Why settle for a mere 4,200 horsepower to haul the four-car Boston section of Amtrak's "Lake Shore Limited" when you can throw 12,600 horsepower at it for good measure? This view is at Westfield, MA. A lot of towns and cities in New England bear nicknames derived from the main product they produced during the Industry Revolution. New Britain, CT is "Hardware City," Waterbury is "Brass City," and Danbury is "Hat City." Well, I found out on this trip Westfield is "Whip City." It's not a stop for Amtrak, but the old Boston & Albany bridge through downtown makes for a nice photo prop.
Once treated like a backwater with decrepit locomotives, cars and track, Massachusetts has become a star in the Amtrak constellation with electrification to Boston, service to Maine and an upgraded Connecticut Valley line.
