Destruction of ex MEC Calais Branch now underway

Driving through Machaias yesterday I noticed that the track has been taken up through town in preparation for the rail trail

Why is it that new rail construction projects take so long, but whenever anyone wants to tear up a track it happens immediately?

According to the Downeast Coastal Press, one of the local papers here, there are petitions to get the demolition stopped, based on the fact that the state has ignored ecological issues, violated property rights, and not taken simple steps such as protecting dust and pollutants from entering watyer systems. The state takes the point of view that this is not a construction project but a "rail rehabilitation project" (!).( I guess the state must destroy the RR in order to save it). The article goes on further to note that the track removal is being done b y executive order contrary to a statewide referendum that called for the track to be preserved for possible future RR use. The state claims it is converting it to a trail as an "interim" use until RR service returns. Whether in fact that is practical once the infrastructure has been removed is not addressed.

The group opposing the demolition is taking their case to the Maine congressional delegation hoping to get a moratorium on the track removal and an investigation into how the demolition is being done.

One can only hope they are successful. Whether or not it would be practical right now to reestablish rail service, one does not know what the future will bring in terms of higher fuel prices. Plus Washington County ME could definitely use a shot in the arm economically and rail service might facilitate that.

Jon

Does anyone have an update on how far along this project is now? Has it been stopped/halted temporarly, and, if so, for reasons other than winter weather?

I was there less than a month ago and they were on the West side of Columbia. They started at Ayer Junction. Pulling everything but the crossing tracks. I did notice in Cherryfield, the crossing over route 182 did have the joint bars removed.
I posted some pictures on NERAIL. Here is a link.
http://photos.nerail.org/show/?order=by ... %20Central
Mike

Mike,

Thanks for the response. Very informative and lots of great photography. In some ways it's kind of ironic (pardon the rail pun), they can find plenty of money for a labor and material intensive removal but they can't find any money to do basic maintenance like they do for the Mountain Division.

However in another way it's kind of good. As you say in your captions it's mostly 85 lb. rail that's being removed. If the line is ever rebuilt it will most certainly be built to a better specification than that. Had the line been reactivated there would have been no chance that a rail replacement program would have been undertaken as it would have been judged unnecessary.

Sometimes you have to reach rock bottom before you can come back!

Does anyone know who the contractor is removing the line? What are happening to any of the salvagable ties?

The photos miketrainnut took show the ties being stacked and supposedly set aside for some type of pickup. He might have even had the name of the contractor in the captions of one of his photos.

It seems the rail 2 trails folks have their panties in a knot over a small oversite on their part. It seems that being a a so called "Rail Rehab" is not working in there favor as much as they had hoped. Plans submitted for trail bridges and culverts have been rejected by some state department (MDOT Frieght office?) and the same office is demanding that ROW repairs be able to support future rail operations. Has anyone heard more on this? Baldachi has been ramming this through dispite the legislature not funding this project. It seems the the state "found" $900,000 after the funding was voted down two years ago. The money was supposedly found in an account targeted for the Calis Branch but bever used. This money was found 10 days after the state reps went on their summer holiday. I would think that the Down East railroad would have liked some of this money but the gov is a local boy (Bangor) and I wouldn't be surprised to find out that the "fix" is in. I'd also would like to know where the money from the scrap steel has gone? With scrap prices in the toilet again, I'd be surprised to see them pulling rail at all next year. I'd expect the trail group to fail without millions in state aid and now with the rail removed the unfinished sections will wash away with no one and no money to take care of it. Goverment failure on a grand scale.

From what I saw, viewed entirely from public roads, they were repairing as they went. I don't think it is the standard of repair the state would require to run trains over but they are getting the dumptrucks in there for some reason. The only rail I saw that was removed and still on site was at the former Columbia Station site. I am sure they got all they could while the price was high. As for the rail trail people, this is a very long trail. A lot of loose gravel on the surface. Going to be very hard to maintain. Especially if you get some 4-wheelers on there and start destroying the roadbed. I know not all are like that, but it is like snowmobilers. You fix up a nice trail and get it all groomed and the first thing someone does is spin it all up and make bumps for the next guy. That's all it would take with a 4-wheeler. Get some idiot out there doing doughnuts or what have you and the next thing you know, there is a dip. then the water erodes it. ETC. So I can see that trail becoming a money pit to maintain. So there will be another bunch of roads in Maine that won't be fixed so we can support that. They should have left the rails and just brought in a Ballast regulator to smooth some dirt between the rails. But what can we do about it. Nothing. A certain party is wasting money again.

