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by Stephen Press
Hometown Weekly Staff
After a break for the winter, maintenance and upgrade work continues on MassDOT’s 22-mile Framingham Secondary rail line. The line, which runs through Sherborn, Medfield and Walpole, connects the Worcester and Franklin MBTA lines.
Chief among the repairs is the replacement of 21,000 railroad ties, for which the Department of Transportation has contracted New Brunswick Southern Railway. 
Wooden railroad ties, like any wood product, are subject to degradation over time. The process of replacing an individual tie without disturbing the rails involves clearing the ballast (that is, the gravel at the base of the tracks) from around the tie, disconnecting it from the rail, and using a mechanical tie extractor/inserter to push it from under the rails. New Brunswick Southern is able to replace 500-600 ties per day.
The Framingham Secondary line was purchased by MassDOT from commercial freighters CSX Corporation in the summer of 2015. “Purchase of the line establishes the interconnectivity of four of our major commuter rail lines, which allows us to plan for future rail upgrades in a way that will minimize disruptions by creating options for trains to continue providing passenger service by bypassing sections of rail on any of the four lines that would be under construction,” said MassDOT Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack at the time.
In addition to providing an alternative artery for MBTA trains, the Department of Transportation’s purchase of the Framingham Secondary also guarantees continued future service to Gillette Stadium.
MassDOT reports that work on the line has nearly finished in Medfield, and will be moving into Walpole in the near future. The project is slated for completion in mid-June.
