CP Track Upgrades & Infrastructure of CMQ

9017/9011 are back with the Herzog train, supposedly dumping on the western end of the US portion of the Moosehead today.

Surprised that what at the time was considered part of their trans-con mainline, CP only had 100 lbs rail installed. isn’t that weight more for branch lines and customer sidings?

By today's standards, yes, but there was a time when 100 LB rail was quite common on mainlines. The B&M Western Route, for example, had 100 LB rail up until the late 1930s when it was replaced with 112 LB rail. That line carried more traffic than the CP line across Maine, though, which is probably why it was upgraded to 112 LB rail, while lower-traffic lines in Maine like CP, BAR, and MEC kept 100 LB rail for years or decades longer.

More rail, switches and ballast are on site this weekend in Canada and Maine, seems the push before the ground freezes is underway.

Is the rail that is arriving from the CP's single tacking of the Winchester Subdivision west of Montréal? What size rail is CP installing? Are there any improvements to the Searsport-NMJ line underway also?

Take a look at the video linked below, you can see this is the second rail train on CMQ. I'm not sure if this is this one came straight out of the midwest, but there also was one of those with a pair of SD40-2s in Chicago on 9/3. The first one is confirmed off the Winchester sub and in the Magog area at the moment (With a pair of vintage CP SD40-2s). This one is 1942 115# relay rail chopped, profiled and welded.

I'm told at Jackman they dropped off another 20 or so tie cars, the Herzog ballast train, as well as the barns with a brand new switch. The railtrain was dropped at Moosehead siding. After the video, the barns were turned at Brownville and ran back West so they were facing the right way with the new switch in a gondola. They'll be doing as many switches as they can there this year. Not sure exactly where the tie gang is, but they are through/around Moosehead siding area.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOtRtIjwth8

The first train did indeed drop rail in Magog today.

The tie gang was parked up at Jackman at the end of August.

CN9634 wrote: ↑Mon Sep 07, 2020 8:12 am The railtrain was dropped at Moosehead siding.

Is the Moosehead siding just east of Greenville? From Google Earth view, it looks like the siding is just over a mile long with the rails removed.

That siding is Kyleton. Moosehead is west of Greenville. Kyleton is mainly removed with the exception of a stub track on the east end of the siding which is used to set out cars which trigger the DD. CMQ removed it like many of the unused passing tracks when they took over. It used to extend to just under the overpass at Indian Hill, but a derailment in the 90's took out the switch so CDAC cut the siding back.

Sounds like 50 miles of track has been officially upgraded to 40. Video of yesterday's 250 by Maine Train Chaser:

https://youtu.be/EUNs38qPddY

Look at all that ballast

Most new detectors are also in place but not yet powered up. Should be soon... also not sure if this is appropriate place but also related NBSR is getting some new locos coming in early 2021 (should be some 'big power')

Interestingly enough, they installed defect detectors on the Millinocket Sub.

NHV 669 wrote: ↑Sun Nov 22, 2020 7:11 am Sounds like 50 miles of track has been officially upgraded to 40. Video of yesterday's 250 by Maine Train Chaser:

https://youtu.be/EUNs38qPddY

With CSX buying Pan Am railroading in Maine will never be the same. Incredible happenings!