Eastern Railroad Discussion > Tips on railfanning around Hoosac Tunnel

Anyone have any tips on railfanning this portion of the old B&M ?
Any daylight trains or any semblance of a schedule of anything ?
Good spots to check out ?

Thanks in advance.

train1275 Wrote:
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> Anyone have any tips on railfanning this portion
> of the old B&M ?
> Any daylight trains or any semblance of a schedule
> of anything ?
> Good spots to check out ?

The east portal is plainly visible from a public road that crosses the track just east of it. I don't remember its name but it takes off from Mass Rt 2 near Soapstone, where the tracks come back along that highway.

I walked in to the west portal from Mass Rt 8A back in 1987. I don't know if that's advisable today.

Bring a good book.  Don't expect cell service.

22K can show up whenever, 23K has been out of Ayer mid/late afternoon of late, so it might make the tunnel before sunset.  11R runs at night, but 16R has been a morning run lately.  EDRJ seems to leave East Deerfield mid-afternoon but I'm not sure if its running weekends.  I'm not sure about RJED, or the local to Adams.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/17/19 06:44 by pennsy3750.

Can HOOSAC TUNNEL handle doublestacks?

coach Wrote:
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> Can HOOSAC TUNNEL handle doublestacks?

Hoosac Tunnel is cleared to 19' 6" facilitating enclosed auto racks and double stacked international containers (and even Int'l container plus domestic container as shown in the attached photo of 23K from June 2017). Hoosac does not facilitate passage of double stacked domestic containers and my understanding is there are 10-20 other structures along PAS whose clearances would need to be raised to 21 feet to accommodate double stacked domestic containers (eg, Little Hoosac Tunnel in North Adams MA).

As Pan Am / NS stopped handling international containers in the Chicago-Ayer service lane this year (they never handled many), all one will see on 22K on PAS is auto racks followed by single stacked JBHU, EMP, and Matson domestic containers. 23K is just single stacked containers on PAS as empty westbound autoracks are collected and forwarded by local ED-9 / E Deerfield to Binghamton manifest 11R for hand-off to NS at Mechanicville for its 205 double stack/rack train.

Here's Pan Am's cleaarance map: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5a3d34cbf09ca44c384dd0f4/t/5a43e42cf9619a2bb2ceafac/1514398765171/Clearances.jpg



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/17/19 03:45 by JPB.

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The East Portal is more interesting as I recall. I was involved in shooting a documentary on the tunnel back in 1999-2000. 

The history is interesting; visiting today not so much.

Drove into the west end couple years ago. No way to turn around or park. Walking better and hide in the trees:)
Went to east side and eastbound poked out at sunset.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/19/19 12:18 by SD45X.