I know it's hard to think of it this way, and I have to convince myself of it when I see the carnage, but any work that the trail advocates spend money on helps toward rail reestablishments down the road. Granted it will likely never happen, but Sunrise Trail Coalition is somewhat cleaning the slate for rail use. Anyone who has been able to walk the ROW recently knows the physical plant is atrocious. Perhaps 1 in 20 ties are salvagable. There are some with spikes from the 1930s in them! A lot of rail actually has better head conditions than Guilford's mainline, but a majority of the Calais main was 85lb jointed rail with ancient tie plates only spiked one on each side of the rail it's holding. A select few corners east of Washington Junction had been relaid with 105lb rail on newer, heavier-duty plates with four spikes(2 in and 2 out). Moss and small trees grow between the ties in many locations around Sullivan and Schoodic Mountain. You can basically watch the ties rot in place. Most roadbed is of dirt or gravel content and NOT true ballast. This has contributed to many washouts, especially east of Cherryfield. Many crossing signals aren't up to modern code either. Not to mention some of the switch posts are beat up after years of vandalism and no trains. So, let those fine trail advocates do all the work they want on the ROW to get it useable. It sounds crappy to hear about rail getting pulled, but what's here now wouldn't really be of much use to modern trains. The steel from salvaged rail isn't going to net anyone what they thought it would last year, and I'll personally love hearing some certain interests crying about it once it's revealed.

I'd also kind of like to see what happened in CT about ten years ago happen to the Calais line. Promise all sort of uses for multi-use privileges like ATV and snow mobile use. Then have some idiots f--- it up and have the route closed within a year to motorized vehicles. After that, all it would be good for is hikers and peddle bikers. Big economy boost that would would bring, especially to those in Washington County! Being pro-rail would look pretty damn good then. For what it's worth, many residents out that way WANTED the rails to stay or at least be rehabbed. Then again, it doesn't seem like anybody in Maine government cares much about anyone outside the Augusta-to-Portland part of the state. That's just me, though......

Mike...I saw those pics of your's a couple weeks ago. Nice! Too bad the rails are being ripped up instead of laid down I went to Machias a couple weekends back and saw the huge tie piles down near Tibbettstown in Columbia Falls. I take it that's where your former station site is? I'm gonna try getting into Cherryfield proper this coming weekend to see if anyone stripped the crossings at Cherryfield Foods and the Wyman blueberry plant. Cable Pool, just west of there, used to be a cool place to hike the rails. Always liked that creepy old warren trestle over the Narraguagus River.

It really is hard to imagine any possible freight or excursion use of rails that are sitting in dirt. Given the descriptions we have here on the site I think we would have to conclude that the ROW would not even meet Class I standards and would have to be considered Excepted track, which then means no passenger operations of any kind whatsoever.

To put things in perspective the two most sucessful ROW reactivations in this part of the country involved corridors that had seen significant investment by the railroads or the state government. The Mountain Division is the first example, rebuilt in 1979 by MEC, and the Rockland Branch is the second example, rebuilt in 1994, by Maine DOT.

Looking back at some photographs on NE Rail, the Mountain Division was almost completely reballasted and had substantial tie replacement conducted along with the necessary finishing work like tamping etc. The Rockland Brach had the jointed rail pulled up, which was replaced with Continuous Welded Rail (CWR), new ballast, thousands of ties replaced, and still thousands more being done now, signals rehabilitated, new stations, etc. The list really goes on.

Knowing now what I've seen in the photos, the worst possible thing would be for the Calais Branch, especially in Washinton County, to operate as is. The money spent on operations would just soak up funds that would be better spent on rehabilitation. Sadly, Washington County is exactly the location that really needs help but in the current economic situation and is the least likely to see it, at least through rail service restoration.

On a brighter note, the Rockland Branch in many ways was probably the least likely candidate for such a successful restoration. Although it does pass through populous and somewhat economically prosperous areas, a thorough reading of some of the new clippings from the period, before the governor so famously requested charter service to the Rockland Lobster Festival, clearly indicate that many people thought this rail line was a hopeless and utterly defunct property. The governor knew better. Many, many, others may not have believed but he did.

