Boston and Maine in Lawrence, MA

[Mike Boucher]

In the "welcome" thread, I mentioned some old photos of Lawrence, MA, and got a request to post them. Well, here's the first batch...

 

These were taken in September of 1990, if my notes on the back of the photo are to be believed...

 

First few were taken from the Salem St bridge, just north of the yard.

 

 

 

Clearly the train was stopped at a signal, as I got photos of both sides of the loco without it moving!

 

I had time to get down to the north throat of the yard before the train started moving. These next photos were taken while standing on Andover St.

 

 

 

Next is the train continuing its journey, taken from the footbridge between Boyd St and Kent St, over the south throat. The bridge you can see is South Union St,

 

 

Then I went back to the yard to take a picture of a B&M caboose sitting off in the weeds...

 

 

And then a photo down the length of the yard, once again from Andover St.

 

 

If you want to see the general area, look at google maps and zoom in and poke around...

http://maps.google.c....01502&t=h&z=16

 

More pics to be added soon...

[Scottish Modeller]

Hi Mike,

 

Great set of photos!

 

More please....

 

Thanks

[Scottish Modeller]

Hi Mike,

 

Great set of photos!

 

More please....

 

Thanks

[Mike Boucher]

Here's a few more, also taken in Sept 1990, but these are from a different location. Here's a southbound freight on the mainline at Ward Hill, MA (part of Haverhill, map here: http://maps.google.c...003755&t=h&z=18) Lead unit is ex NW SD-45, leading long nose forward. The 2nd unit is ex SF SD-26, identifiable by the air tanks on the roof. Note that it also has a high short hood. Gotta love an ex-NW unit... Technically, none of these engines are B&M. The SD-45 and SD-26 are both "Springfield Terminal", while the trailing unit, #602, is Maine Central SD-40.

[Talltim]

Thanks for those pics, very interesting and a period that have not seen so many pics of. My modelling date is as yet undecided, but does seem to be going back in time. I like the GP40 2Ws so I think their arrival will be the earliest cutoff, but earlier Guilford is so tempting

[Mike Boucher]

Here's another set, this from a few years later, September of 1992, also in Lawrence, MA.

 

First, I drove through the parking lot of the industrial building to get close to the loading dock in the yard. Sitting there idling was GP40-2 #306. This is a "real" Boston and Maine engine, having been bought new by the B&M before Guilford.

 

 

And then I switched lenses and zoomed in. you can see the original numbering starting to show through the fading Guilford grey paint at the top of the side of the loco.

 

 

Then down to the footbridge again, and observed #470 switching in the yard. This was originally a Maine Central engine, and Guilford reassigned it to the B&M. Its officially a "GP-7u", having been rebuilt with a new cab and short hood by the MEC in its Waterville, ME, shops.

 

 

Interesting comparison between the track on the far right of the above photo, with the track on the far left of the below photo. Above, its seldom used yard trackage, but there's a loco parked on it, so its still in use. Below, its the mainline between Boston and Portland, ME. Much nicer looking track!

 

 

After dropping off the boxcar in one of the tracks, it started down the yard throat.

 

 

And then pretty much directly under me. Great opportunity to take a shot of the details on roof.

 

 

 

That's all I have for now. I'll have to look through my old photo albums to see what I have for color photos from that era, like the morning I spent chasing a Schnabel car between Lawrence and Lowell...