On Thursday I went railfanning in Worcester, MA while picking up a friend from the MBTA train from Boston. MBTA P509 was 30 minutes late, so I had time to catch two CSX trains while I waited.
I took video and photos, although all of the photos were somewhat grainy (my SLR is being repaired, so I had to use a little point-and-shoot) so many got deleted, and most of the remaining ones are so-so. I’ve only posted the best as photos, the others are linked to them.
The first train had a pair of CSX AC6000CWs shoving a long cut of cars downgrade into the Providence & Worcester yard. Make sure to check out the video; photos can’t do justice to the chugging sound of AC60s at low speed!
Great Pics! I live in RI and used to (but not in the last 8 years or so) make occasional Railfanning excursions up to Worcester Union Station (and the now closed Amtrak station prior to that). I’m glad to hear that it is still okay to take pictures from the Station platform (I wondered over the years if the T or the Worcester P.D were going to try to discourage or prohibit such activites, but I gathher that hasn’t occured). Maybe in the Spring I’ll make the trip up Rt. 146.
Yes, I had wondered about that myself. I haven’t had any problems with that however. It’s a pretty popular railfan joint, and the MBTA don’t seem to mind as long as you don’t cause problems. I always set up my tripod on the far end of the platform leaving plenty of room for people to walk past.
Thanks so much for sharing your images… only been to Worcester once myself – looks like a great place, don’t think the commuter trains were coming that far when I was there, but I could be wrong.
By policy, Police or any MBTA (Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority) employee may question you and ask for identification. They may record who you are for there report, but will not stop you from taking pictures.
Charles: Yes, it was pretty cold that day! It is definetely my favorite local spot to railfan; CSX sends around 20-25 trains past every day (a lot of trains from Selkirk terminate at Worcester) plus the MBTA trains have recently been increased in frequency after the state purchased the line to Boston.
Until a couple years ago, MBTA trains didn’t go all the way to Worcester, stopping instead in Framingham, MA. So it’s very possible (and likely) that they were not running when you were there. Just out of curiosity; did Union Station have it’s towers when you went? It was abandoned in 1975, and I’m pretty sure it lost both of the towers. Then it was renovated, ending in 2000, and got the towers (and the interior of the station, which is quite nice) back.
Without going back and looking it up exactly, I would have been there in the very, very early 80s, so those would have been the dark years, no tower, no passenger trains.
Then I was in Framingham in 1988. I can pin that year exactly, because tht was the year I decided I was a non photographer railfan, so I only have my memories from that day. (I did a Green Line in bound, Boston & Albany outbound loop that day, of which I would sure like some pics.)
Regarding the towers, the original towers were removed in the early 1920’s because the vibration from the passing steam engines was loosening them. The current towers are largely fiberglas and aluminum. IIRC MBTA commuter service returned to Worcester in 1994. BTW the state has not yet actually purchased the line between Framingham and Worcester but has promised to do so in the near future.
It is doubtful you’ll see MBTA police at the station since the building and platforms are owned by the City of Worcester, not by the T. Just stay on the platform or sidewalks and it is doubtful you’ll be bothered.
