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

KSmitty wrote:In general, its best not to make claims about speed unless you are 100% sure it is accurate.

I am aware enough of all of this. If the line hasn't been upgraded to Class 3 then it was clearly my mistake.

Some District #2 Electric Switch Heaters have been acting up since the snow and ice arrived.
PAR track crews have been addressing the problems, after D2 Dispatcher could not throw the
switches involved.

MEC407 wrote:PAR would be ripe for a lawsuit if they disciplined or terminated someone based solely on a railfan report.

Right, they cannot discipline simply on a 3rd party report, but they certainly can pull event recorder data, and the increasingly common tape from outward and inward facing cameras. Once they get in there, just because the speed may not have been an issue doesn't mean there wont be other infractions. Even something seemingly insignificant, like stepping out of the cab without safety glasses, can get someone in trouble. I know it sounds petty, but its very much a reality in the litigious world we live in.

Its easy to follow a few simple rules of courtesy so we railfans don't draw more animosity from train crews. Don't post pictures/videos of crews working on the ground, and don't report on speeds unless you are 100% certain your report is 100% accurate. While speed report postings are not as clear cut as video or photo's they can certainly open a can of worms. Even without added trouble, many crews view trackside cameras as bothersome, and its fairly simple for people to not guestimate train speeds or leave crews alone when outside the cab. We all make these mistakes, myself included, I wasn't intending to stir the pot. I just wanted to remind that for us this is an observational hobby, and that we should remember to be courteous to those we are observing.

I agree.

Major tie replacement project underway around Winthrop. Every second or third tie marked with new ties placed. Replacements stretch along the tracks as far as the eye can see south of Main Street crossing.

They will be working east to Waterville I believe

147 to Waterville. Picking up where they left off last year. I don't think its quite as heavy as every 2 or 3. Maybe every 4th or 5th tie, which is pretty standard of their recent projects. All supposedly part of some bigger upgrades coming next year that will supposedly include rail and maybe some new signals. Sure would be nice if they'd interlock Cressey, Roy and Leeds Jct. switches...

You will never ever see them install new signals on their own dime. You won't even see them replaced on their own dime.

Yep, when the signal bungalow at Leeds Jct was taken out by a car, they didn't bother replacing it and turned off the whole ABS system there. Granted, that isolated little signal system was very old, riddled with issues, and pretty worthless, IMO. But they could maybe apply for a grant or receive state funds to make signal improvements, so I wouldn't say it is out of the realm of possibility for signals to return to Leeds Jct. The Signal Department was certainly mulling different ideas in the way of signals around the area, including an interlocking and power switch at the Jct, so we'll see if funding comes through from somewhere.

I thought they had interlocked 168, was that not them but either MDOT or SLR that put up the $?

All I've heard is a pretty massive outlay of money coming next year, supposedly around $40M to include ties/rail/rock and supposedly some signals (not sure where signals would go or if there is any truth to that, but Leeds would seem the obvious choice since their current plan has most meets there and the branch switch is a perpetual irritation). Basically, it sounds like they want 113-185 up to 40. Of course this grand plan is a year away and could fall apart, but that would in theory allow them to get Poland Spring water from Waterville to Ayer on 1 crew, which was the other part of the story going round...

Scuttlebutt perhaps.

Pan Am seems like a big railroad but the margins are actually very small. I am not privy to income statements, but I wouldn't be surprised if $40M is actually a large fraction of their revenue for an entire year. If they spend that much on capital outlay, that would mean serious debt or not paying crews, bills, buying fuel, etc. I can see them spending that over 10 years perhaps, though $4M is still a lot per year. That would be more than they have ever spent out of their own pocket on anything.

I also can't see them maintaining to more than 25 MPH. They still have a lot of mainline trackage at 10 MPH like the Stony Brook and Lowell Branches of the FML that see a lot more tonnage than D1.

They also don't need to waste money on CTC to increase train velocity for only 4 trains per day. Though they could do what CP did on the Sunbury line and just do a couple CTC islands for controlled sidings.

newpylong wrote:They also don't need to waste money on CTC to increase train velocity for only 4 trains per day. Though they could do what CP did on the Sunbury line and just do a couple CTC islands for controlled sidings.

Which is what they did with Danville. It wouldn't be that out of the question for them to fill the gap between CPF168 and CPF183 with a couple of signals, and a CP for Blake and Penny, then do a small island for Leeds.

Leeds maybe, the rest, not a shot. Money better spent on bringing the track to 25 and keeping it that way. Thats only around 40 minutes between those control points at that speed.

They already have brought it up to 25, and are keeping it at that. It's been like that for a couple of years now. Eliminating the need for new Form Ds and Line 2 additions, as well as having to throw switches removes one of the bigger time sinks in moving trains between Leeds and Waterville.

Anything being done east of Waterville??