Boston's next railyard - MBTA Widett Circle layover

Описание: Last year the MBTA announced they were purchasing the Widett Circle property in Boston, MA for 225 million dollars. What for? A brand new railyard, the first one to be built in Boston in many years.

The 24 acre Widett circle property is interesting as it is within the loop track where MBTA and Amtrak turn their trainsets and the New Boston Food Market warehouses have been located here for many years. The property has been a hot topic in recent years as it was eyed for Boston’s bid for the 2024 Olympics or other redevelopment but thankfully it has been secured for rail use. The food warehouses, complete with abandoned freight rail spurs, were newly built on previously undeveloped land so the railyard is actually a brand new yard, not a restoration or reconfiguration of something there previously.

Since the land was purchased the MBTA has already moved in plenty of railroad track materials, equipment, and contractors have already started work. A few of the abandoned freight spurs once used by the New Boston Food Market have actually been partially restored or reconfigured. Another currently isolated spur was unearthed, but not rebuilt, for storage of maintenance of way equipment. I’m not sure of the exact plans for the rebuilt spurs but at some point this whole property will have to be leveled for the new railyard plans. These plans consist of 26 tracks that will be used for MBTA passenger train storage. Currently trains layover several miles away in Readville and installing this yard much closer to South Station will eliminate over 50,000 miles of deadhead movements of equipment. Longer term this will also help with planned battery electric service on the Fairmount Line between Readville and Boston South Station that is planned to open in 2028.

Here are several views around Widett Circle as it appears in early September 2024. Note the new and rebuilt spurs that once were used to service the New Boston Food Warehouses. Also note an Amtrak Northeast Regional train going for a spin on the loop preparing for its next trip south out of Boston.

This project is also a part of or similar to other major plans like the South Station expansion, Readville shops, and additional layover tracks in Readville. A big plus of this project is moving the layover tracks out of Readville in turn opening up the space for the planned shops that will be built where laying over equipment is currently stored. I may do a video on these projects in the future but for now check out the MBTA website for more info. The link to that is provided in the video description. Stay tuned for more videos like this and for future updates on this project.

*it is important to note the materials currently on property are for the Tower One project

https://www.trains.com/trn/news-revie...

https://www.mbta.com/news/2023-04-12/...

https://www.mbta.com/projects

Readville project: https://www.mbta.com/projects/south-s...

Flickr:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/1404502...

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