BandA wrote:Probably nothing until they put one on the ground.newpylong wrote:No one operates over legally abandoned track. Are you sure it just wasnt out of service? Or owned by NH?What would happen if they did? It wouldn't make much sense, but suppose some outfit was desperate for temporary storage space after an abandonment.
Railroad Forums
Freight Operations on the "Northern" New Hampshire Mainline
- Guilford Rail System changed its name to Pan Am Railways in 2006. Discussion relating to the current operations of the Boston & Maine, the Maine Central, and the Springfield Terminal railroads (as well as the Delaware & Hudson while it was under Guilford control until 1988). Official site can be found here: PANAMRAILWAYS.COM.
Moderator: MEC407
Not sure if this belongs here or in the NECR thread, now that they cover operations on this line. Was driving to visit my mother in Lebanon village, and took Maple Street out of Hartford/WRJ to reach NH Rt. 10. Hoppers were visible to end of track, near the Four Aces Diner. I took a poke around, without attempting to tresspass or leave my vehicle. Noticed that the HQ on the Westboro side, now with a corporate G&W sign, identifies the "yard" as the "Granite State Transload". A few other hoppers around, no sign of power other than the old Geep 1907, still lettered for CCRR tacked to the end of a few hoppers. This is a dead unit? if I'm not mistaken. Plenty of tanks over at the tank farm, Rymes? seems to be doing a good stroke of business at the moment.
Closer to Lebanon, drove past the underpass seen here https://www.google.com/maps/@43.6393086 ... 312!8i6656
and it seems the trail folks have worked quickly. Fully paved trail, and the underpass has a solid set of pressure treated rails on it. Trail is paved up until the ROW disappears under the tunnel here:https://www.google.com/maps/@43.6416272 ... 312!8i6656
Closer to Lebanon, drove past the underpass seen here https://www.google.com/maps/@43.6393086 ... 312!8i6656
and it seems the trail folks have worked quickly. Fully paved trail, and the underpass has a solid set of pressure treated rails on it. Trail is paved up until the ROW disappears under the tunnel here:https://www.google.com/maps/@43.6416272 ... 312!8i6656
Avatar: NHV 669 at the south end of the "Pompy" in White River Jct., VT on 4/29/1993. Photo by Richard Roberg.
https://youtube.com/@NHVT_Productions
https://youtube.com/@NHVT_Productions
The transload at Westboro handles road salt (hoppers) and propane (tank cars, may be operated by Rymes). Usual power is the larger of the two Trackmobiles. One can occasionally be seen at the site of the former CV roundhouse in White River Jct. The GP9 was a CCRR engine, and may have been dead before NECR took over. I haven't seen it move in over a year.
Scuttlebutt is they're looking to decommission the CTC on the Northern mainline.
I guess it makes sense given the lack of traffic - the T would need to replace it all anyway for passenger service.
I guess it makes sense given the lack of traffic - the T would need to replace it all anyway for passenger service.
Article in today's Nashua Telegraph: "Griffin: Freight service in N.H. a must for economy". Peter Griffin is New Hampshire Railroad Revitalization Association President.
http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/loc ... r-economy/
Commentary from Pan Am Railways Executive Vice President Cynthia Scarano:
http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/loc ... r-economy/
Commentary from Pan Am Railways Executive Vice President Cynthia Scarano:
“The (Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority) has certain rights to provide commuter rail service on the line to Concord, provided that the MBTA is willing to make the initial rehabilitation investment and provide the necessary annual subsidy to support the service,” Scarano said via email. “As a result, if the MBTA elected to utilize its rights and make the necessary investment, Pan Am would work cooperatively with them on a plan to implement such service.”...
and...
“As the Downeaster has shown, New Hampshire has historically been adverse to investing in passenger rail, particularly the ongoing subsidies,” she said.
johnpbarlow wrote:Article in today's Nashua Telegraph: "Griffin: Freight service in N.H. a must for economy". Peter Griffin is New Hampshire Railroad Revitalization Association President.Not so subtle way of stating that PAR would not stand in the way of Massachusetts tax payers footing the bill for upgrading ROW to Concord NH. Wouldn't be shocked if some NH legislators would attempt to block this in the name of auto free dumb...
http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/loc ... r-economy/
Commentary from Pan Am Railways Executive Vice President Cynthia Scarano:“The (Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority) has certain rights to provide commuter rail service on the line to Concord, provided that the MBTA is willing to make the initial rehabilitation investment and provide the necessary annual subsidy to support the service,” Scarano said via email. “As a result, if the MBTA elected to utilize its rights and make the necessary investment, Pan Am would work cooperatively with them on a plan to implement such service.”...
and...
“As the Downeaster has shown, New Hampshire has historically been adverse to investing in passenger rail, particularly the ongoing subsidies,” she said.
As far as the removal of the signals, they did the same thing on District 1 from Clinton, ME to Hermon, ME. It will most likely will be the removal of the signal heads. Up here they capped the wires when they removed the signals and left the masts. The signal heads are sitting in storage at Waterville in case they need to reinstalled.
newpylong wrote:Scuttlebutt is they're looking to decommission the CTC on the Northern mainline.At one time the signals extended up to Bow but were cut back many years ago to Manchester.
I guess it makes sense given the lack of traffic - the T would need to replace it all anyway for passenger service.
CPF363 wrote:At one time the signals extended up to Bow but were cut back many years ago to Manchester.In ancient times (into the 1960s), the B&M had CTC on the whole Northern line between Concord and Westboro/West Lebanon, NH, and a mix of CTC and ABS south of there. I believe that the line north of Concord went dark not long after the end of passenger service in 1965. ABS between Bow and Concord lasted into the early Guilford era.
And semaphores were in use on at least part of the Northern in the 50's.
TomNelligan wrote: I believe that the line north of Concord went dark not long after the end of passenger service in 1965.1967, going by Dane Malcom photos of a work train coming to take everything away.
Avatar: NHV 669 at the south end of the "Pompy" in White River Jct., VT on 4/29/1993. Photo by Richard Roberg.
https://youtube.com/@NHVT_Productions
https://youtube.com/@NHVT_Productions
NEGS's new owner (VRS parent) is working on running gravel from Tilton down to Lowell Junction to Lynch Construction. I believe the owner of this business posted a few times many years ago with his plans to reinstall sidings into his business.
Any idea where they plan on loading the gravel in Tilton? I assume it's going to be trucked a couple miles from the gravel pits in Belmont to the rail line, but you never know.
Last edited by MEC407 on Mon Oct 12, 2020 6:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: unnecessary quoting
A while back there was a bunch of chatter about this gravel operation at LJ, can't remember what thread it was in, anybody remember.
Was a proposed track plan of the unloading tracks and other info, sounds interesting hopefully it might work out.
Was a proposed track plan of the unloading tracks and other info, sounds interesting hopefully it might work out.