New Hampshire Commuter Rail Discussion

[Slushbucket]

I am doing research on M&L branch operations for a possible N-scale layout. In the following two videos by the late Richard 'Moose' Ouellette on nhrrman's YouTube, you can see a coil steel car being switched near a building next to the old Grossman's Lumber (now gone and replaced by Tuscan Kitchen), behind the Agway (now Dodge Grain).

https://youtu.be/_XodZw673Qc?t=9m18s

https://youtu.be/m4u2JWyIS7E?t=6m7s

I may have found the building on Google Earth.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/8+Wil ... 683cebce03

Street view of loading bay door in question:
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.784032, ... khsWOA!2e0

I have a few questions, though. First, who was the customer? There is currently a trailer company and adhesives mixing company there. I suspect the former, if they were around in 1989-1990, but I could be way off. Second, when was this section of the line abandoned (the M&L was abandoned in stages)? Finally, was the car moved into the loading door I pictured (also visible in first video), or was the coil car switched to a separate building next to it? I want to say the coil car was moved in and out of that big door on the right side of the building...

[robmcalpine]

I wish I could answer your questions, but thanks for the YouTube links!
I drive by this area all the time and its pretty neat to see video from back in the day.

Rob

[Hux]

Amazing to see graffiti (oh,the curse of Home Depot/Lowes) free cars...and an outbound load too.

[b&m 1566]

I am doing research on M&L branch operations for a possible N-scale layout. In the following two videos by the late Richard 'Moose' Ouellette on nhrrman's YouTube, you can see a coil steel car being switched near a building next to the old Grossman's Lumber (now gone and replaced by Tuscan Kitchen), behind the Agway (now Dodge Grain).

https://youtu.be/_XodZw673Qc?t=9m18s

https://youtu.be/m4u2JWyIS7E?t=6m7s

I may have found the building on Google Earth.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/8+Wil ... 683cebce03

Street view of loading bay door in question:
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.784032, ... khsWOA!2e0

I have a few questions, though. First, who was the customer? There is currently a trailer company and adhesives mixing company there. I suspect the former, if they were around in 1989-1990, but I could be way off. Second, when was this section of the line abandoned (the M&L was abandoned in stages)? Finally, was the car moved into the loading door I pictured (also visible in first video), or was the coil car switched to a separate building next to it? I want to say the coil car was moved in and out of that big door on the right side of the building...

North Shore Trailer and Sulzer Mixpac now occupy the building that use to receive coiled steel.

M&L branch just north of Salem Depot to Derry Depot was taken out of service in November 1980 and abandoned in 1984. I want to say the last time a train crossed Main St in Salem was late 1992. The last time a train crossed the Spicket River was March 1999. The old warehouse across from T-Bones which was railroad served until it closed in 1996/1997(?) This closure pretty much sealed the deal for the M&L. When the lot was sold it went from industrial zoning to commercial zoning. Construction started on the shopping plaza in 1998 and by April 1999 the tracks in that area were removed to build the main driveway entrance to the plaza. The town of Salem also took this opportunity to level Hagop Rd were the tracks use to cross. Because Guilford still had to service the sole remaining customer north of Lawrence they took the track and switches for the passing siding at Rockingham Park and constructed a passing track near Cuomo Way. The last train departed Salem for good in June 2001 leaving behind 2 covered hoppers for storage (both hoppers have since been removed now that the company is gone). About a month later Guilford had removed the tracks between Hampshire Rd and the Spicket River. I'm not sure when service to North Lawrence ended but I know its been a few years. I want to say it was spring 2010 when I saw a string of covered hoppers on the north side of Haverhill St (rt 110) which was the end of the line after 2001.
I hope this helps.

[Slushbucket]

Thanks for the info B&M 1566! If I had to guess, the steel coils were for the trailer company, yeah?

I was a child during the final years of the line's use. I never saw many trains on the M&L so it was always an event for me to spot one.

