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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.
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

 #1505098  by johnpbarlow
 
Bumping this thread for a minor news flash: https://www.atholdailynews.com/AN-A1-TH ... o-24594757

Excerpt:
During the meeting, Pan Am officials noted that they are in the midst of removing thousands of old rail ties cast aside along the tracks. This is a necessary fire precaution measure.
Good to see Pan AM officials exchanging pleasantries face to face with state reps and community select persons, stating intentions to remove fire hazard materials as well as move idling crew-less trains away from populated locales.
 #1505099  by newpylong
 
I'm sure Iron Horse is salivating at the prospects of 88 miles of new 40 MPH track, w/rebuilt sidings and CTC on someone elses dime. What's not to like...

Unfortunately the study will show it is a pipe dream. After hundreds of visits to my old hometown over the years I can say with certainly that the majority of visitors to the Northern Berkshires are from the south and west, not Eastern MA. I also see little to no commuter potential for that distance. Perhaps Boston to Greenfield might have more success, but likely just as limited.
 #1505358  by Safetee
 
I believe that Greenfield passenger rail has much better ridership potential to Boston than it does from Greenfield to Springfield or Saint Albans. I also know that the Green Mountain state has been pushing for some sort of passenger service to and from Boston for along time. Bellows Falls to Greenfield to Boston might not seem to be as quick as the old service through Keene etc. But 5% of something is always better than 100% of nothing. And Greenfield to Boston represents that 5%.
 #1512420  by Tom M
 
While the 3rd & Chestnut streets crossing in Dover has been rebuilt this week MOW people seemed to be taking advantage of the lack of trains to do additional work in the areas of CPF 242-243 and 256-258. I just looked quickly from Central Avenue this afternoon, and it appears that the two-masted eastbound signal at CPF 243 is now one-masted.
 #1512440  by 690
 
That's not a new change, the eastbound home signal for 243 has been a single mast for a long time. If you're referring to the heads on the signals, one of them was probably just hidden behind the greenery, those signals are fun like that.
 #1512464  by johnpbarlow
 
Speaking of Pan Am MoW activities, the east wye at Ayer got a 100% makeover with all new ties, rail, and stone.
PAS East Wye rehab Ayer 062819 small.jpg
PAS East Wye rehab Ayer 062819 small.jpg (273.94 KiB) Viewed 2324 times
And it looks like a spreader has cleaned up W Main St siding near CPF-AY - perhaps it will get much needed stone and tie work next?
PAS W Main St track work Ayer 062819 2 small.jpg
PAS W Main St track work Ayer 062819 2 small.jpg (341.86 KiB) Viewed 2322 times
 #1512465  by Tom M
 
Ahh... could be the greenery. I'd noticed that the top head was getting difficult to see a couple of weeks ago. It could be that the trees have really taken over now. From Central Avenue I couldn't see any color at all in the top head yesterday.
 #1512493  by 690
 
Both heads are necessary for the interlocking anyway, where both mains are signaled. The top head conveys information for Trk 1 (Clear, Advance Approach, Approach), while the second head conveys your information for Trk 2 (Medium Clear and Medium Approach since 243 is a medium speed interlocking), and then you can get a Restricting to go into the yard tracks off Trk 2.

Unfortunately, while District 2 got a pretty good haircut over the spring, 243 wasn't one of the areas that affected by it, and it's pretty hard to see what the signals are until you're right on top of them.
 #1512544  by MEC407
 
The company doesn't consider that an important enough safety issue to cut back the foliage?
 #1512564  by 690
 
I mean, the distant signal at MP245 and the signals at CPF244 essentially already tell you what you need to know. It’d be nice to be able to see the signals better, but fortunately the way the signal system works you generally aren’t coming up to an unknown signal.
 #1512731  by 690
 
So some more details for the District 1 upgrades:

New interlockings at the following:

CPF150 (Leeds Junction)
CPF155 (holding signal)
CPF166 (holding signal (replacing Poland signals if I had to guess))
CPF167 (Danville East)
CPF172 (Blake)
CPF174 (Penney)

CPF111, CPF112, and CPF113 are supposed to get a makeover as well. Unfortunately it appears that Cressey and Roy at Leeds Junction will remain as hand throws.

In addition to those new signals/interlockings, new automatic signals will be installed at the following:

114.4/114.3 (new distant for CPF119, or just a wb block?/eb distant for CPF113)
147.6 (distant for CPF150)
151.8/151.7 (wb distant for CPF155/eb distant for CPF150)
157.4/157.5 (wb block/eb distant for CPF155)
159.4/159.3 (wb block/eb block at Den)
160.4/160.3 (wb block/eb block at Libby)
163.2/163.1 (wb block/eb block replacing current block at 163)
164.8/164.7 (wb distant for CPF166/eb block at Hacketts)
170.6/170.7 (already a distant signal here CPF168 eb, adding a new wb distant for CPF172?)
176.8/176.7 (eb distant for CPF174, wb block, also right next to the Gray detector)
180.0/180.1 (current wb distant for CPF183, adding a eb block signal?)

Rail replacement:
113-114
115.3-115.9
116.5-117
118.5-119
126-127
127.1-128.1
130.2-143
146.6-162.3
163.9-164
164-164.2 (north rail)
165-166.8
167.7-168
168.35-168.5
168.5-169 (low rail)
169-169.3
169.8-170.2
171-171.6
172.1-175

And finally, the siding at New Gloucester is supposed to be extended by 4800', making it 11,700'. The current #10 switches at Blake and Penney are to be replaced with #15 switches, and the entire siding is supposed to be relaid with relay rail taken from the mainline (guessing the siding will become a medium speed siding after). All other mainline switches between CPF113 and CPF183 are supposed to reworked/replaced as well, with the only switch being removed is the east switch for Tk 8 at Winthrop.
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