Portsmouth Branch Activity

Usually, the caboose and flatbeds get pulled onto the yard, and then they re-emerge with a fuel container between the flatbeds. There is usually a bit of warning before this move, as the chunk has to be manually lowered into the deck of the Sarah Long Bridge.

Hers a photo I took a couple years ago of the train crossing the SLB: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sarah ... _Train.JPG

At 5:50 the chuck was still up, would love to get some photos of the switcher bringing them across. in the 20 years i've lived here i've only seen it a handfull of times off the base. thanks

The caboose and flatbeds went towards the Navy Yard late morning, today. No pictures.

As of noon today, both flatbeds are sitting near the engine house at the shipyard (visible from Whipple Road). Caboose is out of sight.

If the base is still getting some rail activity (though not much at all), wouldn't this prevent Pan Am from abandoning the Portsmouth branch? BTW, great shot of the train on that bridge!

Warren

Yes

BM6569 wrote:If the base is still getting some rail activity (though not much at all), wouldn't this prevent Pan Am from abandoning the Portsmouth branch? BTW, great shot of the train on that bridge!

Warren

The one they're abandoning is the Hampton branch due south of the yard. The east-west Portsmouth Branch and remaining track stubs are pretty safe. That branch has got some quite decent strategic value to them regardless of traffic fluctuations.

Heard one of the switchers roaming around the yard this afternoon, but the flat cars haven't moved.

I took a walk along the old spur at Pease this afternoon to see what is still there. The track is intact from Arboretum Drive all the way to the Spaulding Turnpike. There's a lot growing in the gauge, but the track is in good shape - better than a lot of the Portsmouth Branch! The whistle posts are even still there. The rails have been removed to about 50' from Arboretum Drive on each side of where the crossing was. I didn't walk the other direction, as it's posted No Trespassing, and goes toward the ANG facilities.

Here are some photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/21559704@N ... 680501731/

ereuter wrote:I took a walk along the old spur at Pease this afternoon to see what is still there. The track is intact from Arboretum Drive all the way to the Spaulding Turnpike. There's a lot growing in the gauge, but the track is in good shape - better than a lot of the Portsmouth Branch! The whistle posts are even still there. The rails have been removed to about 50' from Arboretum Drive on each side of where the crossing was. I didn't walk the other direction, as it's posted No Trespassing, and goes toward the ANG facilities.

Here are some photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/21559704@N ... 680501731/

Nice pictures. I like that one of the rails disappearing into the heavy dead-fall of pines. I should walk that stretch myself

Maybe I'm just confused, but wasn't there recent talk that the spur to Pease is being rebuilt? Something about a new bridge over US-4 that's been built.

BostonUrbEx wrote:Maybe I'm just confused, but wasn't there recent talk that the spur to Pease is being rebuilt? Something about a new bridge over US-4 that's been built.

The widening of Rt 16 will take into account a future spur. My guess is that if Pease got a tenant wanting rail service, then they would build it

is the Boise Cascade (?) outfit that used to get weekly shipments of lumber gone? Their yard, which used to be covered with lumber packages, looks empty from the high rise bridge.

No, they still get 2-3 cars a week. Usually one or two box cars and a center beam. Sometimes as often as three times in a two week period. I'd judge them to be the biggest customer on the Portsmouth Branch.

If you search NERail for my name (Eric Reuter) you'll find some photos I've taken over there fairly recently.

Caught 516 and one box car crossing Rt 33 around 8:30pm yesterday (2/2/12) heading towards Rockingham Jct. Unfortunately, it was too dark to get a picture:(