Can anyone give me any info on New England Southern in Concord, NH as well as some info about the line from Concord-Tilton. I live in Derry, but while at college in Laconia im at my appartment in Franklin right near the Northfield freight house. I just was wondering of any train movements or anything, even in Concord i would love to go take some shots w my digital cam some Tuesday or Wednesday. They don't seem to be on a "set" schedule but then again who knows? Any help is greatly appreciated!
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Official New England Southern Thread (NEGS)
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There is plenty of movement in the Concord area. The New England Southern has about 7 customer’s stretching from Bow to Tilton. In Bow they have Quebec Cement, the Coal Power Plant (for smaller movements ST handles the coal trains) and you also have Blue Seal at Bow Jct. In Concord there is some kind of scrapping company just south of the yard tower and a lumber company which is located right next to the Concord Trailways head quarters and maintenance facility. There's also another customer at the northern part of the yard, not sure what the company is but they receive one to two cars every week or two; its actually the only customer left on the Northern Line; New England Southern use to go up to Penacook but not anymore. I'm not sure when they stopped going up that way but I would guess it was in the last 3 to 5 years. Then there's Quinn-T in Tilton but they only get service from the railroad during the summer months. The line from Concord north closes for the winter from about the end of December to the end of April. In April they usually send a work train out to check the track and move any debris in the way. Not to mention NEGS does go beyond Tilton when they deliver stuff for the Lake Winnipesaukee Railroad and the Hobo Railroad; you also have the annual Caboose train that takes place during the summer going from Concord to Lincoln. As far as the NEGS getting its freight, it interchanges with the ST in Manchester anywhere between 3 to 5 times a week, excluding weekends; NEGS doesn't operate on the weekends. However just because they don't go to Manchester everyday they still do a lot of switching in the concord area, moving cars around and such and that alone is about a 5 day operation. On days where they do both they usually do there switching jobs in Concord between 7am and 1pm and at 2pm they start to make there way south to Manchester sometimes getting back to Concord around 5pm or even as late as 8 or 9pm. They operate 3 1/2 engines and I say that because the 4th engine is at the Hobo Railroad being rebuilt and when its fixed they have a one year lease to use it after that its up to the owner of the engine to figure something out because from the sounds of it NEGS doesn't need it anymore now that they have the ex-UP GP39 2370 (formally MKT 379). The engine at the Hobo right now is a GP9 (I believe) 566 formally Conrail 7566. The tracks that the NEGS operate on are owned by ST though Guilford doesn't go passed the Power Plant. I believe they own the tracks up until Tilton where the State of NH owns the tracks north of that. The tracks from Concord to Penacook though not used right now, I'm not sure there abandoned, there's just no customers in Penacook currently, I believe this section of tracks is also owned buy ST. North of Penacook the line is abandoned and in fact the tracks end in the middle of a field in Penacook.
It takes real skill to choke on air, fall up the stairs and trip over nothing. I have those skills.
As far as I know, NEGS does not own any tracks at all. I think the operate on State of NH owned tracks (Concord-Lincoln) or ST tracks.
BTW, I grew up in Laconia and spent K-8th grade at a school that was right on the tracks. I remember (mid 80's) 10-15 car freights going by a few times a week.
One of the best treats was sitting on a school bus stopped at a crossing while watching cars being delivered to the Agway that used to be behind the train station. (It's a parking lot and a health clinic now)
BTW, I grew up in Laconia and spent K-8th grade at a school that was right on the tracks. I remember (mid 80's) 10-15 car freights going by a few times a week.
