What's next for MMA?

[MEC407]

Heading to Progress Rail in KY. Keep an eye out for MMA #1, no idea where it went but this is the same series that are moving (PS 5344)

I'm confused what is MMA #1 and PS 5344 ?

MMA #1 is the red/white/blue "STATE OF MAINE PRODUCTS" boxcar that they painted during the early years of the company. PS 5344 is the make/model of boxcar. (PS stands for Pullman-Standard)

Photos of MMA #1: http://rrnne.net/MMA%201.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Dick H]

Here's a photo of MM&A #1 taken in 3/11 in PA by Collin Reinhart.
Taggers had got at least one side.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=2454663" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Watchman318]

PS 5344 is the make/model of boxcar. (PS stands for Pullman-Standard)

And 5344 is the cubic feet capacity. Did the MM&A cars start out as BAR?

I just saw that Athearn made some in HO, and ExactRail was one of the first things that popped up on a Google search of "PS 5344," with a BAR car. (Fox Valley Models has MMA cars in N scale.)

Jeez, now I gotta get one of the HO cars and a set of Highball Graphics decals to make an MMA #1. Don't worry, I won't tell my wife that you guys inspired me to do that.

[CN9634]

PS 5344 is the make/model of boxcar. (PS stands for Pullman-Standard)

And 5344 is the cubic feet capacity. Did the MM&A cars start out as BAR?

I just saw that Athearn made some in HO, and ExactRail was one of the first things that popped up on a Google search of "PS 5344," with a BAR car. (Fox Valley Models has MMA cars in N scale.)

Jeez, now I gotta get one of the HO cars and a set of Highball Graphics decals to make an MMA #1. Don't worry, I won't tell my wife that you guys inspired me to do that.

Most of them were ex-NVR, nee C&NW. Athearn makes the #1, but I had to custom paint all of my other maroon ones using that decal set.

[Tadman]

I always liked seeing the ex-BCOL units on MMA becuase their red-white-blue looked like "State of Maine" boxcars... A sort of unintentional heritage paint job.

[Dick H]

If you look over the top of the boxcar toward the left side,
you will see one of the towers of the historic North Conway
NH depot. I believe this car is owned by the 470 Railroad
Club and is on display at the Conway Scenic Railroad. It
does run a few miles on the annual photo freight to Conway
and Bartlett on the annual Railfan's Weekend in September.
The car was repainted by volunteers in 2011.

It was reported elsewhere on the web, that there is a State
of Maine Box car at the RMNE (Naugatauck RR) in CT. But
they do not list it among their reuipment.

http://www.rmne.org/about/roster/index.php#freight" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Discussion on the State of Maine cars here, including some
photos of several during their service days. (scroll down)

http://thenhrhtanewhavenrailroadforum.y ... topic/6546" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Cowford]

Is MMA now operating between Brownville Jct and Megantic?

[baldy]

I believe they are operating only to shuffle locomotives between the 2 ends of the system. There was a light engine movement in Brownville on Sat. What I saw was 2 units at the Junction idling and 6 units headed to Derby for servicing, a mixture of C30-7s, B39-8s and B23-7s. They did last Friday operate a turn to Jackman.

[MEC407]

The name of the new company shall be Central Maine & Quebec Railway.

For more info and further discussion of the new company, please visit this thread:

http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=154633

[MEC407]

Photo by Michael Berry:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=470078" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Photo caption:

The vandals have been busy. MMA 8583 (as well as 9 cars behind it) have been stranded on MMA's Stanbridge Sub since last summer. The reason for this is the poor condition of the track, which led to Transport Canada embargoing the line, and also led to a car derailing slightly further north, thus cutting off the only way this train could be moved by rail. Vandals have not left this venerable GE unit untouched, as is evident from this photo.

[Dick H]

I realize that the MM&A had lots of bigger fish to fry than
the stranded train situation, but couldn't they have gotten an
agreement from TC to move the train at "walking
speed" with just enough repairs at the derailment
area to get through one last time, with track personnel
monitoring the whole move and even someone from TC.

Now, the situation is much worse, with the loco vandalized
and maybe permanently inoperable and another tough
winter working on the already bad track. One of the other
photos shows that the train is near a crossing. The new
owners will probably give a scrapping outfit the directions
to the area.

[railfan60]

Traction motors cables were sawed off by thieves last summer. Having said this, I would say that some of the missing parts here were perhaps taken by shop personal from the nearby Farnham Yard. Vandals would have taken those ditch lights as well in my humble opinion. Anyways, it would be interesting to see the outcome of this next spring.

[MEC407]

From The Portland Press Herald:

A Canadian agency investigating the July 6 derailment that caused 47 deaths in Lac- Megantic, Quebec, found that Maine-based Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway had failed to report 20 previous derailments and two runaway train incidents in Canada.
. . .
Rather than impose any fines or other sanctions, the board chose to make its reporting rules clearer to MM&A to ensure the company reports such incidents in the future.

However, the rule clarification is moot because the bankrupt MM&A is now defunct, and its assets have been sold to an affiliate of New York-based Fortress Investment Group for nearly $14.3 million.

Read the rest of the article at: http://www.pressherald.com/news/Canadia ... ment_.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[MEC407]

From the Bangor Daily News:

The trustee for the Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway said in court Thursday morning that he and a New York investment group hope to close the $15.85 million bankruptcy sale in one week.

“The U.S. closing at least will happen next week,” the railroad’s trustee, Robert Keach, told the court, saying the parties expect the deal to close by May 15.

Sale of the railroad’s Canadian assets still requires approval by federal regulators there, according to Keach.

Read the rest of the article at: http://bangordailynews.com/2014/05/08/b ... next-week/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[MEC407]

From the Bangor Daily News:

Giles said all that remained to complete the sale Thursday afternoon was signing documents to be couriered to Portland and executed by Robert Keach, the bankruptcy trustee.
. . .
Sale of the former Montreal, Maine and Atlantic’s Canadian assets is still pending federal regulatory approval in that country. Giles said he did not have a sense of when the company might receive approval to buy those Canadian assets.

Giles said his first priorities were improving the areas of track in most dire need of repair and putting into motion more than a dozen newly leased General Motors locomotives to replace the General Electric fleet that the company rejected in the bankruptcy sale. Giles said the company also rejected some contracts as part of the sale, but the locomotives were the largest asset left to bank ownership.
. . .
He said the company is finalizing plans for other areas where it plans to make capital improvements this year, which he estimated would be about $8 million to $10 million for track improvements before winter puts a damper on repairs.

Read the rest of the article at: http://bangordailynews.com/2014/05/15/b ... n-the-way/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;