Washington County Railroad

[rivertripp]

I finally got to see what everyone was talking about; six TTX intermodals with twelve 43' trailers going north. Traffic has been decent this week anyway, six or eight each way. The paper says the mill in Gilman will reopen soon. Let's hope this puts some pressure on to reopen the old MEC line. Run those log loads straight to the mills, paper loads out!

[Slowrider]

Thought this may be of interest ....

M Fortin,

--- In [email protected], "fritz234567" <gerhardf@c...> wrote:
> Hello,
> I spent yesterday and today trackside along the Connecticut River
> Line. Train size was generally good, and today's weather was great
> (after yesterday's dreary overcast)! Trains and their consists were:
>
> Thursday southbound WVWJ
> HLCX GP38 3612
> 10 mixed freight
> (including 2 gondolas, 1 loaded bulkhead flat, 6 boxcars, and 1
> covered hopper)
>
> The two gondolas had BR reporting marks and 1200 series numbers. I
> assume these are the ones loaded with pulpwood that Chuck saw headed
> north earlier in the week. Apparently, BR is the reporting mark for
> Bradford Industrial Rail, which I think is in Ontario.
>
> Friday northbound WJWV
> HLCX GP38 3612
> 10 mixed freight
> (5 loads and 5 empties, including 4 boxcars, 5 covered hoppers, and
> 1 TOFC flat with 2 trailers)
>
> The four covered hoppers were some of the 13 CP/SOO cars that came
> south from Newport last week.
>
> Friday southbound WVWJ
> WACR GP38-2 202
> 6 mixed freight
> (5 loads and 1 empty, including 2 covered hoppers, 3 boxcars, and 1
> loaded bulkhead flat)
>
> This afternoon there were six cars for the WACR in the NECR yard at
> White River Junction. These included two bulkhead flats loaded with
> pulpwood and three more CP/SOO covered hoppers.
> Have a good weekend,
> Fritz
> 18 miles from the WACR in balmy Chelsea, Vermont

[Slowrider]

on the conn river line today......


--- In [email protected], "railbox_r" <railbox_r@y...> wrote:
> Short train this morning with two TTX trailers loaded with four VRS
> trailers, two CSX boxes, and one loaded lumber pulled by the 202!
> Sean

[rivertripp]

I hope everyone can see Ben Bachman's really nice article in this month's "Trains" on St. Johnsbury. The year was 1980 and the yard was packed! There should be a footnote that while it was unused for almost a decade, things are looking up again.

[Slowrider]

Well trains are growing longer, and the St j yard is seeing more log cars more frequently. I'm still scratching my head over how VRS has turned a line that saw 1 train a week with 4-6 cars, to a train in each direction each day with 10-20 and with the service they are providing, I am willing to bet it will keep growing, also employing 2 crews, and working on TOFC, Sure is nice to see, anyway, check this out......

--- In [email protected], "fritz234567" <gerhardf@c...> wrote:
> Hello,
> I caught both the northbound and southbound trains on the Connecticut
> River Line today. The northbound WJWV left White River Junction at
> 0830 with the following consist:
>
> HLCX GP38 3612
> 17 mixed freight
> (including 2 gondolas and 2 bulkhead flats loaded with pulpwood, 4
> covered hoppers, 5 boxcars, 2 loaded TOFC flats, and 2 empty
> centerbeam flats)
>
> Later I saw the southbound WVWJ coming through Northboro at 1538 with
> the following consist:
>
> WACR GP38-2 202
> 14 mixed freight
> (including 2 empty pulpwood flats, 9 boxcars, 2 loaded TOFC flats, and
> 1 covered hopper)
>
> Since there were no pulpwood cars in St. Johnsbury on Monday, these
> two cars must have gone north yesterday, were unloaded overnight, and
> returned south today. That is a pretty quick turnaround time. By the
> way, the Blue Seal Feeds plant in St. Johnsbury was the E.T. and H.K.
> Ide feed plant at the north end of the yard. It still has a spur
> leading to the loading/unloading shed, but I don't know if they still
> receive cars by rail.
> Have a good evening,
> Fritz
> 18 miles from the WACR in Chelsea, Vermont

[RAILBOX_R]

Is business not as usual for the pompy today? I did not see, hear, nor notice that a train had passed through. Sources near the tracks said the same. What would cause and occurance like such?

[Steam3713]

It's simple why VRS can get the business: MARKETING! Few people give VRS credit for it's marketing program--which is one of the best in New England. :D

[Slowrider]

Not to mention securing state funds for trackwork, the line sure does need it. I wonder how that tie replacement program is going, if it has started yet?


M Fortin,

[Tom Winans]

So far no track work north of St.Johnsbury. Here in the Northeast Kingdom the frost is just working its way out of the ground. VRS has been working with Vermont Agency of Transportation to help fund bridge repair but when they signed the agreement to operate the Conn River line it is up to the operator to do track maintenance. This will be costly the last big tie replacement by CP Rail was back in 1984. There have been no large maintenance projects on the line since then.

[rivertripp]

That rig they're been using in St. J to load logs has been making little forays up and down the line during slack times, sort of picking up debris and brush, like the rest of us, waiting for the frost to come out. Do you suppose there is anything worth reusing from the St. J &LC? They took good signal boxes already.

[Tom Winans]

Reading the Vt. Agency of Transportation Rail weekly the Rail program has a contractor lined up to begin dismantiling the LVRC line. the state plans on storing all good material like crossing gantries RRcrossing signs and relay boxes things that can be used on other parts of the VRS system.

[Slowrider]

Where do you get this rail report? I was just wondering. Is it for subscription?

M Fortin,

[Tom Winans]

Sorry, this is an internal weekly generated by the agency of transportation that each program in the Operations Division sends to the Director. Fear not, any time things come up that may be of interest to rail watchers that can be made public I will post it.

[jwallacect]

I know it's been a long time since they rebuilt the LVRR but I'll bet a lot of the ties are better than many of those on the WACR. They certainly haven't been overstressed by accumulated weight! Tom, do you know if the state can or will make them available to VRS for the WACR?

[thebigham]

I think the VRS wants the heavy LVRC rail.

Chris