Pan Am Woodland Spur

Does anyone know if woodchips have begun to be recieved by rail yet?

I drove by the yard today. No chip cars yet.

Ok, thank you!

How about any boxes?

There are 10 box cars in the yard.

Are there by chance any other cars in the yard or on the property?

There are loaded and unloaded Log cars and Chemical cars and the old MEC snow plow 73

The old plow. I got pictures of it sitting in Mattawamkeag in the summer of 2009.

Perhaps RRBUFF can answer this question. I know they were putting in a new siding in to unload chips before Christmas but any idea how they will unload them? I know NBSR built a new unloading facility in Saint John with a crane, etc but is there anything like that in place at the Woodland mill. I guess I have to get down there soon with my camera!

I have to bring up the question of ownership again. I've been told on good authority that the mill did, in fact, complete the branch's purchase and that NBSR is now the contract operator. Confirmation/denial?

Cowford wrote:I have to bring up the question of ownership again. I've been told on good authority that the mill did, in fact, complete the branch's purchase and that NBSR is now the contract operator. Confirmation/denial?

I heard the same some time ago. I know newpylong said different and perhaps my sources are incorrect. I know the guys on the south freight crew out of McAdam as well as many of the MoW guys there. Maybe it's still in the works but I was told it "officially" happened January 1st. I know they were working there for some time and will be going back in the spring to do much more work. They also said because most of them are Canadian they can only advise and are not allowed to run their machinery, someone else does that. Also the guy in charge of the yard in Woodland lives in Vanceboro. Next time I cross paths with him I'll ask him a few questions.

I just checked (again). Pan Am still owns and crews the trains as of now.

I would think that any transfer of ownership or operations of the Woodland branch would have to go through the Surface Transportation Board for approval. I have not seen any filings relating to this action. All I have heard was that the mill was leasing a NBSR engine. The trackwork was given to NBSR to handle.

The first train of wood chips arrived in the yard yesterday. Approx 15 cars. You cannot see the unloading proceedure as it is inside the mill yard. It is nice to see chip cars, log cars, box cars and chemical cars ,and a snow plow in the yard. All we need now is a caboose.

Did you happen to catch the markings on them? NBSR or EMRY or MNR?