Downeaster Trackwork & Upgrades

pnolette wrote:They put in a new crossover just east of Wells station.

The Dover siding is being rebuilt and crossovers installed roughly in the middle of the siding.

Peter

Thanks for the info. How long is the siding in Dover? I'm interested in the details for my dispatcher's simulation.

I believe the siding at Wells is still the same length -- i.e. it starts just east of Willie Hill Road and ends just west of Burnt Mill Road. Lengthening it in either direction would involve having to rebuild the grade crossings for double track, which is probably not something the state wants to mess with, given the expense.

Had no clue they were doing all this work up in Maine.

Regarding Sidings versus Main Tracks. In Norac rules, on main track with a posted speed of 20 MPH or faster you cannot clear the main if the switch does not have an electric unlock. By calling the track up there a CS, it allows you to have a 25 MPH speed on the siding and clear up there using the hand throw without an unlock. But as I remember, the CS was 10 MPH in the speedo anyway (what do you know?, lol).

Dunno about up there, but on the rest of the system there is no rhyme or reason which main is the faster, the 1 or the 2. It flips flops all over...

Did a check today to see the improvements at Wells and Scarborough, was somewhat impressed by the considerable lack of progress at hand.

Wells, the crossover just east of the station was not visible by legal means, it did look like the track was laid out, the signals were not turned into view of trains, the siding is now completely welded rail it appears, with the crossover being oneway for eastbounds to diverge from the mainline to the siding. While there, Amtrak 681 arrived shortly before 11am, sign indicated due to heat, trains may be delayed.

At Scarborough, Winnocks Crossing, signals still in place and active, a few pieces of equipment present such as trucks and trailers. Nothing major going on there, could see to the west on the curve before Cooks Crossing that track work was in place, a excavator and bobcat working the area, new signals in place only on one end of the siding. Siding is welded rail as viewed from Cooks Crossing. While at Winnocks Road, EDNM with 3 normal units and a small train of 30 cars rode into view and passed.

At CPF 201, new crossover laid out, looks to be just about ready to be placed into service, signal masts in place, all new. Old signals still in place.

Nothing looked changed at the west end of the yard while driving by over Pleasant street I believe.

If this all to be done by the 17th as heard, man they got a process ahead of them. I personally don't think its going to be done in time.

Wells Station had no documentation of the new schedule.
Isaac

Looks like the new "late" train, 8:10PM out of Portland #688 will meet #687 and #697 at between Saco and OOB as 683 and 684 do now, so the new sidings will not be needed on 8/17. Once they are in service, the new sidings will give GRS/PAR much more flexibility and could be used by the DE's, if they are running late. New schedule here.

http://www.thedowneaster.com/documents/ ... uleWeb.pdf

Dick

It'll be interesting how this train blends with 239, 244, DOBO and LOSA.
As it stands now, 239 will have to wait 10 minutes at Hall for 688 to
clear the crossovers IF they are on time.

Too bad they didn't spend some money adding double track between
CPW-WJ and CPF-LJ to add some flexibility because the single track
issues between Wilmington and Lawrence are unavoidable. All made
worse by that lousy new setup at Lawrence and the future CP-Frost.

Dave

GP40MC1118 wrote:It'll be interesting how this train blends with 239, 244, DOBO and LOSA.
As it stands now, 239 will have to wait 10 minutes at Hall for 688 to
clear the crossovers IF they are on time.

Too bad they didn't spend some money adding double track between
CPW-WJ and CPF-LJ to add some flexibility because the single track
issues between Wilmington and Lawrence are unavoidable. All made
worse by that lousy new setup at Lawrence and the future CP-Frost.

Dave

Its all based on who will pay for it. Guilford doesn't want to put extra money towards the system (thats been proven time after time). The only serious effort I've ever seen from track crews to upgrading trackage is when the FRA slaps on a 10 MPH restriction. The State of Maine has chipped in alot of money towards the Downeaster. I know there are sections of tracks in Mass. owned by the MBTA, is this one of them?

emd_16645 wrote:

GP40MC1118 wrote:It'll be interesting how this train blends with 239, 244, DOBO and LOSA.
As it stands now, 239 will have to wait 10 minutes at Hall for 688 to
clear the crossovers IF they are on time.

