"Up North" Gawking (District 1 sightings)

Caught 345 leading MAWA through Newport this afternoon, creeping along at less than 10mph.

I know PAR withdrew from the TIGER grant program for some reason, but do they have any plans for work between NMJ and Waterville? That line is in desperate need of some tlc.

Every non-PAS line without passenger service is in desperate need of work.

Cosakita18 wrote:Caught 345 leading MAWA through Newport this afternoon, creeping along at less than 10mph.

I know PAR withdrew from the TIGER grant program for some reason, but do they have any plans for work between NMJ and Waterville? That line is in desperate need of some tlc.

They were doing 10 through Newport (I was there). And probably one of the main reasons they withdrew was the requirement to maintain the track to the same standard for 10 years.

5.23.2017, 4:30 pm
Pan Am train heading east on track 1 past Mountain Junction with 'new' Pan Am (old CSX) 7552 and 7517 in the lead with Pan Am 371 and 502 following.

It's the 1st time I've seen any old CSX go eastbound past Mountain Junction actually hauling a train.
S

Wednesday, 31.2017, 4:35pm:
Two old CSX units with Pan Am 3401, 3402 following heading east past the Mountain Branch on track 1.
Included in the the mix were 30 empty Emskip containers.

I haven't noticed any water being shipped out of Portland in the last week. Not much in terms of rail traffic in general.
S

hh660 wrote:5.23.2017, 4:30 pm
Pan Am train heading east on track 1 past Mountain Junction with 'new' Pan Am (old CSX) 7552 and 7517 in the lead with Pan Am 371 and 502 following.

It's the 1st time I've seen any old CSX go eastbound past Mountain Junction actually hauling a train.
S

There have been four that been consistently on WAPO/POWA most of the time, although yesterday's POWA had a different pair come up.

I got a little time trackside this past weekend and enjoyed catching two different trains on eastern D1.
Its still nice to see manifest east of NMJ, after the nearly 2 year absence. Even in the rain, a highhood and 2 of the still gray 500's on the approach to the 202 bridge was nice to shoot.
https://flic.kr/p/UtjhpH" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
A little while later, for change of pace, NM-1 with a pair of dips headed west from NMJ for Detroit with 8 or 10 cars.
https://flic.kr/p/VzkTQV" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Video by Maine Train Chaser:

https://youtu.be/q0B4eDPGnPI?t=44s" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

MEC407 wrote:Video by Maine Train Chaser:

https://youtu.be/q0B4eDPGnPI?t=44s" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That line is in terrible shape. I hope whoever was in the inspection cars had some seasickness medicine

WoW, I almost got seasick just watching it. I'd love to see the FRA report after that trip.

I'm old enough to remember when the Plaistow-Portland line was as bad as that. The crews must've needed barf bags and Dramamine tablets.

...and I'm old enough to remember a smooth Portland-Bangor RT just before the 1960 end of passenger service. Probably mostly the same rail and with some of the same ties.

As late as the early 90s all the mainlines were still 40 mph and branches 25 to 35. That's not that long ago. How things have declined.

Sort of ironic that the self-described "largest regional railroad in North America" can barely keep their mainline as Class 1 track. Hell, I bet a good portion of the MEC east of Waterville probably classifies as "Excepted track"

Cosakita18 wrote:Sort of ironic that the self-described "largest regional railroad in North America" can barely keep their mainline as Class 1 track. Hell, I bet a good portion of the MEC east of Waterville probably classifies as "Excepted track"

If it isn't already I'm sure it will be once the FRA Inspectors get their sea legs back and right up their report. Bet they deadheaded back to Waterville by bus instead of putting up with that ride.
J.L.