Searsport Branch

[cvrr5809]

Does anyone know the name and mile post numbers of the siding just below Muskrat Farm Road that serves the quarry there? Have not seen it listed on the B & A yard and siding diagram. Thanks

It's Milepost 9, and I think that's still a Lane Construction pit siding. So many different trucks come out, it's hard to keep track! I wanna say the siding is fairly new in comparison to the rest of the line in that area. The banking of the nearby hill seems to back that up. It might even post-date the B&A.

[boatbuilder]

Thanks for the info. I had a feeling myself it was post B&A.

[eustis22]

>BAR.

Thank you. I was really confused there for a bit.

[CN9634]

Windmill train went south today to Searsport. Blades only

[cvrr5809]

Windmill train went south today to Searsport. Blades only

I saw many of the escorted blades going up 1A this past week. They tend to go two at a time with police escort in front and their own escorts between and behind. Cool to see the cops clearing the roads ahead of them!

[cvrr5809]

CMQ ran another Saturday #211 down to Searsport today. Got some nice pics, especially South of Winterport. Power was 2542+419+2006 and they had 23 cars. Hadn't seen the 2006 in quite some time. Too bad someone tagged the conductor's side!

[MEC407]

Photos by Jeff Bray:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=563826" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=563854" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[cvrr5809]

Everything came together this morning for another Saturday version of Central Maine & Quebec's Searsport run. The Brownville turn job had just returned this morning at Northern Maine Junction as the usual crew of Tony and Steve came on and readied their train for the shore. After a couple times of guessing what the leader would be, we'd luck out and get the road's newly acquired GP38-3 for our southbound leader. The CEFX 6537 looked real good in the low light of Winter. Late morning had us all headed down toward Searsport with the #211 job...

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=564688" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[MEC407]

Video by MaineRailFanner:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOO8UrVS7Y8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[cvrr5809]

For the second week in a row, both ex BNSF Pumpkin B23-7s were together on the weekend #211 to Searsport. Yesterday was just the reverse order of last week. This time, 2006 led down with 2003 leading the return trip. I've also noticed they've been leaving a bit earlier out of Bangor/Hermon, before 10am. It's been making for nice afternoon chases once again.

[MEC407]

Photos by Jeff J. Bray:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=569407" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=569405" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[cvrr5809]

Another beautiful yet cool morning this Saturday had CMQ's Searsport job back on the somewhat older schedule of leaving Bangor/Hermon around 11. Pumpkin Power was in control yet again with 2006 and 2003 leading around twenty tanks down to the shore. They began the trip by pulling empties at Dead River. A decent six-pack of what looked to be Irving tanks were first behind the power. We managed a couple different angles beginning at Kennebec Road in Hampden and ending at Searsport Yard. Unlike usual, however, we didn't wait around for them to return this time. Another weekend run of success and we're already on pace to contend with our 2011 record for Saturday chases.

[cvrr5809]

Another Saturday, another CMQ Searsport job. I like the almost predictable weekend moves again! The difference today is they ran South with only the 3803 doing LHF on the way down with 12 tanks. Nice to see a GP38 in command again, no matter what direction it faced!

[cvrr5809]

We caught a very good size Searsport run as it left Hermon/Bangor yesterday morning. They had a block of 20 slurry empties for Sprague, 5 for Irving and 5 for GAC for a total of 30. The leader, CEFX 6537 seemed to have a bad batch of fuel or something since the GP38-3 chugged some pretty good smoke the entire day. It was also cool to have three units on the run which included the 6537, 2004 and 2003. The middle B23 appeared to be isolated all day, which made for some wide open sound on the way down and on the return. A different conductor was with Tony, but he seemed pretty quick through the routine. They came back a bit after 3pm with 17 cars.

[johnpbarlow]

These 30 slurry empties were were headed for Sprague, Irving, GAC for re-loading? So these sources are competition for loads from Omya in Vermont that get delivered to Maine via VRS/PAR? Thanks.