BandA wrote:Article says only about $100,000 to start a tourist train. Is that accurate for an equipment lease?I believe the article said 100,000 to get the track up to shape.
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BandA wrote:Article says only about $100,000 to start a tourist train. Is that accurate for an equipment lease?I believe the article said 100,000 to get the track up to shape.
He said the line has received extensive rehabilitation, and “it would not take a great deal of money,” maybe $100,000, to get a tourist train running again.Kind of a vague statement, I suppose he could mean rail rehab or startup cost. From Howard St to Law Stone Quarry the track is class 3 (so I've been told) and class 1 from the quarry to the end of active track at Muzzy Hill Rd in Greenfield.
thebigham wrote:^Still running.There's a stone hunting season? Is it longer for black powder?
During stone season...
BandA wrote:I assumed the quote meant that the track was already "good to go" or just about, and the $100K would cover everything else, but this is my speculation!The line from the Granite State quarry to Muzzy Hill Road, Greenfield has been maintained to a degree since the Scenic ended in 2005. A new crossing was put in at Zephyr Lake Road, vegetation management has continued on the entire line, and washouts have been addressed when they occur. It wouldn't be a major project like it was to get the line open to Greenfield, but some minimal track work would be needed.
Dick H wrote:This SW900 is the M-B's only operative locomotive. I don't see it "fitting the bill".Correct. My only comment at this time is that additional equipment is being sought. 901 would still be needed on the stone train if the Scenic is operating.
b&m 1566 wrote:Pan Am's ownership ends at the Wilton station and the state owns from there to the end of the line in Bennington, NH. I guess one of the clauses the state agreed too when they purchased the line was that they (Pan Am/B&M) would retain rights to use the line and can exercise those rights at any point in time. Pan Am, pulled this same move last year but never actually filed.Ownership ends on the west edge of Howard Street in Wilton. Guilford filed for abandonment of the Hillsboro Branch beyond there with the ICC, which effectively gave up their rights on those tracks. The State purchased the line, with MBRX being chosen as the operator. MBRX then had to develop an agreement with Guilford on operating on their line from Howard Street, Wilton to Westchester Drive in Milford to access Granite State's processing facility.
b&m 1566 wrote:I think this might be half of the reason and the drive to bring back the Wilton Scenic Railroad, it probably looks better on paper when you have more to back you up when appealing to the STB.This was mentioned in the Milford Cabinet article:
But a tourist rail service would conceivably generate favorable public comments to the agency, which always looks at local impacts and it takes public comments, said Leishman, both pro and con. A scenic railroad would definitely be a positive.
- Leishman looks at restarting scenic rail service - Milford Cabinet March 30, 2018
BandA wrote:Saratoga & North Creek has some equipment that is suddenly available.Nope, not being considered.... but as Eustis22 noted, a BL2 would look pretty freakin cool on the line. I vote for maroon and gold though as there's already an operating BL2 in BAR colors in Pennsylvania on the Stourbridge Line.