One of the best treats was sitting on a school bus stopped at a crossing while watching cars being delivered to the Agway that used to be behind the train station. (It's a parking lot and a health clinic now)
b&m 1566 wrote:There is plenty of movement in the Concord area. The New England Southern has about 7 customer’s stretching from Bow to Tilton. In Bow they have Quebec Cement, the Coal Power Plant (for smaller movements ST handles the coal trains) and you also have Blue Seal at Bow Jct. In Concord there is some kind of scrapping company just south of the yard tower and a lumber company which is located right next to the Concord Trailways head quarters and maintenance facility. There's also another customer at the northern part of the yard, not sure what the company is but they receive one to two cars every week or two; its actually the only customer left on the Northern Line; New England Southern use to go up to Penacook but not anymore. I'm not sure when they stopped going up that way but I would guess it was in the last 3 to 5 years. Then there's Quinn-T in Tilton but they only get service from the railroad during the summer months. The line from Concord north closes for the winter from about the end of December to the end of April. In April they usually send a work train out to check the track and move any debris in the way. Not to mention NEGS does go beyond Tilton when they deliver stuff for the Lake Winnipesaukee Railroad and the Hobo Railroad; you also have the annual Caboose train that takes place during the summer going from Concord to Lincoln. As far as the NEGS getting its freight, it interchanges with the ST in Manchester anywhere between 3 to 5 times a week, excluding weekends; NEGS doesn't operate on the weekends. However just because they don't go to Manchester everyday they still do a lot of switching in the concord area, moving cars around and such and that alone is about a 5 day operation. On days where they do both they usually do there switching jobs in Concord between 7am and 1pm and at 2pm they start to make there way south to Manchester sometimes getting back to Concord around 5pm or even as late as 8 or 9pm. They operate 3 1/2 engines and I say that because the 4th engine is at the Hobo Railroad being rebuilt and when its fixed they have a one year lease to use it after that its up to the owner of the engine to figure something out because from the sounds of it NEGS doesn't need it anymore now that they have the ex-UP GP39 2370 (formally MKT 379). The engine at the Hobo right now is a GP9 (I believe) 566 formally Conrail 7566. The tracks that the NEGS operate on are owned by ST though Guilford doesn't go passed the Power Plant. I believe they own the tracks up until Tilton where the State of NH owns the tracks north of that. The tracks from Concord to Penacook though not used right now, I'm not sure there abandoned, there's just no customers in Penacook currently, I believe this section of tracks is also owned buy ST. North of Penacook the line is abandoned and in fact the tracks end in the middle of a field in Penacook.
Yea i remember 2 weeks ago or something i was down in Concord over in the south side of the city doing my internship time with the Concord Fire Dept and ridding on Engine Co 4 on Broaday, we passed by the yard near the CT Yard on Langdon Ave i think it is, and saw NEGS moving arround. I would just like to see what they do, and take some photos, im not sure if they or Concord PD would give me a hassle though
If you want to see what they do you just have to take sometime and fallow the train. The crew doesn't mind if you stand along the tracks as long as you stay a good distance away (10 feet or so) they won't say anything to you; in fact they may wave to you an blow the horn briefly. Back in April of 05 I got the chance to talk with one of the employees as the 2370 was doing a run a round of the train behind the Plaza that Sal's Pizza Market Basket are located in and stuff. As far as the Concord PD goes... well I never encountered them but I also wouldn't worry about it to much either. I know one thing, NEGS will not call the police unless you become a problem, as far as seeing a ST police officer well that's a different matter but I don't think they go up to Concord ever, in fact I don't think Guilford even care about the tracks passed the Power Plant, NEGS has to higher a private company to inspect and maintain the tracks because Guilford certainly doesn't and yet NEGS pays Guilford money to operate on the line, but anyways.........
It takes real skill to choke on air, fall up the stairs and trip over nothing. I have those skills.
b&m 1566 wrote:If you want to see what they do you just have to take sometime and fallow the train. The crew doesn't mind if you stand along the tracks as long as you stay a good distance away (10 feet or so) they won't say anything to you; in fact they may wave to you an blow the horn briefly. Back in April of 05 I got the chance to talk with one of the employees as the 2370 was doing a run a round of the train behind the Plaza that Sal's Pizza Market Basket are located in and stuff. As far as the Concord PD goes... well I never encountered them but I also wouldn't worry about it to much either. I know one thing, NEGS will not call the police unless you become a problem, as far as seeing a ST police officer well that's a different matter but I don't think they go up to Concord ever, in fact I don't think Guilford even care about the tracks passed the Power Plant, NEGS has to higher a private company to inspect and maintain the tracks because Guilford certainly doesn't and yet NEGS pays Guilford money to operate on the line, but anyways.........
I will have to see what happens, if the weather is good this week and i am down on Tuesday or Wednesday I am going to think about trying to take some shots
Just got news on this a few weeks back, Looks as if Mass Bay RRE is sponsoring a trip from Lincoln,NH all the way down to Concord, using all of the trackage in that area. Word on the trip flyer is that it is going to start on the Hobo and go all the way to Northfield, then supposedly switch Engines from Hobbo/Winnapasauke Engines to NEGS Engines I would think, should be a fairly good trip, if I can't make it on the trip I do want to see about chasing it
I will be on that train. Me and my girlfriend have purchased the tickets via MBRRE. We have also purchased tickets form the MBRRE for there other trip on the Conway Scenic which will take us on all operational tracks that CSRR uses. The Lincoln to Concord train is on Saturday, May 20th and the CSRR is on Saturday, June 10th.
