AAPRCO "Pine Tree Limited"

What route will it take through New England?

From the article (emphasis added):

Black said Portland was chosen for the convention this fall because the train will pass through scenic countryside on freight lines that haven’t carried passenger trains for years, particularly the stretch between Chicago and Syracuse, New York.

Never mind... I found my answers at the convention web page. Note that the map in the paper (unsurprisingly) isn't quite right:

Our current operating plan has the special train departing Chicago on Thursday morning September 18 and heading east to Cleveland on Norfolk Southern's former Nickle Plate Road. On Friday, September 19, we will travel east on Norfolk Southern (the former Nickle Plate Road) for the run to the Buffalo NY area. Next, we will travel southeast on Norfolk Southern's southern tier route (former Erie Railroad) to Binghamton NY. On Saturday, September 20, we will head north on the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway to Syracuse NY, where we will head east on CSX (former New York Central "Water Level Route") to Rotterdam Junction NY, where we will interchange to Pan Am Railways (former Boston & Maine Railroad), traveling east through the Hoosac Tunnel to East Deerfield MA. On Sunday, September 21 the final segment of our eastbound journey is on Pan Am Railways to Portland ME.

PAR1+PAR2 will have quite the test with 30 cars! (Assuming the FP9s have the job that is). NKP675, would be more fun though...but I doubt we'll see that any time soon.

Power will be whats avaible at Chicago,maybe 1 of the Heritage units with a little luck.

I'm surprised I haven't seen more on this to be honest. Anyway, so I figured I'd start this thread on the 2014 AAPRCO convention train (aka the pine tree limited). This is for updates, sightings (when the train is moving), itinerary, or anything else related to the Pine Tree Limited or the convention. The Pine Tree Limited will have 3 Amtrak engines & 30 private cars. The Pine Tree Limited will be running from Chicago, IL- Portland, ME- Springfield, MA. This is the scheduled routing as of today 7/20/14:

September 18th Thursday- Depart Chicago, IL Union Station 0915hrs. Run east on the ex Nickel Plate Road now Norfolk Southern Mainline to Cleveland, OH where it will put up for the night(I currently don't know where in Cleveland it will put up)

September 19th Friday- Depart Cleveland, OH in the morning, travel east on the Norfolk Southern mainline to Buffalo, NY where it will get switched onto the Norfolk Southern Railway "Southern Tier" route to Binghamton, NY where it will put up for the night.

September 20th Saturday: Depart Binghamton NY in the morning, travel north on the New York Susquehanna & Western Railway to Syracuse, NY. Once at Syracuse, NY, the train will cross over onto the CSXT Chicago Line, and run east from Syracuse, NY to Rotterdam Junction, NY. The train will then head east on the Rotterdam Branch to the mainline at Mechanicville then east to East Deerfield, MA where it will put up in the yard for the night.

September 21st Sunday: Depart East Deerfield in the morning (I'm hearing 7am but I'm not positive) then travel east on the mainline to Ayer, MA where it will go up the Stony Brook Main line to North Chelmsford, MA. Then it will continue on the Tewksbury Branch to Lowell Junction in Andover, MA where it will head north to Portland, ME following the route of the Amtrak Downeaster service. The train is expected to arrive around 3:30pm and will put up in Yard 8 on W.Commercial St in Portland. The convention will start upon the train's arrival into Portland.

September 22nd Monday- September 24th Wednesday: The train will be parked at Yard 8 W. Commercial St in Portland while the convention is going on.

September 25th Thursday: Depart Portland, ME in the morning (I'm hearing 7am on this too but still not positive). Follow the route of the Downeaster to Andover, MA Lowell Junction. Proceed west on the Tewksbury Line to Lowell. Head west on the Stony Brook Main to Ayer, MA, then the train will take a turn onto the east wye at Ayer and snake through Hill Yard and head west on the Worcester Main to Worcester MA where they will probably get a new crew or at least a pilot. From there the train will head west on the CSX Boston & Albany line to Springfield, MA where they will put up for the night. I'm hearing the train is expected to follow Amtrak P449-25 out of Worcester, MA.

On a side note the convention is for AAPRCO members only & there will be no public tours of the private cars at Yard 8.

On the AAPRCO site, it looks like the train will now go to Boston?

http://www.aaprco.com/Travel_Opportunit ... ml#third14

Does anyone know of the times of when they will arrive at Beacon Park yard and what time they will depart going west?

I'm not sure on the times but i'll be onboard and will post when we depart Portland

Thanks for the info so far, Sprinter611. I am also very surprised there isn't more detailed info on here. I'd really like to know just when the train will be where. I hope this isn't yet another example of railfans in-the-know keeping info to themselves........... Maybe I am missing another thread somewhere?

What do you want to know?

Appropriately, its going to have B&M 6-6-4 sleeper "Salisbury Beach" in consist.

I heard on Sunday the 21st the train will depart East Deerfield at 7am, then arrive Portland at 3pm. Then I heard on the 25th that it will follow Amtrak 682 out of Portland to Boston, then will run down to Beacon Park using the Grand Junction arriving around noon, the train will split there and then one half will go to South Station which will leave at 12:30pm then the other half will go west on the B&A to Chicago departing Beacon Park at 1pm following 449