Portsmouth Branch Activity

arthur d. wrote: ↑Sun Jul 02, 2023 4:38 am

Jonathan603 wrote: ↑Tue Jun 20, 2023 12:55 pm No Navy trains have crossed the bridge in almost 12 months and to my knowledge the empty nuclear fuel container that was delivered in September 2021 has not returned. I wonder when we will see it return?

When it's full. Probably used to store and eventually transport low level waste. ie, small contaminated components, tools, PPE, etc.

A pair of eight axle center depressed flats and the accompanying caboose were through Chester, MA on M426 an hour ago.

Nice. Thanks. Sounds promising…

Figured I would post to say the DODX Navy loads were taken over the bridge around 09:46a yesterday morning.

506-5933 Engines
DODX903 Caboose
DODX39843 Flat
DODX39838 Flat

The DODX loads were left outside the Navy yard. Not sure yet whether the Navy switcher has picked them up.

5933-506 returned over the bridge less than an hour later at 10:37a.

loads? The flatcars were empty enroute.

Sorry no loads. Not sure why I said that haha

Have they moved the Rockingham Junction station yet? I was there at the end of August, and the operator's addition and clapboards had been removed from the station and the new foundation looked complete.

Hasn't moved yet. They said early September for the move so maybe any day?

Here are a couple of pictures from this weekend. First shows the station building with the operator bay removed. Second picture shows the new foundation.

https://imageupload.io/DRWRAkxuyNQ9q7o
https://imageupload.io/RqSbKtiUcC7T528

Not much of an update but I spoke with a CSX employee the other day who said that CWR will not be installed on the Portsmouth line this year at least. He didn't elude to when it would happen but I certainly got the impression it would not be for a while.

I bet they will do the main west from Waterville this fall. They are dropping more rail from Auburn this week where they last left off

As compared to other parts of the property, how bad is the track to Portsmouth? Pan am fixed it up a couple years back for the increased propane traffic. Jointed rail works perfectly fine so long as the track is maintained and the rail itself is not worn out or just too light for the present weight of traffic.

It is fine for what they run over it

FRA grants FY2022 CRISI money for Portsmouth Bridge Replacement and Grade Crossing Improvements Project (Up to $345,000)
City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire

The proposed project involves project development activities for the replacement of the Bartlett Street Bridge (Bridge), as well as various track improvements and upgrades to certain grade crossings. The Bridge is on CSX Transportation’s Portsmouth Branch and has exceeded its service life; it is not capable of carrying industry standard freight cars of 286,000-pound gross weight and it has sub-standard highway vertical & horizontal clearance which creates a safety hazard. The project aligns with the selection criteria by improving ability to meet existing or anticipated demand as it will help CSX and the city of Portsmouth prepare for future project phases to improve railroad operations, safer grade crossings, and enhance economic vitality to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, the NH Port Authority Market Street Marine Terminal and other rail served customers. The city of Portsmouth, NH will provide a 25 percent non-Federal match. This project qualifies for the statutory set-aside for projects in Rural Areas.

https://www.seacoastonline.com/story/ne ... 974575007/

On another note.... I noticed today there are some covered hoppers at the Sprague end of the Newington Branch short of Patterson Lane. I have not seen any down past Tyco before.

johnpbarlow wrote: ↑Tue Sep 26, 2023 5:08 am FRA grants FY2022 CRISI money for Portsmouth Bridge Replacement and Grade Crossing Improvements Project (Up to $345,000)
City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire

The proposed project involves project development activities for the replacement of the Bartlett Street Bridge (Bridge), as well as various track improvements and upgrades to certain grade crossings. The Bridge is on CSX Transportation’s Portsmouth Branch and has exceeded its service life; it is not capable of carrying industry standard freight cars of 286,000-pound gross weight and it has sub-standard highway vertical & horizontal clearance which creates a safety hazard. The project aligns with the selection criteria by improving ability to meet existing or anticipated demand as it will help CSX and the city of Portsmouth prepare for future project phases to improve railroad operations, safer grade crossings, and enhance economic vitality to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, the NH Port Authority Market Street Marine Terminal and other rail served customers. The city of Portsmouth, NH will provide a 25 percent non-Federal match. This project qualifies for the statutory set-aside for projects in Rural Areas.

That bridge is a choke point. The all-too-common off-kilter, narrow overpass. The Route 1 Bypass rail bridge must not be far behind this one, one would expect.