The Granite Railway, America's First Railroad - Quincy MA

I recently visited the birthplace of railroading in America... the Granite Railway in Quincy MA.  Almost all of the ROW is now gone, lost to the building of neighborhoods and the Southeast Expressway (I93/US1/MA3) in the 1950-1960s.  As a railfan AND casual rockhound, I found the area fascinating, but was also extremely disappointed at the loss of infrastructure artifacts, lack of maintenance, and general feeling of "EH, who cares?" in the area.  There is a museum down the road that is trying to showcase the area's granite quarrying history, but it was closed that day, and from what I saw through the fencing it isn't big on the railway itself.  I hope to visit in the future when they are open.  I also want to take more photos on a cloudy day, as the sun was really wreaking havoc with my camera.

Shown below are the two commemorative tablets attached to the granite obelisks at the foot of the railway incline.  They appear to have replaced original cast-metal ones. 

BOOK: The Race Underground by Doug Most

The Race Underground | Doug Most | Macmillan

I accidentally heard about this book about the race to open the first subway in the USA.   Everyone thinks New York had the first, but they didn't... it was BOSTON.  Who's is run better today?  Well, that is open to debate!

A REVIEW:   https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/books/2014/02/08/review-the-race-underground-boston-new-york-and-incredible-rivalry-that-built-america-first-subway-doug-most/qU8feBFyanSJlhRSrhEuQI/story.html

RI First Responders Train for Rail Derailments

(SOURCE: TurnTo10 - KERRI CORRADO)

CENTRAL FALLS, NBC 10 NEWS — Rhode Island emergency responders had a refresher on managing a train derailment Wednesday, but without heading to the scene.

They used a tabletop exercise to help them prepare for every possible contingency.
Two rail disasters this year were in their minds.

An Amtrak Northeast Regional train derailed in May, killing eight people and severely injuring 200 on board.

A freight train derailed and caught fire in Tennessee in July. It was carrying highly flammable and toxic gas. More than 5,000 residents were evacuated. Shelters were put in place. Officers were hospitalized for breathing in fumes.

"We always want to take the lessons learned from real world events as well as exercises and incorporate that into our planning," said Matt McCann of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Ethanol and heating fuel oil is unloaded at the Port of Providence, and the Providence and Worcester Railroad runs through Rhode Island, transporting all types of hazardous materials.

The railroad line passes the Wyatt Detention Center in Central Falls, where federal officials and emergency responders met Wednesday to make sure their plan works.

"On the rails across the country, we haul freight, we haul people, we haul hazardous materials, chemicals. So this scenario is a rail car that has a leak," said Peter Gaynor, director of the Rhode Island EMA.

"It requires collaboration from the whole community to respond and recover from these events," McCann said.

"These incidents have no boundaries. It may happen in Cumberland, but it's going to affect Central Falls, Pawtucket, maybe even into Massachusetts," Gaynor said.

Planners say it's not if but when something will happen, and emergency responders are making sure when they get that 911 call they are ready.