New Hampshire Central Railroad (NHCR) Discussion

[Dick H]

Maybe the lighted protection in town of the big overhead Cantilever over cottage street
will end up on the CSRX Mountain Division on one of the RT.302 crossing, that currently
have only ground level crossing flashers.

[bigfreight]

Maine Track works has been working south of Groveton Between the 2 crossings on US 3 for the last 2 weeks . They appear to be upgrading the rail with the rail stored at A&B logging in Lancaster. This was project that started last fall but was cut short when snow came early.

[NHV 669]

Drove the line north from Lancaster. The crossing just before Groveton village is in pretty rough shape, with part of the rubber sticking out of the road. Track looks good, though.

One tank sits at the switch south of Stratford village. HQ was a ghost town, just the spacer box parked behind the Rymes transload, with the spreader and Silver Splendor holding down the tracks in front of the shop.

[NHV 669]

The really beat crossing where the line crosses into Groveton village has been rebuilt/repaved, and a hopper is sitting on the siding waiting on a run down to Hazens.

Two tanks on the siding at Stratford. Everything quiet at HQ, dome still sleeping away.

[b&m 1566]

I thought Presby stopped taking rail shipments at Hazen's? And is it true they will no longer be storing rail cars in Whitefield?

[NHV 669]

They generally do, during the winter.

Presby has his siding off the SLR in Berlin for access as well, since he owns the property there. Noticed a Cog Railway sign at the driveway, didn't stop to get a closer look.

As for the cars in Whitefield? They aren't storing anything up by the shops, or at Coos Junction, they have no need to go that far south. I've been told a company rig has been down to the last two cars in Whitefield, they may move too, at some point.

[b&m 1566]

Is NH Central going to look at discontinuing services south of Groveton then? Bad news for the Conway Scenic but is it really worth it to NHC at this point?

[thebigham]

NH owns the tracks. They'll find another operator.

But, there's not a lot of business to attract a new operator.

[ewjx]

FYI we are not discontinuing service on the Groveton Branch, we take the line out of service in mid November and put it pack in service mid April.
Presby receives there cars in Berlin between November and Mid April, there are 2 washouts that are being repaired, the Groveton Branch will be back in service around the 21st of June. Also Presby Environmental has sold to Infiltrator Water Technologies who will continue to receive there cars in Whitefield, during the Winter months Infiltrator will have 8 Loads spotted at Hazens for unloading basically the same as NEGS does with there customer on the Concord to Lincoln. NHDOT allows NHCR to store up to 500 Railcars between Hazens and 150 yards north of the Diamond in Whitefield, and that being said get your facts and information correct before making statements on public Forums.

EWJ

[Mikejf]

Thanks for the update Ed.

[NHV 669]

A run was made up to Groveton to swap an empty for a load, borrowing CSRX 1751 again. I arrived in time to see the unit being shut down for the night shortly before 1630.

[NHV 669]

7324 made a run down to Hazens this morning, swapping a new load of pellets for an empty.

One more run this fall, and that should be it for moves on the Groveton Branch this year.

[b&m 1566]

I thought they had some kind of lease agreement to use a Conway Scenic engine to handle the Hazen loads?

[oibu]

How often (or "not") does NHCR make moves to Hazen? Sounds like it is very infrequent.

[NHV 669]

Roughly once a month; note that this branch is isolated from the Stratford end, so a power move on the SLR is required to drop their unit in Groveton to shuffle cars to/from Whitefield.