dead nearly 40 years ago, and only survived through the dedication and hard work of a handful of local people.

At least once every autumn, I make a photographic study of the line.

The old B&A station at Gilbertville, Massachusetts.
The old B&A station at Gilbertville, Massachusetts.
Northward Mass-Central local freight. The ghostly vestiges of an old mill loom silently beyond the trees.
Northward Mass-Central local freight. The ghostly vestiges of an old mill loom silently beyond the trees.

Mass_Central_w_old_mill_at_Gilbertville_DSCF6162

Using my FujiFilm X-T1 I exposed these views at Gilbertville— a village in the town of Hardwick, where the old B&A station remains as a restaurant.

This building is one of many stations featured in my new book Railway Depots, Stations & Terminals published this year by Voyageur Press. Don’t miss out! Order your copy today!

Mass-Central local freight at Gilbertville.
Mass-Central local freight at Gilbertville.

Most week days, Mass-Central’s local freight departs Palmer after 7 am and works its way up to South Barre and back serving its customers along the way. On this day I found the train working in Ware.

Tracking the Light posts every day!

 

photography

News Flash! Massachusetts Central’s Recently Acquired GP38 makes First Revenue Run

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 A Clear Autumn Day to Photograph a Shiny Blue Bird.

Today, Massachusetts Central assigned one of two recently acquired GP38s to its weekday Palmer-South Barre local freight. Although Mass-Central received the two locomotives earlier this year, it is my understanding that today’s train is the first regular revenue service run to use one.

Blue Bird
Mass-Central 1751 leads the northward freight at Forest Lake, north of Thorndike, Massachusetts on October 24, 2013. Canon 7D photo.

The train departed Palmer this morning with the GP38 leading Mass-Central’s 2100 and 960. The second two locomotives were left in Ware, while the freight continued up the Ware River Valley on the former Boston & Albany branch.

Both of the Massachusetts Central’s GP38s have been beautifully painted in a livery inspired by the classic Boston & Maine ‘Blue Bird’ scheme. Although most of Mass-Central’s current route uses former Boston & Albany tracks, the railroad began as a switching operation on vestiges of  Boston & Maine’s Central Massachusetts line around Ware.

Historically, the Central Massachusetts was a Boston & Maine route between Boston and Northampton, although it hasn’t served as a through route since the 1930s. Massachusetts Central still operates a few segments of old B&M trackage, notably in Ware.

Mass-Central.
Mass-Central 1751, 2100 and 960 lead the northward freight near Ware, Massachusetts on October 24, 2013.
Mass-Central arrives at Ware Yard on October 24, 2013. Canon 7D.
Mass-Central arrives at Ware Yard on October 24, 2013. Canon 7D.
Mass Central 1751 works toward South Barre, Massachusetts on October 24, 2013.
Mass Central 1751 works toward South Barre, Massachusetts on October 24, 2013.

 

 

 For today’s regularly scheduled post see: Hot Spot: Palmer, Massachusetts, October 17, 2013 

Tracking the Light posts new material daily.

See my Dublin Page for images of Dublin’s Open House Event in October 2013.

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http://briansolomon.com/trackingthelight/

 

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