The End of Rail Service in Salem | What Remains Ep 2

In 2023, Rousselot announced the closing of their Peabody plant. This plant, served by CSX local BO-1 was the last customer on the historic Danvers Branch. The abandonment of this line marks the end of 173 years of freight rail service to the Salem area.
Note that the voiceover for this video was recorded while BO-1 was still running, and some info may sound out of date.
Enjoy!
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MP
#boston
#railfanning
#rare
#CSX
#abandoned
#panam

[@jerrys9226]

I don’t think rail should be torn up anywhere anymore. It should be standard requirement for a bike trail to go alongside if possible. This is 2023 not 1963.

[@TrainiacTed]

Wow, it's super sad how the rail road industry is going down. I really hope that rail can be brought back strong for locals.

[@BostonByRails]

Me too

[@PhyllisJerry]

I don’t think it’s the rail industry as much as it is the fact that MA isn’t exactly pro-business.

[@douglasskaalrud6865]

By far, the railroads are in the best condition they have ever been-all you ever hear about is when there’s a problem. There’s a camera set up at LaPlata Missouri. See what goes flying by and then say the railroad industry is going down.

[@barbnahoumi65]

Me too. I want to see rail service returned everywhere. It's time for train and commuter rail service to make a huge come-back. Get the SUVs off of the roads.

[@johnparker7874]

Man, has that area changed since I was up there in the late 80’s

[@richardsheehan3497]

Sad about the business and the freight. Great town. It will be missed.

[@georgec7199]

I can still remember when both passenger and freight trains came through here in Danvers. There aren't too many of us left that can say that, and the loss of the trains is truly a very sad thing, nothing built America more than the railroads.

[@denisberger9657]

I always saw this train many times and many years ago shot by rail fans as it squeezes by the building that housed a pizza business. This was always captioned as the closets a train came by any building in the USA. Always liked how a conductor hopped out and flagged the crossing into Peabody square and pissed off the people in their cars. Those other videos from the past never showed the trains destination and now I know where it was going and who it serviced. Great video !

[@nickelstew]

Very nice video. Well narrated!

[@Coloribus2004]

11:34 I was surprised by the ancient crossbuck. Hope it's preserved!

[@majorlee76251]

Used to do a lot of business at the courthouse in Peabody Square. Always nice to the trains go thru the Square.

[@jcrailfan9251]

That intro is so clean. Awesome vid!

[@BostonByRails]

Thanks Justen!!!

[@jcrailfan9251]

Yeah np keep it up! @@BostonByRails

[@Clavichordist]

I remember when both yards were busy. My great grandparents lived in Marblehead and I'd see the trains from Bridge Street as we headed up that way. Sometimes, my great grandmother needed to go to Salem and I remember how busy Castle Hill Yard was back then in the 60s. Sadly, we can thank Guilford for killing off any other business in the area. The old South Reading branch, the track that Rousselot was located on had many businesses further down, but Guilford made sure none of them had any service and they all went to trucks. This was the same with other business on the former Salem and Lowell, and the former Newburyport line from Wakefield through Lynnfield to Topsfield where the track conditions were so bad that there were trees growing through the tracks. During one move, a locomotive fuel tank was punctured by a tree branch shortly before they put that branch up for abandonment.

[@RailPreserver2K]

Have you talked to any leaders in town about possibly having them turn the railroad into a tourist operation? I say this because it would bring a lot of revenue for Salem

[@bukasb]

It’d be cool however there are supposed plans to either make it into a trail or a tramway, plus even if it was a tourist operation the line would have to be ripped up completely and rebuilt, the tracks weren’t maintained very well, and the other half of the line past the Rousselot plant (the last customer) is completely abandoned for many many years so, besides I doubt there’s room for a engine shop or anything plus it’s too expensive

[@RailPreserver2K]

Well there's a chance they could do what they're trying to do with the Falmouth line

[@bukasb]

@@RailPreserver2K the Falmouth line trail has been rejected as of a week or 2 ago, plus it’s active rail still so, by both Mass Coastal and Cape Cod Central, but also the military cause it’s connected to USAF Otis

[@jerrys9226]

@@bukasbdid you mean tearing up the Falmouth secondary has been rejected or the bike path people have rejected a rail with trail?

[@bukasb]

@@jerrys9226 the trail has been rejected, the town of Falmouth denied it

[@XLProductionsAJR2024]

Wow. My favorite locomotive for 200 years is gone…. It is sad. Even though I live on the line. Thanks Boston! This video is by far my favorite Railfan history explanation ever! Keep it up! Farewell BO - 1.

[@BostonByRails]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@XLProductionsAJR2024]

@@BostonByRails No problem Boston! Hope to see BO - 1 again soon.. Great work! Really enjoying your content!

[@syeet1234]

@@XLProductionsAJR2024BO-1 is still very much a thing, just not in salem

[@XLProductionsAJR2024]

@@syeet1234 yeah i know, is it in service currently...??

[@TyDeSimone]

@@XLProductionsAJR2024 yes it is. runs to lawrence amongst other places as well

[@busydadscooking001]

Neat. I was in Salem a few weeks ago. A great little city. I've taken the train there but now I live too far from Boston for it.

[@RAILTravelers]

Awesome

[@bskorupk]

I read a study that it would take less than 70 million to fully reactivate the Salem and Lowell Railroad, If I can find it I think people should act on it, given that they're both populated, and decently walkable as well! :)

[@AmtrakProductions]

Nice video !

[@BostonByRails]

Thanks petru!

[@DanDecibelSandberg]

5:19 looks like the engineer is facing the wrong way lol

[@TBTboston]

Great video! Keep up the great work!!

[@BostonByRails]

Thank you!! Glad you enjoy!

[@OldsVistaCruiser]

At 7:10, you say that hydrochloric acid is extremely flammable. In fact, it's actually non-flammable! Its hazmat "fire diamond" has its flammability at 0.

[@BostonByRails]

Oops! I was running off my memory of my 10th grade chemistry class, probably should’ve double checked that one on google 😂 thanks!!

[@barbnahoumi65]

The T should acquire these rails and reopen passenger service to Peabody. There was once a train station on Main St., Peabody Square.

[@baker3person]

Good job on these

[@BostonByRails]

Thank you!!

[@braecat100nollcat9]

I got lucky on April 13 I saw BO1 and is on my channel called “the B&E 5943”

[@BostonByRails]

Nice!

[@braecat100nollcat9]

Did you see the video?

[@davidklauer3422]

Damn shame

[@BostonByRails]

Yes :(

[@Trainsandanimationstv]

I'm heading to this town on Halloween lol bad timing too

[@cadespencer6320]

Maybe a new customer can come in

[@douglasskaalrud6865]

In the Twin Cities, the bikers want to peel the ties off all railroad bridges to be parts of bike trails, never mind that the bridges are still used for rail traffic. They want to convert railroad freight lines to light-rail passenger lines too. Minneapolis is going to become the Portland of the midwest and take everyone else down with it.

[@winstonstone]

Hydrochloric Acid HCL is the acid in your stomach to digest your food. How flammable can it be? Maybe in the large quantities in the tanks I will give benefit of doubt.

[@BostonByRails]

Yup, youre totally right with this 🤣 my mistake

[@winstonstone]

@@BostonByRails I mean if was we'd all ticking time bombs, especially so really spicy food ;)

[@microbusss]

thought it was pronounced Pee-bod-ee Square

[@derekdestefano5809]

The factory is still currently operating, right? Is this train still running?

[@juicybrucie365]

This is really really sad watching this.