Downeaster Trackwork & Upgrades

Is that why it's still only 10 across there? What will it be when the final work is completed?

I don't know. But I do believe you'll never travel real fast over the bridge. The Bradford Curve used to be 35 MPH IIRC.

You wouldn't travel that muisch faster even with an increased limt since all trains, both MBTA and DE, are either starting or stopping in HHL.

A small increase in speed (I think it's 15 not 10 now) would be nice, but the biggest improvement will bidirectional traffic over the bridge, eliminating waits north of HHL (SB) and just past Lawrence (Frost?) (NB).

Rebuilding it. New rail. The bridge project has tremendous benefits for reducing freight interference which currently is limited to 5 MPH. Pan Am can take almost 40m to clear the bridge right now.

haha that's true. I once filmed SEPO crossing the river, 100 plus cars took a long time!

The latest information indicates that all rough ballast work is complete at Royal Siding as well. So not only is the earthwork on the subgrade done but the grade itself is quite far along as well.

Imagine if they could get the freight speed on the bridge up to 10 MPH. Freight transit times over the bridge would be cut in half!

Haha ... Indeed. Hopefully it will be a good bit more than that.

Latest information also indicates that the new powered switch has been installed and is operational on the East end of the Brunswick layover facility.

The Merrimack River Bridge's third outage phase has been moved up and is effective after the passage of Train 208 on Monday, February 5th. Barring snow (ha!) it should be back in a couple months. I'm guessing the MBTA is gunning for a new Spring schedule to reflect the bridge's completion.

And a story about single track and slop ops... POSE was sent west from Newfields to Plaistow with less then an hour to work, went into emergency on the single track west of Exeter, and 684 stared at their tail for over 2 hours while the scramble was on to scrounge up a recrew. 683 sat in Haverhill for 2 hours waiting for the mess ahead to open up. Per the ASM/TransitDocs site, 685 turned out of Boston from 684 on-time and in an impressive 9 minutes. 683 turned for 688 an hour late out of Brunswick.

The gate is broken and in the grass at the rt107 crossing in east Kingston nh. I tried calling the pan Am emergency number to report it but no answer. Not sure if they already know and have a form d in effect or not but it’s of concern as the Downeaster comes through there at what 79 or 89 mph

No 89. MAS is 79.

I'm skeptical the correct number was called. Wouldn't have hurt to try calling again, either.

One can always call 911 if unable to reach the railroad directly.