Railroad Forums 

  • Official New England Southern Thread (NEGS)

  • Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in New England
Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in New England

Moderators: MEC407, NHN503

 #1565246  by BowdoinStation
 
On 10/31/2020, the MBRE charted an excursion with the Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad that ran from Meredith, south thru Weirs Beach, Lakeport, downtown Laconia, Winnisquam, all the way to south end of their territory just north of the Silver Lake Road Crossing in Tilton, and back north! It was quite a sight!

In 2020, there was a total of 7 movements on the line from Lochmere to Lakeport.. 3 southbound and 4 northbound..
 #1565803  by New Haven 1
 
Thanks for the replies. That's good to know the tracks between Tilton and Laconia are still seeing use even if only occasionally.

The 3M company at Tilton reminds me of an article I read in Trains magazine about a lumber yard in Lucinda, Pa served by the former Knox & Kane railroad. The article showcased how even though the 2 lumber cars pictured had to travel a good distance via rail it was still far more efficient for the lumber yard to receive their deliveries via rail as opposed to truck. A testimony to what we know about the efficiencies of rail transport. Yes, I am aware of the travel times involved, but, you get the point. I'm sure that 3M is in the same boat and, they simply plan ahead by getting 2 tank cars at a time so they get what they need at the best cost and, without delays to their production.

What's good about this for railfans is they keep a good stretch of this line in service and thus, protected from the rail trail crowd.
 #1565813  by NHN503
 
New Haven 1 wrote: Sat Mar 13, 2021 12:11 pm ... I'm sure that 3M is in the same boat and, they simply plan ahead by getting 2 tank cars at a time so they get what they need at the best cost and, without delays to their production.
The cars are cycled at 2 at a time due to the transport from Macon, GA and the holding tanks at the facility. Upon delivery we can empty one car into the holding tanks and that will allow them to draw down for about a week enough that they can fit the 2nd car in the tanks. By the time they draw down enough to fit another car the new cars have arrived in Concord from GA, and the cycle starts again. 3M leases the cars so they don't have the per diem fees.
 #1565817  by New Haven 1
 
Another great response.

Thanks for expanding on the "Planning" part of my reply.

This is a perfect example of how a company puts an effort forward to run as efficiently as possible including managing operating costs though an excellent partnership with the railroads.
 #1565837  by FatNoah
 
I'm sure that 3M is in the same boat and, they simply plan ahead by getting 2 tank cars at a time so they get what they need at the best cost and, without delays to their production.
This was a while ago, but my aunt worked in Accounts Payable at that facility. She mentioned that the cost to ship by rail was something like half of the cost to ship by truck.
 #1566953  by steam1246
 
Well--now that VRS and Vermont AOT have "ruffled" CSX's feathers a bid with their objections to the STB PAR/PAS sale filings, has VRS "PO"-ed CSX enough to affect future dealings in New Hampshire--assuming CSX eventually acquires PAR? Obviously, CSX being required to refile as a "major transaction" with the STB will significantly slow down CSX's acquisition date of PAR--resulting in a significant delay in resumption of negotiations between CSX and VRS in the NEGS/Merrimack & Grafton saga. At this point, it would seem that any VRS service south of Concord would not be possible as early as July l(a previously "rumored" here on railroad.net) or December (as speculated in the VRS employee "newsletter" last Christmas). With "Aprilish" right around the corner, is construction still on tap at the new Lowell Junction gravel facility--or is it "on Hold" until the PAR/CSX sale is resolved?
 #1566999  by BowdoinStation
 
It's business, no emotion, and money talks. VRS was well within their right to question the PAS portion of the deal. What happens once the deal is closed is another story to be written.. Money talks.. The transaction has been upgraded to "Significant" and not "major" according to the various gov't websites.
 #1567001  by NHN503
 
steam1246 wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 2:47 am Well--now that VRS and Vermont AOT have "ruffled" CSX's feathers a bid with their objections to the STB PAR/PAS sale filings, has VRS "PO"-ed CSX enough to affect future dealings in New Hampshire
In short. No. Remember that GW was the NS choice, not CSX; CSX just made considerations to NS for other in hand deals. CSX had to expect VRS and maybe others to balk at that ( You may shortly see one of the unions making the same complaint about GW shortly. I've head the brief, but don't know if it has yet been filed).
Its business, not personal.
steam1246 wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 2:47 amAt this point, it would seem that any VRS service south of Concord would not be possible as early as July l(a previously "rumored" here on railroad.net) or December (as speculated in the VRS employee "newsletter" last Christmas). With "Aprilish" right around the corner, is construction still on tap at the new Lowell Junction gravel facility--or is it "on Hold" until the PAR/CSX sale is resolved?
July 1 was the purchase date, and the only real advertised date. The movements of the gravel are not anticipated until Fall 2021. Now, they had been anticipated for last year, but COVID did put a wrench into that.

Construction schedules still are on schedule. We can't wait for decisions outside our control, such as PAR moving from minor to significant, to control what is done on our end, which ultimately has no bearing on our construction projects as the customers want their stuff when they want it. The customer still has to work on his end and we still have to build a very long siding and spur on our end, which will take time. Where the train is handed off, doesn't change what will need to be built in Tilton and Andover, and that hand off will happen if its a PAR crew or CSX crew. Remember this was all planned before CSX even came into the picture, at an already established interchange.

Our operations south of Concord have never been speculated publicly at this time as us running it. Things have been talked about internally, but we don't NEED it to do what our current customer projects require. Trackage rights south of Concord will make some things easier in the long run, but all we really need is the interchange at Concord, and with what is planned PAR et CSX will need a dedicated crew for it 3-4 days a week and its an already established interchange so should even CSX have a High School childish reaction, there really isn't much they can do.
 #1573768  by newpylong
 
NHN503 wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 3:13 pm ...so should even CSX have a High School childish reaction, there really isn't much they can do.
If CSX has a "childish reaction" (possibly due to the VRS putting up a stink with the STB), there is everything that they can do, up to and including putting you right out of business up there quite easily. Wouldn't be hard to turn off the spigot when you have one connection.
 #1574070  by NHN503
 
Normally I'd 100% agree with you, A privately owned trackage and company, it could be as simple as yeah we aren't going here any more, thanks for causing issues you can thank yourself for this. I think it would be difficult to just turn off the spigot in this situation, since it is one connection and it is NHDOT that its connecting to.

However with it being NHDOT, and especially with as much weight that Hobo has been throwing around lately with NHDOT's recently changed tune backing it, I think you would not get anything other than the status quo even if CSX decided to take the low road. I mean face it, while not a money printing machine, its viable even if it got cut to once a month interchange and the other projects went poof. Whether or not VRS wants to deal with that I would have no idea, but that's for Burlington to figure out, but I'm well aware of their concerns over something that has nothing to do with "us" will absolutely affect "us".
  • 1
  • 42
  • 43
  • 44
  • 45
  • 46