Operating changes? Maine to Deerfield

It seems it's taking ALOT longer to get a train from Maine to Deerfield latley. Seem's PanAM has made some change's in it's operating. No longer "it seem's" they're running WASE. Just NMED/RUED/WAED with all Deerfield and Barber traffic. Great, but when they get close to Ayer those jobs have to switch out their Barber's/Deerfield's for other trains. I saw NMED-01 515 leave Waterville on 02/01/09, It took 3 day's for it to get to Deerfield. I might just be venting alittle, but has anybody else noticed some canges latley? Billy.

I think you're right. Seems like D-2 is always choked these days. maybe its because I'm paying more attention, but it seems like there is always something in a siding waiting for a re-crew, or an engine maintainer, or waiting for the DE to go by, or something. What about SEWA/WASE? Haven't heard them lately. That and EDNM/NMED were all I was hearing.

Only 3 days? The must have improved something someplace. This is the problem with Pan Am rail transportation in the North East. Ancient trains running on ancient track. The best thing that ever happened to then Guilford was when the Downeaster was pushed through and the track was rebuilt for them. Now if they could only get passenger traffic on the rest of the system, they would be in good shape. Someone else could fix the track for them.

Mike is right about the Downeaster trackwork speeding up GRS/PAR movements between Rigby and Plaistow. If it was not for those track upgrades and the pressure to move trains along between Downeaster runs, the former 25MPH limit, usually with numerous 10MPH orders, would add even further to lengthen freight shipment times.

Even with the track problems outside of the Downeaster and MBTA routes, better efforts to have working telementry, radios, and jumper cables and making sure that locos are fueled and watered before leaving Waterville, Rigby or East Deerfield, would all contribute to better shipping times. While it may appear that money is being saved by not taking care of these items, most of the savings are probably lost in the cost of extra taxi fares and extra crews, etc.

During the earlier years of the Downeaster, a signal problem seemed to be of major concern, as a red signal could indicate a broken rail, etc., and signal personnel were promptly summoned to find the cause and rectify the problem. That does not seem to be the case in recent times, as signal probems on nights and weekends don't seem to get attention until regular working hours in many cases. Of course, this just delays the freights and Downeasters.

If NS does put up big bucks under the Pan Am Southern deal to upgrade the trackage on the west end, they surely won't want the trains still plooding along below track speed because of poor loco maintenance, lack of telementry and the like.

Dick

They just blame it on the crews. They don't say, "the train did not make it because they did not have a telemetry reciever". They say, "the train did not make it because the crew took too long to do the brake test". Get it?

mick wrote:They just blame it on the crews. They don't say, "the train did not make it because they did not have a telemetry reciever". They say, "the train did not make it because the crew took too long to do the brake test". Get it?

That's for sure. Heaven forbid the train be tested, have telemetry, and the power on the train, and actually be able to go 25 MPH or god forbid 40 the entire trip. Nope, the crew must be screwing off in the yard.

Let's hope if this PAS deal goes through the people from Norfolk don't stand for this disgrace of a RR.

Even when PAS happens, ST will still be the operator. Maybe the hope is with the extra NS $$ they'll do better? Lets hope so!

I do not know the finer details of how this Pan Am Southern operation will work. There have been postings that the it will be GRS/PAR crews, dispatchers, etc. doing the everyday work. Still it would seem that at the top level NS will be having plenty to say on how operations are handled and the like. NS surely won't simply write a bunch of checks, without controls on their investment. It should be interesting.

Dick

I had noticed that recently they seemed to be going even faster in Winthrop/Readfield. Where the problem is I don't know but it's not the ROW in this area. If it is an ROW issue it's further to the south.

Then again this fact only points even more to motive power issues due to age and potentially signal and motive power issues due to lack of maintenance. Still points to underinvestment in infrastructure unfortunately.

Dick H wrote:I do not know the finer details of how this Pan Am Southern operation will work. There have been postings that the it will be GRS/PAR crews, dispatchers, etc. doing the everyday work. Still it would seem that at the top level NS will be having plenty to say on how operations are handled and the like. NS surely won't simply write a bunch of checks, without controls on their investment. It should be interesting.

Dick

It's been very clear how the operation will work.

Pan Am Southern is a 50/050 joint venture profit wise.

Pan Am will provide the crews, Equipment and dispatching. NS and PAR heads will make any business desicions together. But day to day operations are PAR's call. Goals have been set and if the goals are not met, NS gets to take charge of the operations, but it will still be a 50/50 venture. The only that would change is who is running the day to day operations.

Because PAR is going to be in charge of running the day to day stuff, NS will not have to provide any power or related equipment. The only time you will see NS power dedicated to trains will be if the trains are NS run through trains, such as the coal trains and possibly the upcoming auto rack trains.

Supposedly NS track crews and equipment will be coming this spring to start work since PAR does not have anywhere near enough crews and equipment.

I read it that a joint management of 50/50 PAR/NS would be controlling operations, while obviously ST would be the physical carrier?? That would lead me to believe that PAR would not have a carte blanche on day to day operations...

NV290 wrote:

Dick H wrote:I do not know the finer details of how this Pan Am Southern operation will work. There have been postings that the it will be GRS/PAR crews, dispatchers, etc. doing the everyday work. Still it would seem that at the top level NS will be having plenty to say on how operations are handled and the like. NS surely won't simply write a bunch of checks, without controls on their investment. It should be interesting.

Dick

It's been very clear how the operation will work.

Pan Am Southern is a 50/050 joint venture profit wise.

Pan Am will provide the crews, Equipment and dispatching. NS and PAR heads will make any business desicions together. But day to day operations are PAR's call. Goals have been set and if the goals are not met, NS gets to take charge of the operations, but it will still be a 50/50 venture. The only that would change is who is running the day to day operations.

Because PAR is going to be in charge of running the day to day stuff, NS will not have to provide any power or related equipment. The only time you will see NS power dedicated to trains will be if the trains are NS run through trains, such as the coal trains and possibly the upcoming auto rack trains.

Supposedly NS track crews and equipment will be coming this spring to start work since PAR does not have anywhere near enough crews and equipment.

newpylong wrote:I read it that a joint management of 50/50 PAR/NS would be controlling operations, while obviously ST would be the physical carrier?? That would lead me to believe that PAR would not have a carte blanche on day to day operations.

Well the word at the time of the announcement would be no NS employees would be at Billerica and the Pan Am Southern company as a whole would have likley 1 emloyee on paper. NS would have goals that PAR would be responsible for maintaining. It's like the how the MBCR runs the MBTA trains. You hire a company to handle day to day operations and meet the goals set by the "owner".

But one thing this merger has proved, nothing is set is stone. So in the end, i dont think any of us really can say for certain what will happen.

There are many rumours floating around now within the company that are considered credible.

Not to set off sparks but what kind of rumors

If it has to do with Pan Am Southern / Patriot Corridor, please discuss it in the Pan Am Southern thread. Thanks.

I would love to see some sort of ruling via the STB.