St. Lawrence & Atlantic Railroad (SLR/SLQ)

[CPF363]

Welded rail being installed between Groveton and Stark.

[S1f3432]

The Firefighters Education and Training Foundation safety train, seen at several locations on Panam thus week,
was at the intermodal yard at Lewiston Jct this morning. When I went by about 0945 there was a pretty good sized
crowd gathered around the rail cars along with at least one fire truck.

[Mikejf]

The new track panel for the Main Street South Paris crossing is all built, and the concrete crossing panels and rubber inserts have also arrived on site.

[NHV 669]

The crossings will be done the weekend of 8/10 - 8/11

[Fritz]

Hello,
Today's SLQ 393 departed Island Pond at 0745 with the following:

GP40-2 3008
GP40-2 3047
GP40-3 3803
RM-1 805
9 centerbeam flats
1 boxcar
7 hi-cube boxcars
4 covered hoppers
1 high-sided gondola
29 tank cars
14 propane cars

That's 65 cars total, including 7 loads and 58 empties. Lots of empty tank cars! Apparently they did not run last Friday night.

A couple of photos:

http://fritz.rrpicturearchives.net/show ... id=5180875

http://fritz.rrpicturearchives.net/show ... id=5180876

Best,
Fritz

[gokeefe]

29 tanks cars of what? Paper chemicals? Surprising numbers there ... Thanks as always for the posts. Really great to have an idea what's going on at SLR.

[Mikejf]

A couple of nice shots. Thanks Fritz

[Fritz]

Hello,
Today's SLQ westbound 393 departed Island Pond at 0742 with the following:

QG SD40U 6904
GP40-2 3007
2 centerbeam flats
2 hi-sided gondolas
1 hi-cube boxcar
1 covered hopper
2 propane cars
7 tank cars

That's only 15 cars total! including 1 load and 14 empties.

Empty tank cars today were all paper industry related I think (styrene, hydrogen peroxide, sulfuric acid), but the large group yesterday were more than half vegetable oils.

Thanks, Mike!
Best,
Fritz

[Fritz]

Hello,
Today's SLQ westbound 393 departed Island Pond in rain at 0800 with the following:

GP40-2 3035
QG GP40-2W 3014
RM-1 805
GP40-3 3804
12 centerbeam flats
11 covered hoppers
2 hi-cube boxcars
1 boxcar
10 tank cars
16 propane cars

That's 52 cars total, including 3 loads and 49 empties, after the three-day weekend.
Have a great day,
Fritz

[NHV 669]

394 had 54 cars entering VT.

No 390's tonight, despite not running on Labor Day.

[Fritz]

Hello,
Today's SLQ westbound 393 departed Island Pond at 0745 with the following:

GP40-2 3047
QG SD40U 6904
GP40-2 3007
7 centerbeam flats
1 bulkhead flat
15 hi-cube boxcars
4 boxcars
11 propane cars
13 tank cars
20 covered hoppers

That's 71 cars total, including 4 loads and 67 empties. A single covered hopper was left behind on one of the yard tracks. There were also 17 loads of lumber waiting to be unloaded at RCP.

The light was such that I noticed that the 3007 used to have a "9" where the number "7" now is ... was 3007 originally numbered 3009?

Meanwhile, ECI was back in Island Pond installing new control cabinets at the crossings that were redone last summer.
Have a great day,
Fritz

[gokeefe]

Great to hear of continued capital improvements.

[NHV 669]

Fritz, the unit was previously PC/CR/B&P 3100, the only other number it has worn.

[Fritz]

Hello,
After blocking their train in Island Pond (rather than in Richmond, where track work is ongoing), the SLQ westbound 393 departed at 0922 with the following:

GP40-2 3008
QG GP40 3105
11 centerbeam flats
3 bulkhead flats
5 covered hoppers
9 propane cars
15 tank cars
3 boxcars
3 hi-cube boxcars

That's 49 cars total, including 9 loads and 40 empties.

Work continues on the road crossings in Island Pond.
Have a great day,
Fritz

[NHV 669]

SLR will be dropping ballast between Berlin and Gilead later this afternoon with the 3035.