New Hampshire Northcoast Railroad (NHN) Discussion

Otto, I don't think the issue at hand had anything to do with the operation of the web site. No problems there.

Back on topic:

So is there any general timeframe to expect NHN to leave the pit? It sounds like they get down towards Rochester and Dover later in the afternoon so presume a late morning or early afternoon departure?

Most departures leaving the pit for the southbound DOBO are around 1330hrs. If they are running a Rochester Shuttle that day, the shuttle most of the time has been departing Ossipee around 1030-1100ish, and then returning in time to pick up the DOBO cars.

Thank you Ian. So the shuttle not only may operate on days with no DOBO traffic, but may also run a round trip turn from Ossipee to TRI City and back prior to departing with the Ossippe-Dover train/DOBO traffic?

oibu wrote:Thank you Ian. So the shuttle not only may operate on days with no DOBO traffic, but may also run a round trip turn from Ossipee to TRI City and back prior to departing with the Ossippe-Dover train/DOBO traffic?

Yup. And last I spoke with them on Sunday, the Rochester Shuttle is sometimes doing as much as 4000-6000 tons a day.

According to the caption in this photo, NHN use to have a customer in Scarborough, ME; when did service to this customer stop?

Very interesting! When I get a chance I will ask Lenny and see what he knows.

b&m 1566 wrote:According to the caption in this photo, NHN use to have a customer in Scarborough, ME; when did service to this customer stop?

Did NHN ever have trackage rights north from Dover? I didn't think they did...
Or was this a Guilford customer (and the power simply was along for the ride)?

Thanks,
Stephen

The customer was called "Cooks Concrete", it was owner by Boston Sand and Gravel. in the late 80's NHN would split the train in Dover and guilford would bring 15 or so cars north with two engines to Cooks, and 2 engines and 15 cars south to boston/everette. If you go there today everything is still intact including the nicely ballasted siding that runs into Cooks. The property is gated up and probably owned by BS&G. Apparently there was too much competition in the portland area to keep it in business. This is located at the south end of Rigby yard at MP199.

Cory

bm1838 wrote:The customer was called "Cooks Concrete", it was owner by Boston Sand and Gravel. in the late 80's NHN would split the train in Dover and guilford would bring 15 or so cars north with two engines to Cooks, and 2 engines and 15 cars south to boston/everette. If you go there today everything is still intact including the nicely ballasted siding that runs into Cooks. The property is gated up and probably owned by BS&G. Apparently there was too much competition in the portland area to keep it in business. This is located at the south end of Rigby yard at MP199.
Cory

Thanks, I never knew about that operation.
- Stephen

The 3823 is reported to have engine problems.
Unknown, whether they will use the 503 for
Boston trains. Recently, they have only been
sending trains to Boston two or three days a week.

Dick

Is the engine going to be OOS for an extended period of time or just a few days? Is one engine not able to handle the 20 to 30 cars they usually pull, on its own?

Its got a cracked head. Better place it OOS than make the problem worse.

b&m 1566 wrote:Is one engine not able to handle the 20 to 30 cars they usually pull, on its own?

Their other GP38-2 could probably pull 20 or 30 loaded cars by itself, but most likely it would be a long, hard, slow pull... and if it broke down, they wouldn't even be able to limp into the nearest siding.

She's fixed, headed to Boston tonight.

I can hear trains on the Wildcat from my house and I was very surprised to hear a gravel train go by this past Friday (they are always earlier in the week).
But now

schwab21 wrote:She's fixed, headed to Boston tonight.

it makes sense! If 3823 had been down for several days they would have gone on a Friday to make up for the backlog of cars.

Thanks for the information,
Stephen