I would have to say the that global economy is much more responsible for the Mill Closings in Maine and NH than any Nimby attitude, although they certainly don't help. Don't get me wrong, I hate Nimby's just as much as the next person, or BANANA's Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anyone.
This article relly gets me riled up. When Bud mentions the Beautiful people of Maine, these are the ones he is referring to. Give me a Break, you moved in near the Rail Yard that was already there!!! Freakin NIMBYS
Sound of rail cars has West End ears ringing
PORTLAND – Guilford Rail executives last week said they will look into ways to appease Danforth Street residents who have been disturbed in the middle of the night by loud freight trains.
But Guilford Vice President David Fink Jr. said changing the time a locomotive arrives at Sprague Energy’s Merrill Marine Terminal will be tough, because movement on the rail lines in Maine is affected by what happens at terminals throughout New England.
For example, a delay in Massachusetts can push delivery time to Sprague back because the same locomotive is used up and down the line. Maine’s cargo trains also have to work around the Amtrak Downeaster schedule, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
Work schedules also dictate when locomotives run, Fink said. The person responsible for the Merrill Marine run starts his shift at 5 p.m. at Rigby yard in South Portland. Depending on how many cars he has, he could arrive at Sprague as early as 10 p.m. or as late as 1 a.m.
Fink attended a City Council Community Development Committee meeting March 8, along with representatives of Sprague Energy. The meeting was called as a result of several complaints from residents in the 300 and 400 blocks of Danforth Street, who say that since fall they have been woken regularly between the hours of 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. by the screeching and clanking of trains on West Commercial Street.
“The coupling sounds like it is happening right under our condos,” said Mary Elizabeth Duggan, of 420 Danforth St. “It’s like nails down a blackboard.”
Guilford switches 25 to 100 cars nightly at Merrill Marine Terminal. The hooking and unhooking of cars in a long line requires an engine to drive back and forth along the rails on West Commercial Street. The sound of metal hitting metal and the screeching of wheels as the train rounds curves is the source of irritation for Danforth Street residents.
Denny Moon, Guilford’s assistant vice president for transportation, said it is hard to control the sound of coupling, although Guilford does monitor crews to make sure they are doing it correctly.
City Councilor Karen Geraghty asked that the city hold the meeting of all parties to discuss the late hour of the activity and why it is necessary. Notices were sent to 250 interested parties; two Danforth Street residents showed up, although others wrote letters to the city.
The neighbors who did attend said the late-night noise never happened prior to this fall.
“I don’t understand why you can’t find another (time) to do this,” said Danforth Street resident Ray Veroneau. “It’s going to be different in the summer when the windows are open.”
Veroneau told councilors he has gone so far as to place a late-night phone call to Fink at his home, so he could see what it was like to be woken up in the middle of the night.
“He was upset,” Veroneau said. And confused – Veroneau actually called David Fink Sr., the president of the company, who had no idea what Veroneau was talking about.
Fink said Guilford deals with noise complaints in all the cities it runs through, but told councilors he and Moon would look into finding another time to service Sprague.
“There are a lot of complicating factors,” he said. “We are moving the commerce of the state of Maine.”
The CDC is expected to take up the issue again at its April 12 meeting.
Kate Bucklin can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 106 or [email protected].
This article relly gets me riled up. When Bud mentions the Beautiful people of Maine, these are the ones he is referring to. Give me a Break, you moved in near the Rail Yard that was already there!!! Freakin NIMBYS
Sound of rail cars has West End ears ringing
PORTLAND – Guilford Rail executives last week said they will look into ways to appease Danforth Street residents who have been disturbed in the middle of the night by loud freight trains.
But Guilford Vice President David Fink Jr. said changing the time a locomotive arrives at Sprague Energy’s Merrill Marine Terminal will be tough, because movement on the rail lines in Maine is affected by what happens at terminals throughout New England.
For example, a delay in Massachusetts can push delivery time to Sprague back because the same locomotive is used up and down the line. Maine’s cargo trains also have to work around the Amtrak Downeaster schedule, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
Work schedules also dictate when locomotives run, Fink said. The person responsible for the Merrill Marine run starts his shift at 5 p.m. at Rigby yard in South Portland. Depending on how many cars he has, he could arrive at Sprague as early as 10 p.m. or as late as 1 a.m.
Fink attended a City Council Community Development Committee meeting March 8, along with representatives of Sprague Energy. The meeting was called as a result of several complaints from residents in the 300 and 400 blocks of Danforth Street, who say that since fall they have been woken regularly between the hours of 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. by the screeching and clanking of trains on West Commercial Street.
“The coupling sounds like it is happening right under our condos,” said Mary Elizabeth Duggan, of 420 Danforth St. “It’s like nails down a blackboard.”
Guilford switches 25 to 100 cars nightly at Merrill Marine Terminal. The hooking and unhooking of cars in a long line requires an engine to drive back and forth along the rails on West Commercial Street. The sound of metal hitting metal and the screeching of wheels as the train rounds curves is the source of irritation for Danforth Street residents.
Denny Moon, Guilford’s assistant vice president for transportation, said it is hard to control the sound of coupling, although Guilford does monitor crews to make sure they are doing it correctly.
City Councilor Karen Geraghty asked that the city hold the meeting of all parties to discuss the late hour of the activity and why it is necessary. Notices were sent to 250 interested parties; two Danforth Street residents showed up, although others wrote letters to the city.
The neighbors who did attend said the late-night noise never happened prior to this fall.
“I don’t understand why you can’t find another (time) to do this,” said Danforth Street resident Ray Veroneau. “It’s going to be different in the summer when the windows are open.”
Veroneau told councilors he has gone so far as to place a late-night phone call to Fink at his home, so he could see what it was like to be woken up in the middle of the night.
“He was upset,” Veroneau said. And confused – Veroneau actually called David Fink Sr., the president of the company, who had no idea what Veroneau was talking about.
Fink said Guilford deals with noise complaints in all the cities it runs through, but told councilors he and Moon would look into finding another time to service Sprague.
“There are a lot of complicating factors,” he said. “We are moving the commerce of the state of Maine.”
The CDC is expected to take up the issue again at its April 12 meeting.
Kate Bucklin can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 106 or [email protected].
