Track past Margarita's in Nashua

Hi..
I saw a train once or twice on the track next to Margarita's in Nashua, NH.
Is it stil used on occasion? When?
When it is used, does the train continue down the line or does it just drop stuff off at a warehouse after crossing Main St. and then reverses back to the "main line"?

Thanks,
Rob

Believe it or not, the Hillsboro Branch is still used all the way out to Milford, NH and beyond. At some location, presumably in Milford, the line changes operators, then becoming the Milford and Bennington RR. I believe the line is active to Wilton, NH, but I'm not sure how much further. The route seems to serve mostly rock and propane service, I'm not sure if Hitchner's foundry uses rail service, but they might be a potential client.

Hey Rob,

My memory is telling me that there aren't very few customers left on the Hillsboro. I'm sure someone will correct me, but I know the active ones are...
* LAW Warehouse -Airport Rd., Nashua
* Harcros Chemical - 8 Capitol St., Nashua
* Unknown - 1 Cellu Dr., Nashua (formerly Twin Mtn bottling plant)
* Hendrix Wire and Cable - Old Wilton Rd., Milford

The other possible customers, which I haven't see get rail service in years...
* Suburban Propane, Old Wilton Rd., Milford
* Energy North, Caldwell Dr., Amherst

Hitchner's Manufacturing hasn't had rail service in a decade (at least). You won't find a trace of their sidings at their Old Wilton Road facility as they pulled everything up.

The Milford-Bennington Railroad (MBRX) has trackage rights on Pan Am starting at Westchester Drive in Milford to Howard Street in Wilton. State of New Hampshire ownership begins on the (railroad) north side of Howard Street, which MBRX currently holds the contract for operations. MBRX serves Granite State Concrete's facilities, the quarry in Wilton and their processing plant in Milford. Interchanges... if any... are performed at Wilton.

Last I knew, Pan Am retained trackage rights from Howard Street in Wilton up to the Pike quarry, which is just north of Granite State's quarry. The line north of the quarries to Bennington is out of service.

Matt


revised: Nashua industries on Cellu Dr. and Capitol St.

That sounds right to me.

Thanks for the info.. good stuff.
I'd love to catch that train sometime.. is there any kind of schedule that it runs?

Thanks,
Rob

Jones Chemical isn't on the Hillsboro branch. It's off the Northern in Merrimack

Sorry, my mistake, it's Harcros Chemical. I've fixed it in the original post.

Also, based on a newspaper article I found from 2011, it looks like the building on Cellu Drive many no longer be a rail customer. It used to be the Twin Mountain Spring Water Co. bottling plant, and may now be home to Technical Graphics, Inc.

As for a schedule... there is none. Best bet is to sign up on some railroad lists that track train movements or to get a scanner and listen to Pan Am's radio chatter for an indication when a train is heading out of Nashua up the Hillsboro.

Matt

The company now at the Cellu Dr location has built over the siding and the track bumper has been moved to where the siding comes in the fence at the property line. Neither propane siding is active but propane for Energy North is unloaded at the transfer in Nashua yard and trucked to Amherst. I have seen cars spotted at Hampshire Paper in MIlford occasionally in the last five years. The local has to pull that old B&M boxcar the paper company uses for storage out to spot the incoming car.

bunky wrote:The company now at the Cellu Dr location has built over the siding and the track bumper has been moved to where the siding comes in the fence at the property line. Neither propane siding is active but propane for Energy North is unloaded at the transfer in Nashua yard and trucked to Amherst. I have seen cars spotted at Hampshire Paper in MIlford occasionally in the last five years. The local has to pull that old B&M boxcar the paper company uses for storage out to spot the incoming car.

If we're talking about the building directly at the end of Cellu drive that's too bad. Google maps has 4-5 hoppers spotted there...

Matt: can you recommend any websites to get on those lists you mention?
Also, I have an app for my iPad that monitors police and EMS frequencies.
Does any such app exist for Railroad frequencies? I know its a stretch.. just thought I'd ask.

Thanks,
Rob

robmcalpine wrote:Matt: can you recommend any websites to get on those lists you mention?
Also, I have an app for my iPad that monitors police and EMS frequencies.
Does any such app exist for Railroad frequencies? I know its a stretch.. just thought I'd ask.

Thanks,
Rob

There is an app that includes Police, EMS, and some Railroad traffic. When I first checked it out (~3 years ago) PanAm was not available there or in the internet. You would need a physical scanner that can receive he correct frequencies.

Local just started up the hillsboro branch at 11am with a gatx unit. There were cars for Milford and the chemical place.

I saw that same engine crossing main street about 2-3 months ago with one car of what i thought was wood. saw it heading back to the nashua yard about 15 minutes later light.

Dang, I missed it.
When you say just started up.. where does it start up from. The yard in Nashua?

GMTX 3001 was scheduled for engineers training starting today up in Nashua.