Newport, RI RDC Transit Service to Begin 2007

Newport, RI RDC Transit Service to Begin 2007

There had been informal talk for several years about what to do with the Newport Secondary Rail Line, it is currently used by the Newport Dinner Train and a scenic train. The informal plan is to eventually to have MBTA commuter rail service from Newport to Boston (this will likely pick up steam once the T gets extended to Fall River). However this new proposal just came up by the operator of the Dinner Train to operate a new Aquidneck Island rail shuttle using either RDCs or Diesel LRVs. They are quite anxious to get this running and plan to start construction later this year.

Article:
Newport Daily News: Rail line wants to add shuttle

Islander Shuttle:
Service between Newport & Melville (Portsmouth), 7.25 miles to the north.
Owned and operated by Newport Dinner Train
Construction would begin in October with service beginning in late 2007.
Privately-funded except for $300,000 in grants to help replace ties and add sidings.
It would take about 25 minutes between Newport and Melville and operate on a schedule with 2 hour headways.

Great start, but extending it further north thru Portsmouth to the Sakonnet River Bridge would allow easy access for cars coming over the Sakonnet River and Mount Hope Bridges. My recollection is that there is room for parking near both bridges.

Someone please remind me- is the trackage in Newport completely isolated?

-otto-

The only connection to the mainland is via a bridge over the Sakonnet River towards Fall River. I'm not sure what the status of that bridge is.

The Newport lines are isolated and have been for a few decades. The Sakonnet drawbridge was damaged and considered a hazard by the Coast Guard. The state is looking to remove it.

Dave

I see... how does the equipment for the Newport Dinner Train get in? Do they have an RDC on site already, or are they planning to bring one in?

Is this track former NH?

-otto-

GP40MC1118 wrote:The Newport lines are isolated and have been for a few decades. The Sakonnet drawbridge was damaged and considered a hazard by the Coast Guard. The state is looking to remove it.

My guess, knowing RIDOT's history of removing bridges, is that the bridge will be there for a while. Look at the Jamestown Bridge. That was replaced several years ago and the original still stands.

-JH

Otto:

All of the equipment on the island was either barged or trucked in. The 44T GE the Newport Dinner Train outfit got from CT came via flatbed. In fact, the 65T GE 1943 was trucked out when they sold it the White's Trading Post group in New Hampshire.

There are no RDC's on the island at present. What you have the the OC&N outfit and the Newport Dinner Train and a privately owned 50T Porter centercab and caboose.

Shady Jay:

As far as removing the Sakonnet River drawbridge in Tiverton, it will likely happen since the replacement bridge for the present RT24 crossing is on tap. Funny thing, about two years ago the state offered the old Jamestown Bridge, the Sakonnet RR bridge and the Seekonk River RR drawbridge (E.Providence) for sale to movie companies that might have a bridge destruction scene in their scripts!!!! A novel way to get rid of a bridge, huh?

Dave

I wonder how many RDCs are left in running condition. They have not been made in how long? And people want to run them in a commuter situation! Interesting...

JD

Where did the $300,000 grant come from?
Maybe a fleecing of America or a fleecing of the state.
This is going to be a daily? commuter service using one Budd car, what
happens when that one Budd car breaks down or is down for regular
maintenance or inspection or whatever.
Putting money into something like this is a waste if it can't connect to
some major place. One won't even be able to get from Newport to Fall
River on this thing unless either the bridge is repairecd or replaced.
I doubt if this scheme would even take in enough to pay for the crew
costs or the fuel costs alone.
If government money is going for this, it would be better spent fixing up
the railroad and replacing the bridge with a high level bridge that a
passenger train could negiotate, then if and when the T finally makes it to
Fall River, Rhode Island could kick in a little bit more to run the thing all
the way to Newport.
Sounds like a half ass scheme to me.
Noel Weaver

Provided that Commuter rail ever comes to New Bedford/Fall River, there are numerous problems between Fall River and Tiverton. There's two in Tiverton to start with - a low bridge over a local road was "removed" by the town about 4-5 years ago and a house was allowed to be built at the
same location right close to the mainline. I think the yard actually encroaches on to the right of way.

As far as RDC's go, you'd be surprised how many are still out there. Besides Colorado Railcar's DMU, there a firm in Moncton, NB, Canada
selling rebuilt RDC's.

Dave

This is a far fetched idea that the Newport Dinner Train is proposing. They really want to destroy or move the present station, that is owned by the Old Colony & Newport that has operated on the line for 25 years.

If you drive down to Newport and have an option of parking 7 miles away in Portsmouth RI or continuing on another 10 minutes at tops what would you do? The track is 15MPH with numerous slow orders with a big security delay as this line passes through the Newport Navy Base. Gates have to be opened and closed twice per move.

All the equipment was not brought in by Truck or Barge, the two 45 Ton engines and I believe the B&M coach and the parlor car were on site before the bridge was disabled. What are they going to buy? A new diesel self propelled car at over a million or a 50 year old RDC that is undependable.?

The present station is located in the "Point Section" which is a historic area of Downtown Newport with houses in some cases 300 years old. The Historic Commission will slow them down with their restrictions on a new station.