11-24-02  Sunday, nice day, sunny, temps in the 40's but very very windy. It was quite cold in the wind. Gas still at a buck 41 at the line. Today was different in that we had a railroad archaeology tour planned. The tour went well.

We met at the old Andover station.

Here is the old platform, this view is looking west.


Since we were in the area we decided to stop at LJ. Here is a view of the west or south wye looking south.
 


Looking west towards Tewksbury.


 
 

Our primary mission was to investigate the Andover and Wilmington. Here we have a view of the original 1836 right of way behind the Hans Kissel plant in the industrial park. Unfortunately the trees making taking a good picture tough. The right of way is distinct.

The right of way ran where the present tracks are as it came up from Wilmington. Around the Hans Kissel plant they deviated and headed off towards the north east compared with the present alignment.

There was also quite a difference in grade between the two lines.


This view shows the old alignment along with the present alignment. the old alignment is between the stone wall in the foreground and the stream that you can see half way up the picture.

I headed to the next company south of Hans Kissel and found that they had an abandoned siding. I looked down the tracks and couldn't see where this siding was still connected to the mainline.
 


Here is the view behind the company and siding, near the mainline. It is here where the old alignment starts to deviate from the present alignment.

Satisfied that we found the deviation point of the Andover and Wilmington we headed for Andover St in Ballardvale and the point where the old line crossed. This monument is in the spot. You can see by the years shown on this plaque that we are dealing with some very old right of way. Abandoned for 154 years.

This house is the old "passenger house" or station on the Andover and Wilmington.

The right of way is in pretty good shape across the street from the old passenger house.

The embankment behind the above three photos is the old Andover and Wilmington.

The above several pictures are the view from the top of the embankment. You can drive right on the old A&W.

Here the Andover and Wilmington went through this cemetary. There used to be a cut there.


This is the other end of the cemetary. The A & W right of way is straight ahead.


Above are many views of the deep cut going through the center of the cemetary. Hopefully it won't be filled in. The plaque identifies the cut for those who are not familiar with the railroad. Thanks to Eagle Eye'd Lisa. I had been there a few times before and never saw the plaque.
 

From Andover we too Waverly Road over to North Andover. Waverly Road was built on the old Andover and Wilmington for several miles. The road is flat and mostly straight. The above building is the old North Andover station. The station was built between the Essex RR and the Boston and Maine and served both lines. the Essex RR diverged from the B&M less than half a mile to the west of this location.

Some trackage of the Essex is visible behind the station.

Note the granite post, there is no lettering on it of any sort. It's the type of post that has been used on the WN&P and also the type of post that is used by the state in some places to mark town borders or state borders. A check of a topo indicates that the town line isn't near this post so I think it's a fair guess that we're looking at a milepost, one that had the mileage painted on it, similar to the WN&P. I have not seen any other posts on the Essex RR so I have nothing to compare this to.

View looking towards Main St in North Andover.

This building is said to be a former storehouse or freight house on the Andover and Wilmington.

Here is a stone bridge that carried the railroad line over a road.

The embankment is fairly high here.

There is Lisa, conducting business on the causeway leading to the tunnel.

I don't think this structure is strong enough to handle todays trains but it did the job back when it was used.

Eagle Eyed Lisa pointed this building out. It's roof is the type that reminds one of RR stations. The house is adjacent to the right of way, right near where it crosses over Salem Street in North Andover.

The above view shows, poorly, some encroachment and outright descruction of the Essex adjacent to Salem St. There is a pipeline going in and they had to dig up some of the right of way. Note the bridge abutments and the home made bridge over Boston Brook.

We saw many other things not listed in this log. I had been to many of the places before and didn't feel like getting out and taking pictures because I already had enough pictures of those areas or it was flat out too cold to bother.