Fletcher's Granite Quarry Westford, MA

Continuing with my thoughts on small locos and potential uses for them on a model, not long ago I found this video on Youtube of a 44-ton diesel operating at Fletcher's Granite Quarry in Westford, MA.

I found this thread on the Fletcher's railroad at Railroad.net. Although the quarry has had its ups and downs in recent decades, the railroad is still in operation. I found this view of the 44-tonner, two of the quarry flats, and a corner of the granite processing building via Google Earth in a link on the Railroad.net thread.

There's still a certain amount of railroad granite and marble traffic in New England. The Fletcher quarry operation looks like a good potential prototype for a micro layout, but the Vermont Railway has other industrial areas that are worth a look as well, including the switchback to the former Rock of Ages quarry in Barre, VT.