Lewiston Industrial Track/Lewiston Lower Rd/Branch status

bwparker1 wrote:If you know any of the history of the re-habs, then you would know that this line has actually been rehabbed twice with taxpayer $$$, yet never one revenue car has been turned! Even the most ardent supporters of rail cannot be supportive of such waste! The line was supposed to first serve Grimmel Scrap, and then the OSB plant in the Pejepscot Mills area. both have never shipped anything. I think with the OSB plant, they even moved a switch, yet still nothing!!

Brooks

Looking at the sat images it doesn't look like the spur down into what looks like a large scrap business on Pejepscot Village Main Street is serviceable without rehab itself. Too bad, as it looks like there would be plenty of scrap to haul out of the joint.

The Lewiston Line was rehabed as far as the now closed Fiber Board Mill in Lisbon. I had heard recently that the line to the scrap dealer (Grimmells) was passable by a speeder a couple of years ago but is growing up fast. As many truckloads of crushed cars I have seen heading there, that would be an excellent customer for any small railroad.

Recent research into Question 6, Maine's Transporation Bond issue referendum for this November shows that the state is considering making a further investment in the Lewiston Lower Road.

http://www.bangordailynews.com/external ... 409(2).pdf

Further research also reveals the root causes of much of the difficulty that MDOT and online customers have been experiencing on the line. The state court decision below effectively summarizes the initial issue which was in essence the refusal of GRS/PAR to pickup incremental online business from a local customer on an outlying branch line.

http://www.courts.state.me.us/court_inf ... me126s.htm

The decision was appealed first to the United States District Court in Portland and then to the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit at which point the plaintiff, Grimmel Industries, a scrap yard owner, lost the case because the federal courts recognized that only the Surface Transportation Board could have jurisdiction in the matter.

http://openjurist.org/215/f3d/195/pejep ... ailroad-co

Further research also shows that MDOT is extending their spray program to almost all state owned track in Maine that has even the slightest chance of ever getting reactivated for service.

http://www.maine.gov/mdot/mainedot-news ... 162009.php

An undated set of talking points used by the Governor as available at the website below has background material directly referring to the Lewiston Lower Road, clearly in a recent context.

http://www.mbtaonline.org/docs/talkpoints.pdf

Does anyone know what the proposed projects are?

gokeefe wrote:
Does anyone know what the proposed projects are?

Most will be a waste of money unfortunately. Too little too late. Traffic is gone on most of the State owned lines, that's why they got it.

I can't see them putting more money into the Lewiston Lower road, with no need for it. I know eventually the want a connection with SLR. But they let the cat out of the bag too quick. Guilford would have sold the State the trackage if they would not have said that they were going to build a connector track with SLR. They should wait for a need before they invest.

miketrainnut wrote:They should wait for a need before they invest.

There is substantial debate about exactly this point on the Maine Eastern thread.

http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopi ... 3&start=45

Is the fiberboard plant shut down permanently? And where is Grimmel's... I'm looking on Google Maps and don't see any scrap yard of consequence on the branch... though there looks to be a sizeable gravel pit in Topsham.

Grimmel's Industries
80 Pejepscot Village Main Street
Topsham, ME

Location on Map showing scrap yard:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source= ... 1&t=h&z=18

I believe the Pejepscot Indutrial Siding referred to in some of the court rulings is on the west side of the scrap yard right along the river bank. Some evidence of the state sponsored work is visible on the Lower Road which is about a 1/4 mile to the east of the scrap yard, possibly some kind of culvert work where the new ballasting is.

I can't believe I missed that note about connecting the Lewiston lower road to the SLR. They really were/are thinking forward. I'd love to see the studies on the project if there were some done. That would be a huge project but I could see it getting done. I'm assuming they would reuse the old GT bridge from Auburn into Lewiston? Though I would love to see this link made, I can't see any need for it right now unless far into the future, the Maine Eastern operated passengers trains from Auburn/Lewiston to Brunswick. (There could be some potential for that.) Nothing was mentioned about it in the state's rail plan so they're probably not considering it anymore?

Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

Warren

Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

Yes, but you wouldn't want to hear them.

Cowford wrote:

Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

Yes, but you wouldn't want to hear them.

HAH!

Cowford wrote:

Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

Yes, but you wouldn't want to hear them.

We can all save on words here. Further projects on the Lewiston Lower Road without a future prospect of actual freight customers are Waste.

I agree. More money on a line that hasn't seen a revenue train since that part of the line was reopened.

Warren

Does anyone know what the Lewiston Lower Road portion of new funds from Question 6 are for?

A waste of money if you ask me. But really, they are splitting $1 million between 2 projects. Can't be much in the way of improvements.

gokeefe wrote:Does anyone know what the Lewiston Lower Road portion of new funds from Question 6 are for?

Maybe for rehabbing the track to Grimmels?