Portsmouth Branch Activity

NHV 669 wrote: ↑Tue Oct 01, 2019 6:48 pm "They should park the [locomotives] in true industrial areas, away from densely populated areas."

Well, they could use the old lumber yard.

You mean like a rail yard, that developers CHOSE to build homes around? The dog bites it's own tail again....

Those neighborhoods weren't built by developers.

[Individuals] who CHOSE to develop land near tracks predating them by more than a few generations, the end outcome is the same regardless of who or what paid for it.

New article about the fume complaints mentioned track work would be done in a week

I get it, I really get where they're coming from. The noise is one thing, the fumes are another. The former they have no case, the later is a legitimate concern. The railroad needs to do better on idling and where they idle. Realistically, there are not enough cars in that yard to warrant saving any air test - build a new drip pad and keep the power somewhere else. HOWEVER, these people would have more of a complaint if their houses were built prior to the rail yard. I wouldn't purchase a house next to the Interstate and then start a campaign against vehicles. It's the era of snowflakes.

The bigger issue is that the yard is easily the most convenient place to tie down an engine. Really the only other places are either on the Newington somewhere or at Rockingham, which is a hour from Portsmouth by train, so if the crew is running short on time...

Easiest solution would be to have Portsmouth pay Pan Am to put APUs in a handful of engines, include in whatever contract above that said engines need to be used on the Portsmouth Branch, and APUs need to be maintained in working condition, except when off for repairs or inspection, and go from there.

Since when does someone who buys and lives in a house next to the railroad tracks not live next to the railroad tracks.

It really is just that simple.

Anyone know what is happening to the station building at Rockingham Junction? It was being painted and refurbished for a bike hire shop but work seems to have come to a halt over the last couple of months and have not seen much going on there.

The new crossing behind the medical building on Borthwick Ave seems to be almost complete.

Is there a set schedule when they do a test on lowering the Portsmouth bridge to the rail level?

No idea. I would imagine there would be a regular test as it is lowered so infrequently but I have no idea of the schedule.

In other news... They still seem to be doing some track work on the branch line. Saw track equipment working near the Dearborn road crossing a couple of days ago.

DO-1/PH-1 has been in and out of Portsmouth every day this week so far. 509 is currently sat on the branch at Rockingham.

DO-1 is back to days.

Nice. Do you know for how long?

Jonathan603 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 19, 2019 9:08 am DO-1/PH-1 has been in and out of Portsmouth every day this week so far. 509 is currently sat on the branch at Rockingham.

Propane or is Sea-3 still working on their expansion?

Came in light yesterday 3:30ish then returned to Rockingham with 2 CH from the yard a couple of hours later. Saw empty propane heading back to Rockingham a couple of days earlier after come in light again.