St. Lawrence & Atlantic Railroad (SLR/SLQ)

[drcrf93]

Thanks for the info. The traffic does seem to be down. I hope it picks up a little after the rebuilding of DJ.

[Cowford]

Announced today:

Savage Services Corp. recently entered into definitive agreements to acquire the assets, terminals and services business of Safe Handling Inc. Savage provides transloading services and handlings systems to a variety of oil refineries, coal producers, electric power generators and Class Is. Safe Handling provides full-service, bulk product, chemical, toll processing, transportation, warehousing and transloading services. The transaction is expected to close Nov. 30, after which the Safe Handling business will be rebranded as “Savage Safe Handling.”

[Mikejf]

I think this will be a change in Name only. Safe Handling has really grown over the years and can handle just about anything. It has been a very nice asset to St. Lawrence & Atlantic.
Mike

[CN9634]

I agree. Savage does however own its own locomotive fleet so one can ponder whether or not Savage will place a locomotive on site to do switching duties.

[gokeefe]

The State intends to purchase the SLR main line from Yarmouth Junction to Lewiston.

Lewiston Sun-Journal article, by Rebekah Metzler, on March 3, 2010

AUGUSTA — Democratic lawmakers unveiled a new $100 million economic development bond package Tuesday aimed at job creation that would provide the Lewiston-Auburn area with $5 million to improve rail service.

...

State Sen. Margaret Craven, D-Lewiston, said she advocated along with the rest of the Lewiston-Auburn delegation for funding to help revive the area's rail service.

...

About $2 million of the rail money would be used to purchase about 15 miles of track between Yarmouth and Lewiston, according to state Rep. Mike Carey, D-Lewiston, who serves on the Transportation Committee. The remainder of the funding would be used to lay track out of the Auburn, allowing more trains to use the port, he said.

“It would also allow a turnaround. That becomes incredibly important when there is passenger service there.

Are there any active freight customers on this portion of the line at present? I wouldn't think so but you never know.

[BR4]

Hancock Lumber in Yarmouth used to get cars occasionally but
I'm not sure if they still do. Other than that, the only customers
are in Portland. And none of them get much rail service now.

[gokeefe]

Did SLR maintain freight rights over the Yarmouth Junction - Portland portion of the line that the state already owns?

[BR4]

Yes, they still take cars to Burnham & Morrill on occasion.

[trainmancs]

there is only 1 customer on the SLR line to portland and that is b&m beans and they only take 1 or 2 cars every 2 to 2 1/2 weeks, if not for that the line would be abandonded. hancock lumber does not recieve any freight cars now, however at yarmouth jct on the SLR siding there are about 15 to 20 piggy back cars and 4 or 5 boxcars that have been sitting there for about 2 years and on the only PANAM/SLR connector track there is a vandalized track mobile that has been sitting there for about 7 or 8 years

[drcrf93]

there is only 1 customer on the SLR line to portland and that is b&m beans and they only take 1 or 2 cars every 2 to 2 1/2 weeks

I did happen to see LLPX GP15 #1512 (Engine Facing South, and running South) running fairly good speed across a small bridge (The one visible from 295, has an old yellow STL&A sign on it) on the Falmouth/Portland border around 13:00 on 5/11 with one ADM hopper for B&M Baked Beans. My Dad also told me he saw a similar consist running through Yarmouth on 4/26/10, so there is still movement on the branch, but pretty rare nowadays, with only 1 remaining customer.

[Cowford]

How much intermodal business is SLR doing out of L-A?

[Mikejf]

I have seen 25 or 30 containers per train sometimes. Sometimes more, depending on the day of the week.

[trainmancs]

the accurate number of cars on the SLR siding at yarmouth jct is approx 28 piggy back cars and 4 boxcars.
I know that there used to be 5 customers on the SLR portland line, 1 in yarmouth (hancock lumber) and 4 in portland, now there is only 1 (b&m beans) in portland.
It makes me wonder why the SLR even bothers taking only 1 or 2 car(s) down to portland because the fuel cost would not allow for much profit on that line because it is about 50-60 miles round trip between portland & auburn

[Dick H]

I believe the state of Maine purchased the line, at
least from Yarmouth to Portland. More than likely,
the purchase agreement requires the SL&A to
maintain service to Portland.

[CN9634]

That is correct.