Rail Related Development in Northern New England

[Cowford]

While it's a bit outdated, I found a 2004 study online called "Wind Turbine Development: Location of Manufacturing Activity" by REPP. There is a wind energy component supplier in Waitsfield, VT (Northern Power)... that by the looks of it on Google is actually rail-served (active?). The company website indicates they've been in business since the 70s. There were no other significant component mfgrs in northern New England and, interestingly, the report had estimates on job POTENTIAL created by increased wind manufacturing in the future, by state. NH - 1900; VT - 490; ME - 379. They based this on existing businesses that likely COULD make components. I would think that northern NE's best opps in this area would be limited to small sub-components.

[Watchman318]

I would think that northern NE's best opps in this area would be limited to small sub-components.

Google "Umaine" and "turbines," and see what pops up. I didn't even use "composites" as a keyword, but that's what we've been reading about a lot in the local newspapers. Brunswick Naval Air Station, or Brunswick Landing as it will be known once the USN vacates, is often mentioned in those articles. Off-shore wind, tidal/sea current, etc.
<http://engineering.umaine.edu/blog/2010 ... wers-maybe>

First sentence of my last paragraph in the first reply I made on this thread:

"Special cargoes" is industry parlance for things like wind turbine parts.

I know part of that was in regards to changes for better handling of special cargoes at Portland, and I'll agree with Ridgefielder's earlier definition of "Northern New England" as north and east of Portland. But Searsport was mentioned as having a "niche" for bulk and special cargoes.

Until the first big composite turbine blade goes onto a flatcar (or multiple flatcars), it's all just speculation, but I think there's a potential for it.

[shadyjay]

There is a wind energy component supplier in Waitsfield, VT (Northern Power)... that by the looks of it on Google is actually rail-served (active?).

Nope, no rail line passes through Waitsfield. I feel weird living in a town with no rail line, past or present. Closest rail line is NECR/ex-CV in Waterbury.

[Cowford]

Nope, no rail line passes through Waitsfield.

Correction: the company used to be in Waitsfield, but is now in Barre. If you search Google maps, it shows the new location but the old address. I'm assuming the line that serves the facility is active.

[Cowford]

The local rags are reporting that the Port of Eastport is undergoing a $7 million expansion... to handle wood chip exports. It's not clear the source of the funding. Any clues as to the origin of the chips??? It was shocking to read that Easport occasionally exports pregnant cattle (!) to Europe. Now that is bizarre.

[RRBUFF]

I think the article was in error. Paper pulp from the Woodland is exported out of Eastport not wood chips.

[Watchman318]

Pulp now, but chips later. This is from the Bangor Daily News:

The “table” created by the earth-moving process will provide a base for 40,000 metric tons of wood chips that will be shipped overseas.
“It’s all part of the European biomass push,” Gardner explained. He said the port was also working with several different companies to export chips, wood pellets, stone and crushed rock.

Lots of good stuff to be moved by rail.
<http://www.bangordailynews.com/story/Bu ... ack,163143>

Also see Eastport Port Authority - Maine's Deep Water Port.

[Mikejf]

All this work is great, but to reach it by rail, anything originating anyplace other than Woodland will need to ship through Canada to get there.

Mike

[MikeVT]

The rail serving the Northern Power building is still in place but not active into the building. They are in the old Bombardier building. Its been a couple of years since I was there but at that time they did not plan on using rail. The do not do the towers or blades only the turbine (head unit) and some ground support buildings.

[calaisbranch]

Speaking of towers and blades, a big batch of windmill parts had been coming through Northern Maine Junction heading south and finally going west over CSX. First it was these types of cars with the towers and the power heads....

http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo ... 914087.jpg

A couple weeks later, the blades themselves were also shipped on TOFC flats. Each blade took a car and a half with mounts in the middle. These didn't stick around as long, but definitely different to see something like that around here!

[RRBUFF]

The old MEC rail line from Calais to the mill in Woodland is out of service due to a large washout on the New Brunswick side. All freight and chemicals are now being trucked from McAdam NB to the mill.NBSR has been operating the line and 1 engine NBSR 3703 and about a dozen cars and the snow plow are stranded in the Woodland yard. I don't think any restoration plan is set up until spring.

[Highball]

Below, was part of an article that appeared in this past Saturday's Telegraph Journal of St. John, N.B. The Calais - St. Stephen area received an incredible near 8 inches of rain from the storm event on December 13th.

.................

Trains might roll again on the New Brunswick Southern Railway's St. Stephen Subdivision in three to four weeks, spokeswoman Mary Keith said in an email Friday.

As of Friday the company had completed or nearly completed repairs to 10 of the approximately 32 washouts along the 60 kilometres of track from McAdam to Milltown, she said.

The weather and the remote location of some washouts, some only accessible by rail, has been a challenge, she said. "However, we are making steady progress."

[Cowford]

Ok, so I'm reading an analysis on North American natural gas field development (contrary to the opinion that I'm singularly focused on the Downeaster)... and one graphic surprised me. It showed a shale field in western NB and eastern ME (essentially southern Aroostook and possibly northern Penobscot/Washington counties). Anyone know details? Gas field development prompts rail traffic.

[piker]

Cowford
Got all excited for a moment thinking about transmission lines and gas in New England but after thinking about it for a minute and shooting from the hip, I bet thats not for us in the US. Thats all going to Canada along with our wood. More resources leaving the region without adding value. Then they'll sell it all back to us as electricity, propane and building materials.
I wonder if its possible to compare Northern New England regional commerce with Canada and with the rest of the US. Is the NNE region an economic province of Canada?

[Cowford]

Considering the goings-on (or lack thereof) in northern Maine, exporting low value-added wood chips to NB is better than nothing at all, no?

Piker, your question re trade between NNE and CDA is interesting. The region is a lot closer to CDA's industrial centers than those of the US. With NAFTA in play and currency at parity, cross-border trade makes sense. I found some stats... ME is a net importer with CDA ($2.3B imp vs $1B exp). Of course, a lot of the imbalnce is Canadian energy in the form of petro/gas and hydro.

Back to the gas... from what I read, Canadian gas imports via the "Maritimes and Northeast" pipeline will dwindle in the coming years, as gas production in the Marcellus Shale region increases and that gas starts flowing east. If Maine ever does produce gas, it would flow west, not east into the Maritimes. (They have enough already!) In the meantime, that pipeline is a great resource for ME... I suppose that the cost of infrastructure development has inhibited its development within the state. Building that infrastructure is an opportunity for rail. Like the Portland Pipeline, its flow could be reversed to allow consumption of domestic gas... Personally, I burn NG for heat/water/cooking and get more comfort giving a portion of my heating dollars to Stephen Harper than the likes of Hugo Chavez!