EDMO / MOED / EDRJ / RJED / 11R / 14R

[Dick H]

There was a detour train yesterday. Thanks to Pan Am Railways District 3 rail Videos
for this six minute video taken at Greenfield with 7 4 axle GE's, 1 GP40 and one VTR SD-70.

HD MEC 5930 Leads an 16R detour train on 3-5-2020 at 14:52 hrs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawXEK1LsaM

[Plate C]

Plate C-
Depending on when you saw them, the MT racks coulda been those on the tail of the ED-9 holding at Parkers predawn 03-06.

Possibly, but it looked like it would have made a big tail. There was a line of mixed freight that diasappeared into the yard that looked like it had a rack or two at the end. The empties I saw looked to be two lines worth. I didn't really stop to check out the power but it looked like what they used on the WB auto train a few days ago.

[johnpbarlow]

A self-described "heavy" 16R led by rebuild AC44C6M NS4122 departed Binghamton on 3/6/20 at 2:30pm. As AC44C6M units don't have steerable trucks, I'm guessing its power will need to be swapped somewhere before hopping on VRS rails at Hoosick Jct.

[NHV 669]

That same train? just got permission to open the switch at BF to proceed south, about 40 minutes ago; 5973 leading with 39x46.

[Plate C]

There is an EB auto train, possibly in VT now for those interested. Would love to know about the WB.
I passed by ED today and saw another detour train that had just arrived but it had come in from the West end. Is that how they're being run now? I had thought they were arriving from the East end.

[Dick H]

Pan Am 16R Reroute train passing through Greenfield MA headed for EDY on 3/15/2020 at 09:50 hrs
Video by Pan Am Railways District 3 rail videos 6 Minutes Taken in Greenfield on the Conn River.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBVf4ETKLfY

[newpylong]

There is an EB auto train, possibly in VT now for those interested. Would love to know about the WB.
I passed by ED today and saw another detour train that had just arrived but it had come in from the West end. Is that how they're being run now? I had thought they were arriving from the East end.

Come and go out the West End of the yard. The east end doesn't go anywhere helpful for a detour as far as Deerfield traffic is concerned.

[pumpers]

I'm not very familiar with the details of New England railroading. My question is, why are they using a the Miller Falls interchange, which wasn't in such good shape. Could they not have gotten on PAS at Northfield, and then went through East Deerfield to head east? It doesn't look that much longer than using the Millers Falls interchange.

Related, is it right that PAS can run its own trains all the way from White RIver Jct to Northfield. So if they went got off NECR at Northfield, then NECR would not be involved in this operationally (such as crews ...), and they just get a per-car fee from PAS?

JS

Relevant post from the VRS thread:

NS and CSX got into a dispute on moving auto rack and container trains. So NS and PAR, along with the NECR and the VRS opened a second routing. Begins at Crescent (west of Mechanicville) up the CP (D&H) to Whitehall NY, over to Rutland and Bellows Falls on the VRS, down to Millers Falls on the NECR and east to Gardner and Ayer on PAR. NS assembled five GP38-2 locos and moved 50 autoracks today. NS symbol was 27W.

Thanks to New England Rail for this video at West Royalston MA, 4:24 minutes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdwKElYC1QM

[newpylong]

The Greenfield tunnel cannot handle autoracks but they;re using that routing for non-clearance traffic.

Yes to your second section - they have trackage rights on the NECR from East Northfield to White River Junction. Al PAS crews there. NECR when they go south to Millers.

[pumpers]

Thanks, The Greenfield tunnel (Main St. overpass)! That's what I was missing. It all makes sense now.

[690]

Using a Pan Am crew all the way to Millers, just adding a NECR pilot at East Northfield.

[Dick H]

I don't have the exact date, but either last week or the week before, PAR/PAS rebuilt the connection at Miller's Falls.

[johnhenry]

Slightly off topic, but according to the excellent new book, "Iron Roads of the Monadnock Region", the original route of the first railroad in the region, the Vermont and Massachusetts", completed track westward from Fitchburg thru Millers Falls and up to Brattleboro in 1848, 2 years before it completed the 8 mile "branch" to Greenfield (which became the main route once the Hoosac Tunnel was built).

[GU1001]

11R with 9 engines prepping to leave Deerfield west @ 7:10pm.
4 NS GP38-2s followed by 5 GEs - all 4 axles.
NS 5104 in the lead. Clean fresh looking paint with what seems like a replacement or repaired cab. Angled portion of the roof is different than the others.

[MEC407]

5104 was rebuilt in 2018, and a new NS-designed cab was part of the rebuild process. It's also equipped for remote control operation.

Photo by D.J. Miller: https://www.facebook.com/altoonaworks/p ... =3&theater