Pan Am Railways (PAR) Maintenance of Way (MoW) Activity

Just a guess,but maybe they are going to install signals from Royal east to connect with the ABS they have in Auburn? They also have an interlocking at the west end of Danville that was set up 3 years ago but hasn't been activated where the SLR uses a pair of switches to cross PAR.

pnolette wrote:Just a guess,but maybe they are going to install signals from Royal east to connect with the ABS they have in Auburn? They also have an interlocking at the west end of Danville that was set up 3 years ago but hasn't been activated where the SLR uses a pair of switches to cross PAR.

I was kind of wondering if this might have tie ins with Danville as well. I'm quite surprised that they haven't activated the new signals at Danville Junction yet I thought everything had been finished there. Perhaps they don't see a need to use it for now (which is odd enough in of itself....why would they build it in the first place?).

I had meant to post about this for some time but forgot. Readfield Depot crossing is getting rebuilt.

The Kennebec Journal had an article about it today:

READFIELD -- The town's main thoroughfare will be closed for three days next week -- and students will get a pass for being late to school -- as repairs at the Readfield Depot railroad crossing are made.

The Maine Department of Transportation will update and repave the area where Route 17 crosses the Pan Am Railways tracks, creating a smoother ride for vehicles, said Ted Talbot, spokesman for the department.

I would think MoW activity is likely at all time highs for any time period in the ST/GRS/PAR era. I can't imagine anything like this ever occurred on the post war Maine Central.

It's just a crossing?

newpylong wrote:It's just a crossing?

Yes, only the crossing is being rebuilt and that's all that is there (currently). As the name implies I'm pretty sure the Readfield passenger train station was there at one time but that was a very long time ago. They probably had service in the post war era due to the camp trains but I would think regularly scheduled service ended long before MEC stopped running passenger trains in 1960.

Block signal spacing is a function of train speed and frequency. If you're signaling on a budget for < 20 freight movements a day at 40 MPH or less, 5 mile blocks save a lot of capital and don't introduce much operating expense: one train can routinely follow another in the same direction about 15 min. apart.

jbvb wrote:Block signal spacing is a function of train speed and frequency. If you're signaling on a budget for < 20 freight movements a day at 40 MPH or less, 5 mile blocks save a lot of capital and don't introduce much operating expense: one train can routinely follow another in the same direction about 15 min. apart.

That makes plenty of sense from that perspective. However, based on previous discussion I'm surprised they're even going that far.

5 miles is VERY far apart, especially for a new installation, even if it's a low density line... For comparison, Norfolk Southern is ripping out most of the old ABS in District 3 and installing new signals at 2 mile intervals or less.


but considering we're talking about a distant signal to an interlocking in Form D territory it makes sense. The signal is purely so the movement doesn't need to approach Royal Junction prepared to stop.

There may be other signals going up,but that one I happened to notice while crossing the tracks.I'll try to get out there this weekend to see if there are anymore going up.

pnolette wrote:Just noticed today a new signal base and signal box at MP 180,Five miles east of CPF 185,or Royal Jct.Don't know how many blocks they are installing,or if this is going to be the new approach signal to CPF 185.Five miles does seem to be a long block though.

Maybe they plan to change Walnut from a manual switch into an interlocking. This would be a short extension of the existing CTC from roughly MP 183 to CPF185.

CPF363 wrote:

pnolette wrote:Just noticed today a new signal base and signal box at MP 180,Five miles east of CPF 185,or Royal Jct.Don't know how many blocks they are installing,or if this is going to be the new approach signal to CPF 185.Five miles does seem to be a long block though.

Maybe they plan to change Walnut from a manual switch into an interlocking. This would be a short extension of the existing CTC from roughly MP 183 to CPF185.

Is that the siding that starts at Royal Junction?

Is that the siding that starts at Royal Junction?[/quote]

Yes.

Replacement of crossing at Readfield Depot is underway this week. To be completed no later than Friday. Old asphalt has already been torn up completely. ME-17 is closed at Readfield Depot for the duration of the project.

just came over the radio that MP 185 to MP 179 is back in service. (Royal Jct to the crossing at Mill Rd in New Gloucester). All trains and track equipment have cleared the area. Not sure what work this was for. Anyone been through that area lately?
Warren

Readfield Depot tracks observed last night appear to in fact have been the new track panel already in place. MDOT and PAR crews very much in evidence. At least 12 personnel on site between the railroad and MDOT. First layer of asphalt has already been laid. This has to rank as one of the biggest weeks for track maintenance on PAR in years. They've got people working on this line in Maine almost from top to bottom.