"Up North" Gawking (District 1 sightings)

[roberttosh]

Are they expected to be a large rail user? Sometimes these niche products don’t necessarily lend themselves to rail.

[gokeefe]

Their plants elsewhere appear to have similar demand for rail as other saw/board mills.

[CN9634]

It's all going by truck-- no rail potential. That isn't to say there will never be any, but I know who these guys are and no plan to ship by rail. They like having access to old mill infrastructure however

[roberttosh]

Speaking of new customers, how much rail business is ND Paper doing up in Old Town?

[newpylong]

Long term likely will depend on how much the technology is accepted here in the US. As I understand it, it's still bigger in Europe and people are just getting into it here. If things progress, then they may have a need for more inbound lumber volume, and outbound timber loads. I would agree, for a burgeoning business, hard to see rail to start.

[gokeefe]

Whatever is going through Winthrop tonight must have a K5LA on it ... It sounded so much like the Downeaster that I actually thought it was the real thing and started wondering for a moment which train it was. Then of course I recalled that this was impossible ...

[Rockingham Racer]

Some CSX engines have K5LA horns. Do they ever get up that far north?

[MEC407]

Yes, they have to go through Winthrop to get to Waterville. (By "CSX engines" I assume you mean the ex-CSX engines now owned by PAR)

[Rockingham Racer]

No, actually I meant CSX engines that CSX owns, but the ones you mention certainly could be candidates for a K5LA, I imagine.

[MEC407]

Absolutely. Several of PAR's ex-CSX C40s and B40s have K5LA horns. That's almost certainly what gokeefe heard.

[690]

Several of the GP40s have acquired K5LAs too, 321, 327, 345 and 353 off the top of my head.

[roberttosh]

Is Pan Am running between Old town and Keag these days? I thought I heard something about the line being shut down while they make 286K upgrades?

[KSmitty]

It's mothballed and afaik none of the work that was reportedly to be done had been done.

[gokeefe]

Wow. Interesting how quickly things have been shifting around ...

[KSmitty]

For the record, they aren't even running the occasional extra up to Perma Treat this time. They have GMTX 205 sub-leased from EMRY and taxi a crew (NM-1?) up to switch. They send everything up CMQ and Irving drops the spent tie cars and chocolate chip gons at Keag.

They did run down and back up once I believe as 205 made an appearance at NMJ. Might have had to do with CM&Q not accepting some of the beat to hell ex-D&H 2 bay MofW hoppers. Or maybe they needed to 92 day the 205, not sure if it went to Waterville or not...

All may be a moot point: if CM&Q is sold and Irving is the buyer it's hard to believe daily trains will ever run to 'Keag by way of Old Town again.