[b&m 1566]

I never familiarized myself with the companies. I believe the lumber company was Cyr Lumber which is now located up the street in Windham. Agway which is now Dodge Grain, I'm not sure if Dodge Grain ever received shipments by rail. The warehouse that is now Best Buy and the likes, I've been told was a frozen food warehouse. Then you had the company that received plastic pellets in covered hoppers near Cuomo Way. There use to be a gas company just north of Dodge Grain but I don't know when service to that ended.

[l008com]

I'm pretty sure the lumber place was a Grossmans, at least during the late 80s early 90s. But I could be mistaken.

[artman]

Plaistow board says no to commuter rail

http://www.unionleader.com/article/2015 ... /150409832" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

PLAISTOW — It doesn't look like the MBTA's commuter rail service will be running through Plaistow any time soon.

“We voted to notify the (state's) executive council that we have chosen the no-build option in Plaistow,” said Selectmen Chairman Steve Ranlett. “This is probably a dead issue now.”

In a nonbinding vote in March, voters overwhelming voted no on an article asking residents if they approved of a rail station and layover facility in town.

In the wake of that town vote, the executive council then voted not to move forward with the environmental assessment. - See more at: http://www.unionleader.com/article/2015 ... 4R6v9.dpuf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Rockingham Racer]

I'm pretty sure the lumber place was a Grossmans, at least during the late 80s early 90s. But I could be mistaken.

You are correct.

[robmcalpine]

In the Dodge Grain parking lot, you can still see rails, so they did receive shipments.. seemingly, in the front and back of the building.

Rob

[NH2060]

Good. Time to move on to the next step(s): Nashua/Manchester/Concord and Portsmouth.

[F-line to Dudley via Park]

At least that farce is over. The build would've been almost as painful as the public comment period with the kind of nagging they'd have to endure, so this result was ultimately all for the best.

Now...does the T have a plan to go forward with the property purchase for the layover hard on the Haverhill side of the state line? I know that was the less-preferred option, but they still have the matter of Bradford's limited capacity and environmental justice considerations for the abutters to solve before service increases become practical. They still need more spacious environs situated out in the middle of nowhere.

[eustis22]

The Grossmans there was my Dad's favorite building supply store....he never really recovered when they closed. But I plainly recall seeing boxcars behind the building. Where does the track that curves west away from the M&L junction go and does it serve anything? I did note that the M&L was plowed towards the mills earlier. Is it just used to park extras from the Lawrence yard?

[artman]

The vindictive part of would love the MBTA proceed with the layover yard just over the border, and the Plaistow naysayers getting the cold slap of reality across the cheek. Funny thing is, if the MBTA builds there, maybe the locals will realize they got the 'bad' part anyway, might as well add a station...

[F-line to Dudley via Park]

The vindictive part of would love the MBTA proceed with the layover yard just over the border, and the Plaistow naysayers getting the cold slap of reality across the cheek. Funny thing is, if the MBTA builds there, maybe the locals will realize they got the 'bad' part anyway, might as well add a station...

Town of Atkinson was whining about that site somehow being harmful to the nearby Post Office on the corner of 125 and Lewis Lane (yeah...I don't follow, either). But their only attack vector is that the access driveway to Hilldale Ave. was going to clip their side of the border. And that's fixable if they work out an easement on the Haverhill side. The trains don't cross into a single inch of Live Free or Die terra firma, so they can go "Pfffbbbt!!!" to those histrionics. There are zero Haverhill abutters except for that existing freight customer a third of a mile down the street. This is where the town ideally wants it so they can get the idling trains the hell out of Bradford.



Also...time to start talking about Rosemont Station again? Pretty sure the T still owns the dirt patch lining the grade crossing where the station and parking were supposed to go way back in 1981, and that starts looking awfully convenient if the layover ends up a mere half-mile upstream. Not to mention there's way better land use to be had if they do up that ugly auto junkyard next door into some more dignified TOD.