Boston Train Visit

First leg of the trip....the home of Chris and Linda Lonero north of Boston....

This was my 1st ever trip on a ROW that belonged to the Boston & Main.....the Lowell Line......

One interesting thing along the line was the presence of 2 old B&M RDCs, in definite need of rehab.

Peter

Ah, the Green Line and the Orange Line.  Brings back lots of memories!   Have fun Peter.

- Mike

Chris picked me up at the layout and I had a blast checking out his well-done 8X16 layout.

The pictures just don't do the layout justice! Chrris also had me sign a new visitor poster.

I will save the rest of the pics for Friday for Photo Fun.

Peter

After a great lunch with Chris and Linda at a local restaurant, they dropped me off at the station and while I was waiting for the train back the North Station, Amtrak's Northeaster passed us by!

Here's more piccs of the ride back.....including some shots of the MBTA service facility...unfortunately, through the train window....

A great day......thank you Chris and Linda!

Peter

Great posts Peter.....!!  Looking forward to seeing you at York!

Alan

3 days and 26 hours of classes later, it was Tuesday night, the 14th.....now to meet Marty and Dotty.......

No longer is the MBTA using F40s (do I have it right?). They have new, sleek diesels that look like purple Talgos to me.

Marty and Dotty met me at the commuter rail station, and the 1st stop was a great Italian dinner at a local restaurant.

2nd stop was the Canton Viaduct, a great negineering feat of the 19th century, that carried the New Haven main line out of Boston to New Haven.

What an amazing structure! What a treat to see it up close!

Peter

Peter. It was great seeing you and spending some time. Linda and myself had a great day! Thanks again for lunch;Our door is always open my friend!  Safe travels home.

Now, some pics from Marty's layout...it's amazing!

Marty and Dotty are great hosts.....and, Marty has some great stories!

Peter

Peter, Thanks for that tour.. Great pictures and wonderful friendships.  It is also a gift you give to these members by taking the time out of your busy life to reacquaint and spend time with them! 

It is surprising to find so many wonderful layouts in our area.  I tell my non-train friends that it is the "underground" hobby.  Within in my own community I have had the pleasure to visit Captain John and his magnificent layout, and he is only 20 minutes away.  A wonderful artist name John Silvia who has an amazing HO layout is just a mile away.  I sought out the advice and help freely given by Marty Fitzhenry last week and drove up to visit him, 55 miles away, and in May Spence and I hope to connect and he is only 45 miles away.    

What a gift of resources we have and all we have to do is call..... 

Peter, we all enjoyed spending time with you and talking trains.  We will see you at York.

It was great having you here, Peter. You're welcome anytime, as are all Forum members who happen to be in the area. Ralph, of course, loves company. 

I got a video of Peter's train coming in to Dedham Corp. The engine is one of the new HSP-46s that were delivered last May. The MPI HSP46 is a four-axle AC-traction diesel- electric locomotive for commuter trains, designed and assembled by MotivePower, Inc.

I also managed to get a picture of an Amtrak train led by their new ACS-64 (Amtrak Cities Sprinter) electric engine going over the Canton Viaduct, and one of Peter and Marty in front of the Viaduct.

Wow! Beautiful train. Looks like the Atlantic Coast Line rides again! I see that the train has the sometime nickname of The Boston Barnstormer. Pretty engine - just read it has 4,650 horsepower! That should be adequate to pull lightweight passenger cars up all the mountains in the Boston area.

That was a great trip!!

The Boston area and some wonderful train friends, your trip could not get any better, Peter. Marty and Dotty & Chris and Linda are the best!!!!!!!

Glad you had a wonderful time. Next trip, you will have to take the Downeaster to Portland and visit us.

Dedham Corp, I know that station!  Back in 2000, we stayed in a hotel within walking distance of it when my second-eldest graduated from the Boston Museum School of Fine Arts. Graduation weekends fill up Boston area hotels, and Dedham was the closest we could get.  We took the T back and forth into Boston. Had a great time. He now lives in Somerville, so we make Boston trips with some regularity.

Great post, Peter!  And, what a great way to combine work and pleasure.

VERY impressive layouts!

Makes me miss home; I grew up in Medford watching the commuter rail from my bedroom window

We had the crew out to make sure the rails were clear for Peter's train to get in.  

Breezinup, We have small hills, but no mountains in our area (Coastal Plain area). Good thing or we would still be digging out from under the 118 inches of snow we got in 2 months. I grew up in northern New England, and have family in western Colorado and Alaska...those areas have Mountains. 

Love that one, Dotty! 

Peter

Sounds like you had a great time with great people.

Looks like you had a wonderful time.  I'd like to stop and see this one of our times coming back from Maine.

Breezinup

Wow! Beautiful train. Looks like the Atlantic Coast Line rides again.

That is exactly what I first though. I like purple

Great video Dotty.

Thanks for sharing your visits Peter.

Larry

Peter,

Thanks so much for sharing your trip to the Boston area. It's nice to read positive stories about our subways and trains for once.  With the record storm we've had, there have been both many patient and many unhappy riders.

Here is a link you and others might find useful for identifying the MBTA commuter engines. Scroll down a ways or click "Equipment" to find a useful table with years, models, builders, and engine numbers. The photos are a bit small for identification, 'though.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MBTA_Commuter_Rail

That Canton Viaduct is amazing! There's tremendous heritage history in Massachusetts rails that takes a while to uncover. Glad you got to see, ride, and enjoy some of it -- not to mention those fabulous model layouts! Looking forward to meeting some of those wonderful local people I've been reading about at an event someday, and thanks again for sharing your excellent "road trip".

Tomlinson Run RR

Bob, you are correct.  F40 number 1017 is one that MTH did way back when.

Any Forum members who would like to see my layout and "museum/office" when you are

next in the Boston area, let me know.

Lew Schneider

This is an excellent example of what makes this forum and hobby so wonderful! 

--Greg

Hello, Dotty. Yes, I know about the Boston area topography. I was just making a joke (my usual low-quality type) about such a high-horsepower engine (4,650 hp) being used to pull light commuter cars (actually, I do wonder why that's necessary - maybe they plan to push snowplows in front of them! ).

I've been to Boston many times. In fact, one of my sons lives there, and I'll be up there again next month for his graduation from BC (MBA) and his wedding as well. Having lived in Boston the past several years, he now better understands the tall tales I used to tell him about winters growing up in northern Wisconsin and Minnesota! (Well, some of them.)

I really like New England - have a brother who lives in Connecticut as well. I also lived in Colorado for 5 years back in the 70s, and was lucky to witness some great Rio Grande mountain snow operations, and occasionally rode the Rio Grande "Snow Train" from Denver to Winter Park ski area. As you know, there were some great "snow trains" in New England back in the day as well; I have an original Boston and Maine poster from the 50s advertising their trains to NE ski areas. Those areas have certainly had several good years lately!

Boy I live in Massachusetts and I don't get to Boston as often as some of you who live outside new England.

Maybe it's because Boston is full of crazy Red Sox fans

Gary, please do not forget the Super Bowl winning Patriots.  We are everywhere.

I'm not really a football fan so Pat fans don't bother me.  But, if I had to pick a team I'd say Go Cowboys.....