MMA To File 241 Mile Abandonment With STB

This is also off topic with the proposed abandonment, but why do so many on here act like PAR/ST(flavor of the week) is the answer for MMA to interchnage with. Sure, PAR is there and offers some of the best connections, but it seems like their own trains are parked or outlawed just as much as they are operating. Besides the rehabs down south due to Amtrak's Downeaster and the most recent NS involvements, that whole physical plant of their's would still be deplorable. Look at the "main" out of Northern Maine Junction. This was the MEC show piece north of Portland, and was the nucleus for the entire Eastern Division. Today, it's practically embarrassing. 10mph zones all over the line. Granted, only two real mainline symbols roll over it daily, but lines such as SLR and even MMA make that of PAR look pathetic. How does anyone expect PAR to be able to offer DEPENDABLE interchange anywhere when their rail lines are the laughing stock of the industry? Personally, I would look for any other option, too, before I would give into using PAR as a common choice.

What if the line were to go NBSR or back to CP? This is hypothetical talk of course but would it be profitable then? I think splitting the CP line into two different railroads really FUBAR'd things being as the NBSR line hasn't switched hands and well we all know Iron Roads. If the two halves were to reunite and retain the old B&A that would make a pretty large Regional Railroad with direct connections to St.John and Montreal as well as CN, CP, ST and the SLR

The short answer is "no." CP couldn't run it profitably, so started the divestiture process by creating the CAR. CAR wasn't profitable, so the line was parceled off to Iron Roads and NBSR. Iron Roads couldn't make a go of it, so it eventually was sold off to MMA. All the while traffic, both BAR and Atlantic Canada-based has continued to dwindle, further diminishing the line's already questionable viability. And now MMA is in a perilous state, despite substantial governmental subsidy. Merging the lines back together falls under the definition of insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

I am not familiar with the economics of the line east of Keag, but given that PAR has what seems to be a productive working relationship with NBSR and NB industry, that line seems to have a reasonably secure future. And to Calaisbranch's post, it should also be considered that if NBSR started routing everything over MMA, it would further imperil the future of the old Eastern sub and, to a lesser extent, that of PAR itself. The phrase, "pick your poison" comes to mind. In my humble opinion, despite what one may think about PAR, its franchise is critical to Maine's future. The old CP isn't. I asked a rhetorical question on this forum years ago that bears repeating, even if paraphrased: What would happen if the Onawa trestle completely capsized tomorrow?

Excellant post

The Iron Road era and MMA left a very bad taste in the Irvings mouth hence why they signed a haulage agreement and 99 year lease of CN's yard in Saint John to route as much traffic away from Maine as possible,Now that said anything west bound as of late mostly goes via Pan Am as they are the cheaper option of the 2 lines

They are running 3 westbound trains per week lately,sadly much less then years past and 75% or more of the cars on these trains are for the Keg not Brownville as well as the other way around for the eastboud

If memory serves me right there was a CP option to buy back these lines back in 95 if both operators were to fail to keep it alive for the customers and residents until another operator was found.

Simply put, MMA is screwed by their geography. Talk about being at the mercy of a hapless system, that being MMA to PAR. They really should try to put their differences aside, as was said earlier. Unfortunately for MMA, they don't have as many options for where their stuff goes. I couldn't imagine all their stuff going NBSR, anyway. So, we pretty much knows what that means. I'm continually surprised that PAR/PAS can keep "friendly" connections with CSX and NS after some of the crap G pulled over the years. It was pretty bad there when P&W was getting coal delivered in Providence, RI and running that circuitous route over NECR, GM, VTR and CP just to try avoiding PAR for the Johnson City, NY coal trains.

Not all was bad on MMA today. Apparently, they have enough in the bank to be doing work on the Searsport end. Recently, like the past couple of weeks, I've seen several pieces of rail equipment working in the Prospect/Stockton Springs/Searsport area. Everything from track mowers to Jordan spreaders. Today, the MMA was dropping ballast near 174 in Prospect. Hope for the best with the Sears Island future!

Hi everyone. This is my first post here and I'm very interested in the events regarding the old B&A line. Is there any way of regenerating the potato business(or any business) in N.Maine back to rail?(overseas markets?...)

