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  • St. Lawrence & Atlantic Railroad (SLR/SLQ)

  • For discussion of the various Class II and III Lines of the Genesee & Wyoming Inc. Railroad Holding Co. short-lines which do not have their own forums as noted:

    Their website is here: GWRR.com
    A list of their holdings is here: Wikipedia List
For discussion of the various Class II and III Lines of the Genesee & Wyoming Inc. Railroad Holding Co. short-lines which do not have their own forums as noted:

Their website is here: GWRR.com
A list of their holdings is here: Wikipedia List
 #1525591  by Fritz
 
Hello,
Today's SLQ westbound 393 departed Island Pond at 0753 (again!) with the following:

RM-1 804
GP40-3 3805
GP40-2 3007
3 centerbeam flats
1 boxcar
1 hi-cube boxcar
1 covered hopper
11 propane cars
8 tank cars

That's 25 cars total, including 1 load and 24 empties.

The 9 AIMX hi-sided gondolas are now gone from the Island Pond yard, but there were 13-14 loads of lumber being unloaded at RCP Transit.
Best,
Fritz
 #1526089  by NHV 669
 
Friday night's 394 dropped 7 AIMX gons on the Groveton siding for storage. Apparently, American Iron & Metal is looking to store up to 50 cars there this winter due to decreased demand.

There may be a 393 this week (tomorrow presumably), but it's not looking good for any 394 runs until the strike is resolved.
 #1526097  by NHV 669
 
Right. It will give CP the ability to cut out a large chunk of SLQ traffic, and as someone posted elsewhere, has the power to greatly affect propane traffic for the entire line.
 #1526280  by Fritz
 
Hello,
The SLR ran an "extra" turn out of Richmond this afternoon. As far as I can tell, they ran light engines from Richmond to Island Pond, where they pulled 7 AIMX gondolas from one of the yard tracks. They then proceeded east to North Stratford, where they picked up 20 propane loads that NHCR has brought to the siding there. At 1420, they departed westbound with the following:

RM-1 805
GP40-3 3804
GP40-2 3007
7 AIMX gondolas
20 propane tanks

They reached Island Pond at 1459, where the Richmond-based crew took back over, and continued west at 1502 (3-minute crew change!) and reached the U.S. Canada border at 1542.

Apparently, CN and the union have reached a tentative settlement, and CN trains will resume running tomorrow morning at 0600. I have heard that there are more than 200 cars in Richmond waiting to be delivered to CN. No doubt the many employees and customers (and a few trackside observers) of SLQ/SLR are happy that the strike has ended.
Have a great Thanksgiving!
Fritz
 #1526283  by Fritz
 
Hello,
One other thought, spurred by the CN strike, but more related to the recent announcement that CP is (re)buying the CMQ ...

Given that almost all traffic to the United States on SLR was grinding to a halt with the loss of the CN connection (due to the strike) even though the CMQ connection at Lennoxville was still active ...

There is almost no traffic from CMQ and, via CMQ, CP that moves east on the SLR into the United States. Almost all of the traffic that moves to Island Pond and points east arrives via CN and their connections to the south and west (NS, CSX, UP, BNSF, and, yes, even CP). I would guess at least 90% and probably more than 95% of the eastbound traffic arrives via CN. As far as I know, any eastbound traffic from CP and CMQ is for local customers on SLR, and no traffic is currently routed from CP to ST via CMQ and SLR (which seems reasonable given their direct connection in New York state).

However, there is a fairly healthy interchange of traffic between SLQ and CMQ at Lennoxville, which may represent two "lanes": 1) traffic from CN that is being delivered to CMQ and 2) traffic from CMQ and presumably CP that is being delivered to SLQ for local customers in Quebec (e.g. Domtar, Kruger, etc.).

With CP (re)buying the CMQ, there is the possibility that first "lane" of traffic would be lost, as CN could directly interchange traffic to CP in the Montreal region, rather than via SLQ. It seems likely that the second "lane " of traffic would remain.

Thus, I wonder if this change in ownership will have only minimal impacts on SLR. Any corrections or other insights would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Fritz
 #1526312  by NHV 669
 
Fritz, wouldn't those 20 tanks have been empty? Rymes only unloads them. Edit: guess not, thanks.

Thanks for the clarification on the routings/interchange north of the border.
 #1526336  by NYC27
 
SLQ has 100% of the long haul business out of the Sodium Chlorate plant in Magog via interswitch. I’m pretty sure the interswitch rules will mean that all that will need to be interchanged locally still.
 #1526385  by CN9634
 
NYC27 wrote: Wed Nov 27, 2019 3:18 pm SLQ has 100% of the long haul business out of the Sodium Chlorate plant in Magog via interswitch. I’m pretty sure the interswitch rules will mean that all that will need to be interchanged locally still.
Shortlines aren't applicable to C-49 (Interswitching) rules and also if they were this area lies within the Quebec-Windsor corridor. SLR is mostly a paper railroad for CN though, but still within the exemption zone.

The Interchange at Lennoxville is CMQ's paper interchange with CN via haulage rights (same point as above). In theory if this is protected in the deal, CP's nearest CN interchange in the east would be Lennoxville, and depending on the quoted routing, it could still end up being relevant.

CP does have some traffic on SLR, mostly the Kruger paper products. With their expansion into a large tissue market, I suspect there might be a stronger bit of interchange in the future.
 #1526540  by NHV 669
 
Back to business last night;

394 left IP with 3007-3804-805-3014, and 50 cars, made a Stratford setoff, and passed Groveton at 2245.

393 didn't leave LJ until around 2130, with 3803-803-3047-3105-3035 and 79 cars passing through S. Paris at 2245.

Trains must have met around 0045, as 393 passed Gorham at 0022, with 394 passing at 0127.
 #1526818  by Fritz
 
Hello,
Today's SLQ westbound 393 departed Island Pond at 0803 with the following:

GP40-2 3007
GP40-3 3805
2 centerbeam flats
2 hi-cube boxcars
1 covered hopper
9 tank cars
25 propane cars

That's 39 cars total, including 22 loads and 17 empties.

Apparently, Presby is unloading at least some cars at their Berlin property (former Isaacson Steel); one was spotted there early this morning.
Best,
Fritz
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