As long as the Downeast Scenic Railroad operation continues in Ellsworth, pressure will be maintained to eventually restore service further to the East. It would be highly advisable for those of you who live out in that area to do everything possible to help that organization grow. Unlike Conway Scenic, which has access to more rail than it knows what to do with, there can never be too much 'coastal' scenery and small villages and towns for people to visit. What is CSRR's weakness, the remote and totally unpopulated nature of the Mountain Division is in contrast DSRR's strength, although their line is remote there are villages and towns with sufficient population to generate tourist interest in day trips in that direction. Calais may be remote but it is no backwoods rail junction like Hazens, Redstone, or Quebec Junction.

Never give up Hope. Things have been a lot worse in a lot of other places and still the trains returned. Hard work and commitment from people like me and you can help make sure that happens.

gokeefe wrote:To put things in perspective the two most sucessful ROW reactivations in this part of the country involved corridors that had seen significant investment by the railroads or the state government. The Mountain Division is the first example, rebuilt in 1979 by MEC, and the Rockland Branch is the second example, rebuilt in 1994, by Maine DOT.

I would suggest that the B&M mainline from Plaistow to Portland should be at the top of that list, having undergone $60 million worth of upgrades in 2000-2001 in order to make passenger service possible (and also having the side effect of improving freight service). "Successful" means different things to different people, but I believe that particular project has had far more return on investment than the other two.

Also, when you say the Rockland Branch was rebuilt in 1994, did you perhaps mean 2004? The state did do routine maintenance work on the line during the '90s when it was being operated by Maine Coast, but the work you mentioned -- CWR, ties, signals, etc. -- didn't happen until 2004-ish.

Calaisbranch, the station site I refered to was the Columbia Station site, not Columbia Falls. In downtown Columbia, head North (I think) from route 1 on Station Road. It is not labeled but is across from a road that Goes to Addison. I think there was a gas station of some kind on the south west corner of this intersection. Some of the newer "Maine Atlas and Gazetteer" list the Station Road, and some do not.
Columbia Falls station area did have a pile of ties in that area. Some looked to rotten for even ants to make homes in. More tie piles were at Machias and the former Machiasport station areas, with a pile of neatly bundled ties at East Machias.
Mike

miketrainnut wrote:Calaisbranch, the station site I refered to was the Columbia Station site, not Columbia Falls. In downtown Columbia, head North (I think) from route 1 on Station Road. It is not labeled but is across from a road that Goes to Addison. I think there was a gas station of some kind on the south west corner of this intersection. Some of the newer "Maine Atlas and Gazetteer" list the Station Road, and some do not.
Columbia Falls station area did have a pile of ties in that area. Some looked to rotten for even ants to make homes in. More tie piles were at Machias and the former Machiasport station areas, with a pile of neatly bundled ties at East Machias.
Mike

Mike....I see right where you mean now. The 2007 Gazetteer has it marked. I know they haven't reached Harrington yet. Last time down the 1 straightaway near Wings Siding, a newer, pretty decent washout had happened.

To put things in perspective the two most sucessful ROW reactivations in this part of the country involved corridors that had seen significant investment by the railroads or the state government. The Mountain Division is the first example, rebuilt in 1979 by MEC, and the Rockland Branch is the second example, rebuilt in 1994, by Maine DOT.

Not sure why you include the Mountain Sub. It was not "reactivated" in 1979, but rather received a moderate rehab within NH, using state dollars I believe. And it's hard to call that a success, considering that it ceased operations five years later. To 407's point, success means different things to different people. The Rockland branch was rebuilt at a taxpayer cost exceeding $20 million. Not sure if a seasonal tourist train operation merits such accolades.

How wide is the Calais branch ROW? The only parts of it I've ever seen are where it crosses highway from Bangor to Mt. Desert Island, and that one spot where it comes very close to the highway but does not cross (used to be just across teh road from a gas station or some such). I learned what exempt meant along that highway when I was a kid and there were a lot fewer buildings there.

But the point: is the ROW wide enough for a trail and a rail line? Lots of ROW's are wide enough for two or three tracks even if only one was ever built, although I guess the cuts, embankments, and bridges might be choke points. I can think of one very successful tourist line, the Cuyahoga Valley north of Akron, that is parallel to a biking/hiking trail (the towpath of an old canal, I think), and uses that in its marketing: people ride the train one way and walk back. The train takes bikes, so some of them ride the train out, unload, and ride back. There are several stops and people can get back on where they want. Is there a chance of that happening someday on the Calais branch (especially if one could ride the train uphill/inland and ride the bike back downhill)? Or maybe a kind of bridge-traffic operation, where people take their bikes on the train to then end of the line, have a half-day ride on the trail, and then take the train back to the station and their car or their motel? Then the trail could actually help keep the train in business.