Grand Junction

The folks at Railroad.net report the Grand Junction bridge over the Charles River - which connects rail lines north and south of the city - has had to be shut again, only three months after it was re-opened following extensive repairs.

The bridge is used for produce shipments to the Chelsea market and lets Amtrak and MBCR ferry trains to repair facilities on either side of the Charles (South Boston for Amtrak, Somerville for MBCR). With the bridge shut again, trains have to go on a circuitous route via Worcester County.

A couple years ago, state officials bought the Grand Junction bridge and East Cambridge rail line in the hopes of routing some Worcester Line trains to North Station. They've since shelved those plans.

The folks at Railroad.net report the Grand Junction Bridge, under the BU Bridge, re-opened to train traffic on Friday.

The bridge, the only connection between railroad tracks north and south of Boston within 128, was was shut by inspectors in November. This forced Amtrak, MBCR and CSX to re-route freight trains and trains carrying cars needing repairs on a 108-mile journey through Worcester County.

Arnold Reinhold watched workers yesterday as they began repairs to the Grand Junction bridge - the only link in the Boston area between rail lines to the north and south of the city. Inspectors shut the bridge two weeks ago, forcing the MBTA, Amtrak and CSX to send trains on a 108-mile loop through Worcester County.

Via A.P. Blake and Railroad.net. Photo posted under this Creative Commons license.

Norm Vigeant posted a photo of three MBTA locomotives and a commuter-rail coach crossing a causeway at the Wachusett Reservoir in West Boylston on Saturday.

Normally, the T would use the Grand Junction bridge (the train bridge under the BU Bridge) to move cars from its repair facility in Somerville to points south, but the bridge was shut last Wednesday for some emergency repairs, changing what used to be a 7-mile trip into a 108-mile loop by way of Ayer and Worcester.

Via A.P. Blake, who says the bridge could be shut for another couple of weeks.

A.P. Blake reports a key part of the proposed route - the Grand Junction Bridge that spans the Charles under the BU Bridge - has had speed and weight limits put on it that are so severe the freight train that normally delivers produce to Chelsea couldn't go across it.