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  • Downeaster Trackwork & Upgrades

  • 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.
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

 #1489454  by swist
 
Any update on the Royal Junction siding project, particularly the end date? Go though there twice a week and while things were going fast in late Summer, seems to be very slow lately. Long lengths of row with only ties in place or neither ties nor rail. Seems to be less manpower & equipment activity than earlier.

Of course I admit that observations from a moving train are hardly conclusive. But can't find a "project status" on any of the obvious websites.
 #1489841  by Dick H
 
PAR did a fine job replacing the Dover Central Avenue Crossing in two days, rather than three.
During the job, the city also planned ahead by installing a 36 inch pipe sleeve for future
replacement of the Central Avenue water main, which supplies much of the City and dates
back to the 1930's or before, When that project is completed, there will be no need to
disturb the crossing. Story with photos from Foster's Daily Democrat.
http://www.fosters.com/news/20181031/ce ... -day-early" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The Dover Chestnut Street crossing also needs replacement. Whether this gets done this
construction season is questionable. The City of Dover has an ordinance prohibiting any
excavation on city streets after November 15th, except in case of emergency. In addition,
most, if not all, of the asphalt plants in this area generally shut down Thanksgiving week
for the winter, unless the late November weather is unusually warm.
 #1490749  by gokeefe
 
A brief drive through Brunswick today yielded sightings of the new power switches and accompanying dwarf and stick signals installed around this time last year to allow access to the East side of the layover facility. Brunswick Station has a new bank tenant (Mechanics Savings Bank). The lack of any "for lease" signage on the Brunswick Station Apartments building leads one to the conclusion that there's "no room at the inn".

Train parking was full. Crossings at Stanwood, Church and Union St., have new granite curbed islands installed which presumably alows for the quiet zone.

The progress over the past 10 years is frankly astonishing.
 #1491631  by doublestack
 
Interesting video by Dan Comick showing an Amtrak "extra" on the Brunswick branch with MBTA mow cars. Not sure if the tanker is propane or diesel fuel. I don't see any markings but it looks like at one time it was used as a ethanol car.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HBNZrearFU" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 #1491728  by RenegadeMonster
 
Yup, it's water. And the tank does MBTX on the side.

I have seen that MOW set on the Eastern A lot. It's spent a lot of time parked near River Works or Sauguas branch when not in use during recent years. At one time it had a MBTX box car as part of the set. Not sure what that was used for.

I thought it was more generically used for washing the tracks verses leaf removal. They also have used it to clean salt from the tracks after the splash over and ice wreaked havoc on the Eastern last winter.
 #1492917  by swist
 
With the new schedule trains 681 and 684 meet right around the PTC, but the maneuvering to get by each other doesn't make sense to me (been on it three times so far). The mainline is double-tracked there with a crossover from track 2 to track 1 just south of the branch into the PTC. NB 681 can go into the PTC via the usual route on the #1 track and branch, and SB 684 can go down the #2 track SB just past the crossover and wait for 681 to come out of the station and reverse NB on the #1 track. After which 684 should take the quick crossover from #2 track to #1 and then into the branch.

Yet, while 684 does get routed onto the #2 track, it goes a LONG way south of the crossover. Yesterday it was more than halfway across the Fore River bridge before reversing. Impossible to arrive/depart the PTC on time with this procedure.

Gotta be some signals issue. Don't know if it's temporary, but if it isn't the schedule needs to be adjusted.
 #1492973  by Trinnau
 
Look for the signal mast on the #2 track. They have to clear it in order for the switch to unlock so the dispatcher can change the route.
 #1493047  by PT1101
 
The tall signal mast at the east end of the Fore River Bridge is the eastbound signal for CPF 197. CPF197 is a control point on track 2 only. For 684 to clear CPF 196 on track 2, there is a dwarf underneath the overpass for the Veterans Memorial Bridge. However, to clear CPF 196 westbound on track 2, with the current train set of a cab car, 5 cars, and an engine, a Downeaster set must take headroom into CPF 197 (which is governed by a 2 light dwarf). As I recall, even a 4 car set would not fit between CPF 196 and CPF 197 on track 2. Why 684 needed to be so far on the Fore River Bridge in order to reverse at CPF 196 is beyond me.
 #1547163  by newpylong
 
What is nearly comical (if it wasn't sad) is that maintence like this on Pan Am owned track is given such attention. On other host railroads Amtrak operates it's a fact of life with little fanfare. Then again seeing the tie condition on the Portland Division these days, one should get excited for more maintenance.
 #1547455  by arthur d.
 
My point exactly. I don't get out much, its usually old news by the time I know about something. I thought a job of this size would be akin to a bunch of kids after they heard the ice cream truck coming.
Last edited by MEC407 on Thu Jul 09, 2020 9:03 am, edited 1 time in total. Reason: unnecessary quoting
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