Today (4/25/12) there were several highrail trucks and track equipment working on the Shawmut branch by Western Ave. in Fairfield, ME. I wasn't able to get a good look or stop because I had a class to go to, but from a quick glance it look like they were replacing a bunch of ties. Does anyone know if they will be doing this along the whole branch?
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Pan Am Railways (PAR) Maintenance of Way (MoW) Activity
- 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.
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Today, 8-31-12, looks like major tie replacement has started in the Mattawamkeag area. Piles of ties have been placed along the tracks as far as the Lincoln / Winn line where the tie train was found. Atleast two tie cranes were seen back along the line placing the ties ready for the tie crews. More MOW equip. was seen in the yard at Keag. along with a large pile of new ties. Could not get a good look at the equip. in the yard as it was behind the many gon's that were there. Looked like new ballast had been spread in areas, esp. on some of the high fill areas, mostly along the shoulder to build that area up. Some rail spotted in places either just replaced or ready to be replaced. New tie spacing was close, looks like major upgrade in this area.
They had approximately 40 gons of ties go up through the past 2 weeks full of ties. Most of these were 65 foot mill gons.
As reported elsewhere a ballast regulator and tamper have been in Winthrop for several weeks now and may have been working along a section of the line affected by a derailment about two years ago. To the unprofessional eye ballast in that area had not been tamped at last check.
I'm interested to see if PAR attempts to keep their track crews working into the winter.
To give the reader an idea of how extensive the maintenance activity is on the entire system right now here is a summary of some previously reported items:
1. Conn River Line welded rail drops reported this week. Tie replacement started about two to three weeks ago
2. Welded rail dropped in the vicinity of Gardner, MA, with replacement apparently starting soon
3. Signal work nearing completion on Downeaster extension between Portland and Brunswick. Last crossing rebuild completed last month.
4. Yarmouth Junction rebuild likely underway at present.
Currently reported:
5. Trackwork in and around Winthrop
6. Trackwork in and around Mattawamkeag, ME.
Not only is that a lot of work but several of these locations are far enough apart to require their own separate crews.
I'm interested to see if PAR attempts to keep their track crews working into the winter.
To give the reader an idea of how extensive the maintenance activity is on the entire system right now here is a summary of some previously reported items:
1. Conn River Line welded rail drops reported this week. Tie replacement started about two to three weeks ago
2. Welded rail dropped in the vicinity of Gardner, MA, with replacement apparently starting soon
3. Signal work nearing completion on Downeaster extension between Portland and Brunswick. Last crossing rebuild completed last month.
4. Yarmouth Junction rebuild likely underway at present.
Currently reported:
5. Trackwork in and around Winthrop
6. Trackwork in and around Mattawamkeag, ME.
Not only is that a lot of work but several of these locations are far enough apart to require their own separate crews.
gokeefe
#2 - 26 miles of new rail dropped along PAS in last few weeks, not just Gardner.
newpylong wrote:#2 - 26 miles of new rail dropped along PAS in last few weeks, not just Gardner.Where else?
Formerly of Pittsfield and Waterville (Maine), New York City, Montréal, and San Francisco.
I wonder if NBSR forces will do the Mattawamkeag work for PAR to free up labor for elsewhere?
eastwind wrote:Anywhere they only replaced one rail in 2009.newpylong wrote:#2 - 26 miles of new rail dropped along PAS in last few weeks, not just Gardner.Where else?
The tamper and ballast regulator reported on the Winthrop siding are seen in this photo. Apparently they did some work on the Augusta Lower Road last year in North Augusta.
gokeefe
gokeefe wrote:The tamper and ballast regulator reported on the Winthrop siding are seen in this photo. Apparently they did some work on the Augusta Lower Road last year in North Augusta.The same source as the previous photo reports trackwork being done recently in the vicinity of Vassalboro, ME.
gokeefe
The is major work underway going from Mattawamkeag south. See the link for further information and photos. Far more extensive than anything previously reported.
gokeefe
Noticed two NS gondolas towards the end of EDPO today (through 221 at 1700) loaded with fresh ties. Probably headed up north.
deeptrax wrote:Noticed two NS gondolas towards the end of EDPO today (through 221 at 1700) loaded with fresh ties. Probably headed up north.Not many, if any NS gondolas make their way as far north as Portland. Most of the new ties come into Maine on center beams flats then reloaded into old beat-up MEC gons. at Rigby for points north.
Peter
Even if they get all of those new ties installed, how fast can they go on the 85 and 100 lb rail with a oil train? Is there any effort to replace any of the existing track?
CPF363 wrote:Even if they get all of those new ties installed, how fast can they go on the 85 and 100 lb rail with a oil train? Is there any effort to replace any of the existing track?Not that we are aware of yet. I think it is probably a very safe assumption that plans for such are in place, or being written as we speak.
gokeefe