From my understanding, the trucking industry is going through a labor shortage right now and with rail traffic being more fuel efficient and cost effective, one would think that rail would be the way to go.

As for the situation regarding the CAR(CP line) CP formed the CAR in 1988 so they could bury it for political reasons.

Iron Roads had a field day with what was left and MMA is left with an orphaned child. (B&A)

All I can say is, I hope this 'orphaned child' finds a good home and sets a precedent that rails in Maine and Atlantic Canada can flourish(or at least keep the bills paid) like they once did.

$17 million eh? Hmm...How much is that in Canadian? I hope I win this week's lotto!

More news on the potential abandonment:

The Maine Department of Transportation says they're trying to resolve the potential "abandonment" of about 240 miles of railroad track in Aroostook and Penobscot Counties.

Read more at: http://www.wcsh6.com/news/local/story.a ... 60&catid=2

Ya'll know, none of this is any surprise. Since it's inception, MMA has rated the poorest in customer care amongst Maine railroads. You have to take care of the shippers (customers) and when you let your guard down it comes back to bite ya every time. Couple that with the closing of most of the paper and lumber mills on the old B&A ensures closing of rail lines that used to serve them. Seems as if you can thumb your nose at your shippers just so long and they find alternative methods to ship. It would be great if the state would buy the proposed line for 17 million, fix the track so MMA could run it's trains over it but evidently someone forgot the state is in financial ruin as it is. Forces have been cut in all areas so much that the employment aspect would be minimal also. Luckly the weather has coperated enough to lessen the burden on MMA to keep some form of train service intact this winter...............so far. I wish them all the best but I am afraid the writing is on the wall.

One must wonder if the timing of MMA's notice of intent to abandon recently. Given the fact that TIGER grants are going to be announced in the next week or two - and that the state's resolution relies on TIGER money- you gotta wonder if this was to serve as a wake-up call to Maine's Washington delegation to do some last-minute, behind-the-scenes negotiating with DOT.

An industry standard says that a railroad should earn between $50,000 and $60,000 per mile annually. MMA is earning about $20,000 on these lines. The only way to earn more is to get more companies shipping more freight on these lines. If the state is to intervene, it must have commitments from local mills and businesses that more volume will be shipped on the line. A first step is to maintain the rail corridor. A second, more difficult, decision is whether subsidizing service on the line is worth the cost.

http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/136650.html

Interview with MMA president Bob Grindrod:

http://www.wcsh6.com/video/default.aspx ... 6656298001

Article in today's PPH:

Representatives of several of northern Maine's largest employers warned Thursday that the loss of Aroostook County's only railroad would be felt throughout the state's manufacturing and industrial sector.

The comments came during a legislative hearing on a proposal for $20 million in bonds that would enable the state to purchase roughly 240 miles of privately owned railroad tracks between Millinocket and Madawaska.

Read more at: http://www.pressherald.com/news/state-u ... 02-19.html

The Boston Globe picked up the story as well: http://www.boston.com/news/local/maine/ ... _railroad/

More news in the PPH:

The loss of a railroad will only make things worse, said Denis Berube of the Northern Maine Development Commission in Caribou.
Without rail, the sawmills, wood product companies, paper mills, farms and other businesses will become less competitive. At the same time, home heating oil, diesel fuel and propane will become more expensive for residents.
Berube estimates that up to 750 direct jobs could be lost if the railroad leaves. And when the housing industry turns around, northern Maine companies won't be in a position to cash in if the railroad isn't there.
"Without the rail up here, you're not going to see a rebound up here," he said.

Read more at: http://www.pressherald.com/news/Rail-li ... Maine.html

I recently saw on some of the press releases that the Montreal Maine and Atlantic Railway is continuing to work with Maine DOT on alternative solutions that would permit continued rail use on these lines.
I hope they can find a way to avoid abandoning the rail lines.

Does anyone have a list of who the 22 customers are? Would Irving be interested in the line? Don't they own much of the Northern Maine Woods and without the BAR, wouldn't they eventually lose the most from not having an railroad there? Would NBSR be willing to make a low ball offer to MMA for the lines in question if the State is unable to come up with the cash? What is the value of the line, a.k.a. real estate, track itself, equipment etc?