It takes real skill to choke on air, fall up the stairs and trip over nothing. I have those skills.
b&m 1566 wrote:I will be on that train. Me and my girlfriend have purchased the tickets via MBRRE. We have also purchased tickets form the MBRRE for there other trip on the Conway Scenic which will take us on all operational tracks that CSRR uses. The Lincoln to Concord train is on Saturday, May 20th and the CSRR is on Saturday, June 10th.
Sounds like a real deal! I hope to get tickets for the Lakes Region Limmited train on May 20th
I was in Concord the other day and noticed something that took me by surprise... I saw a blue opened hopper car (with graffiti all over it) sitting on the tracks that was once part of the Concord & Claremont branch. I remember seeing pictures on NErail of some people clearing the tracks, last summer but I just thought they were doing it for fun. That is anything but the truth. NEGS cleared about 1,000 ft. or so of the Concord & Claremont branch to store cars on it. The Blue Hopper car is used as a marker to let the crew know they can't go any further. At the end of the car (facing the south) they placed Yellow and Orange reflectors on it. Sure enough a little ways down was 5 or 6 Quebec Cement cars sitting at the very beginning of the Concord & Claremont branch. I guess this is a sign that business has picked up a notch for they are now running out of places to store cars. I would have to say that Quebec Cement is a major customer for NEGS and my question is.... Does anyone know if they are trying to go out and get more customers? It sure would be nice to see a customer return to Penacook. Does anyone know how long ago NEGS lost the customer in Penacook? And why did the B&M remove most of the yard? Did they use the tracks and ties someplace else? On a sad note... 
I think they have retired there F7 unit. It's been sitting in the same spot for about 3 to 4 months now.
I think they have retired there F7 unit. It's been sitting in the same spot for about 3 to 4 months now.It takes real skill to choke on air, fall up the stairs and trip over nothing. I have those skills.
b&m 1566 wrote:I was in Concord the other day and noticed something that took me by surprise... I saw a blue opened hopper car (with graffiti all over it) sitting on the tracks that was once part of the Concord & Claremont branch. I remember seeing pictures on NErail of some people clearing the tracks, last summer but I just thought they were doing it for fun. That is anything but the truth. NEGS cleared about 1,000 ft. or so of the Concord & Claremont branch to store cars on it. The Blue Hopper car is used as a marker to let the crew know they can't go any further. At the end of the car (facing the south) they placed Yellow and Orange reflectors on it. Sure enough a little ways down was 5 or 6 Quebec Cement cars sitting at the very beginning of the Concord & Claremont branch. I guess this is a sign that business has picked up a notch for they are now running out of places to store cars. I would have to say that Quebec Cement is a major customer for NEGS and my question is.... Does anyone know if they are trying to go out and get more customers? It sure would be nice to see a customer return to Penacook. Does anyone know how long ago NEGS lost the customer in Penacook? And why did the B&M remove most of the yard? Did they use the tracks and ties someplace else? On a sad note...
Are you talking about the Blue Hopper you can see from I-93 if traveling NOrth or South, but best seen from the Southbound side. Right behind all the strip malls?
No the Blue Hopper that I'm talking about you can not see from 93. Behind the strip mall is where Concord's rail yard use to be. It use to be right in between the strip mall and 93. In fact the strip mall is where the train station once stood and if I’m not mistaken 93 sits where the turn table use to be; in fact I think 93 took over some of the rail yard. All that is left of the Yard is 3 storage tracks, one of what use to be two mainline tracks (remember it use to be doubled tracked from Boston all the way to Concord at one time) and a passing siding track that is use for the engines to run around the cars which is located just north of the strip mall and of course that Tower which is used by NEGS as there office. Not to mention B&M’s old industrial area (where Concord Trailways is) that whole are is a grave yard for abandoned tracks. You could spend days finding tracks in the woods, in the pavement, in the dirt.... everywhere. If you want pictures though you better hurry the land is for sale for commercial redevelopment and I have heard of rumors that it could start with in the next few years. If I’m not mistaken Guilford still owns the land but I'm not sure. Let's hope they can get some rail customers in there again.
It takes real skill to choke on air, fall up the stairs and trip over nothing. I have those skills.
FatNoah wrote:The car behind the mall has Concord Plumbing Supply (or something similar) marking and has been there forever.
If you're ever in the Trailways bus station in Concord, it has a couple good pictures of the old train station in it.
O yea ive seen those pictures.. I go to college in Laconia, and take the Concord Trailways bus home for the weekends from Tilton-Concord to get home to Derry where I live. Their very good pictures