Portsmouth Branch Activity

More importantly this section tells Portsmouth to piss off:

If Portsmouth or any other state or local entity were to take actions as part of a proposed safety/hazard study, or otherwise, that interfere unduly with Pan Am’s common carrier operations, those actions would be preempted under § 10501(b). See, e.g., Bos. & Me. Corp.—Pet. for Declaratory Order, FD 35749 (STB served Oct. 31, 2013) (confirming that the Town of Winchester’s directive prohibiting Pan Am from conducting transportation over a rail line was preempted). As the Board and the courts have explained, Portsmouth may apply non-discriminatory regulations to protect public health and safety, but only provided that its regulations do not have the effect of foreclosing or unduly restricting Pan Am’s ability to conduct operations over its Newington and Portsmouth Branches, or otherwise unreasonably burden interstate commerce.[17]

newpylong wrote:More importantly this section tells Portsmouth to piss off:

"or otherwise unreasonably burden interstate commerce.[17]"

That's the key phrase right there.

OK, so where does the expansion of the transload facility now stand: is this the decision that allows SEA-3 to proceed? Is there another meeting or court review/decision waiting in the wings?

Looks like still in court: http://www.seacoastonline.com/article/2 ... e=printart" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

What a joke this has become. A neighboring City trying to overturn another town's boards.

Its refreshing to see SEA-3's legal team calling it like it is. Unfortunately, while everyone knows its about increased rail traffic, Portsmouth continues to hide legally behind the safety of site excuse and the "regional impact" development label.

With the improvements to the yard in Portsmouth, it seems that an alternative to adding berths at Sea-2 would be to store a shitload of LPG in the yard, and run a switcher back and forth to Newington a couple times a day. I bet Portsmouth would change their tune then!

That is what BF-1 does up in Claremont, NH with the gas, they get switched twice a day 8 cars at a wack.

Ha! The robot censored me. * = s h i t l o a d

I don't recall the year, probably in the 90's, but there was a stink by the NIMBYS
in Portsmouth about the storage of haz-mat cars in Portsmouth yard. Don't bet
the farm, but I think GRS did move the cars to Newington or held them at
Rockingham, until they were needed.

ereuter wrote:Ha! The robot censored me. * = s h i t l o a d

Heh, most of us deciphered that!

To point though, thats not a terrible idea. My kinda thinking! Even some empty slurry cars would probably do the trick. Not like NIMBY's actually understand that a tank isn't necessarily a tank. I'm sure DO-1 could be changed to a nocturnal job relatively easily. There is plenty the railroad could do to raise a real stink in that city. Unfortunately, I'm sure when you're trying to play politics being big mean bullies probably isn't the best way to go about it. Especially when your side has a better than fair chance at winning. If Pan Am was just a little more vengeful, I'm sure we'd see some of this.

KSmitty wrote:...being big mean bullies probably isn't the best way to go about it.

Well, that was their standard operating procedure for many, many years...

ereuter wrote:With the improvements to the yard in Portsmouth, it seems that an alternative to adding berths at Sea-2 would be to store a * of LPG in the yard, and run a switcher back and forth to Newington a couple times a day. I bet Portsmouth would change their tune then!

Or store 'em in Kittery across state lines and force openings of the new bridge every single day instead of once every 4 months. At rush hour if PAR is feeling extra-saucy.


NIMBY'S who keep doubling-down on a lost cause never realize that continuing to poke the dynamite monkey ad infinitum usually has a whole array of consequences they're not going to like. But it's all id and spite at this point so poke away they will.

Today was a textbook PAR cluster. 337 was tied down Saturday afternoon, and died overnight. Crew didn't know this until they arrived this morning. Wouldn't start, so dispatcher sent 347, which had been doing switching at Rockingham out to jump start 337.

DO-1/337 had left 3 loaded LPG tanks on the causeway at P1 on Saturday, since they couldn't get up Bayside Hill with all 9 that they were carrying. So 347 pulled these back up to Rockingham. There are also loads for Boise at Rockingham. But 347 left it all there, and ran light to Portsmouth!

They were unable to jump 337, so they towed it back to Rigby.

32 man-hours and no revenue.

There are currently 2 Sprague empties, 6 Sea-3 empties, and 2 Tyco empties in Newington. Tomorrow should be a busy day.

" The state Site Evaluation Committee scheduled a public hearing on Sea-3’s request that the planned expansion of its facility should be exempt from the committee’s "approval and certification provisions.”

The hearing will be held at 6 p.m. May 7 at Newington Town Hall, according to an order issued by the state committee."

http://www.seacoastonline.com/article/2 ... 01143/NEWS" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Typical politics at work here. Next month will mark the one year anniversary for the approval of this project by Newington and Sea-3 hasn't been able to put a shovel in the ground yet. Stall tactics at work with no end in sight.