Too bad they didn't spend some money adding double track between
CPW-WJ and CPF-LJ to add some flexibility because the single track
issues between Wilmington and Lawrence are unavoidable. All made
worse by that lousy new setup at Lawrence and the future CP-Frost.

Dave

Its all based on who will pay for it. Guilford doesn't want to put extra money towards the system (thats been proven time after time). The only serious effort I've ever seen from track crews to upgrading trackage is when the FRA slaps on a 10 MPH restriction. The State of Maine has chipped in alot of money towards the Downeaster. I know there are sections of tracks in Mass. owned by the MBTA, is this one of them?

Yes. The MBTA owns the entire route in Massachusetts, from the New Hampshire state line to Boston, although ST dispatchers at North Billerica control the route from the state line to Wilmington Jct/CPW-WJ. The MBTA is overburdened with funding issues and debt, while talk goes on about expansion elsewhere in the state, so it's going to be a long time before any money becomes available to add new track. They are in the process of upgrading the signal system between Lawrence (Andover Street) and the the state line on the double track from Rule 251 to Rule 261, with some new interlockings, so when that's done it should speed things up a little.

GP40MC1118 wrote:It'll be interesting how this train blends with 239, 244, DOBO and LOSA.
As it stands now, 239 will have to wait 10 minutes at Hall for 688 to
clear the crossovers IF they are on time.

Too bad they didn't spend some money adding double track between
CPW-WJ and CPF-LJ to add some flexibility because the single track
issues between Wilmington and Lawrence are unavoidable. All made
worse by that lousy new setup at Lawrence and the future CP-Frost.

Dave

The above observations are pretty accurate. I put the August 17 Downeaster schedule into my dispatcher simulation, and there are a couple of close meets at CP Frost in Lawrence. From the dispatcher's point of view, though, double track 261 territory would make things alot easier for the District 2 dispatcher.

As of late last week the new passing siding at Scarborough still not in service (needs to be tamped) and no sign of MOW crews in the area. Also looks like not all the new signals are done. Wonder when this work is scheduled to be completed??

I haven't heard a date, but I understand that there will be a service interruption some time in September to tie up all the loose ends, the previously mentioned tamping, the new welded rail in Exeter which hasn't been welded at either end where its tied to the old welded rail, and an obsolete highway bridge in Madbury NH ( RTE 155?) is coming down.

Contrary to what someone recently stated over on the NERAIL photo Archive, the new siding at Scarborough, at least as of early last week, was not yet in service. It's been tamped once and they just recently dropped more ballast, so it at least needs to be tamped one more time. Also, the signals at CPF 201 were not up yet either. I also noticed that some of the old ties that were left in on the main when they did the whole rebuild job for the DE a few years back are starting to show their age. Hopefully Amtrak or the state doesn't allow PAR to let this line go to hell like they did with the Springfield line back in the 80's.

Looks like the welding work will continue into next week. They broke the machine in Exeter either late Tuesday or early Wednesday.

Passed through Scarborough today on train 681. The tamper and laser rig were out working near the new control point for the extended double tracks. Guys from the signal department were out everywhere, saw several men working at every signal from OOB to around MP198. It appears as if the new crossover at 201 is complete and connected (although not online). This is new as for 2 weeks ago when 201 was still in its original configuration. At least part of it has to be in service because a Portland local was waiting on the No 2 for us to clear. The whole track looked like it still needed on more dump of ballast but appeared level and tamped.

Chad,

You mentioned that the crossovers at CPF 201 are different from a couple weeks back - in what sense? All summer the new track has been in place (switches and all), it's just that it wasn't in service. The only switch/crossover they've been using is the what used to be the switch (and is now a crossover) where the yard lead ended and cut back into the main. Is something else being used? Thanks!