St. Lawrence & Atlantic Railroad (SLR/SLQ)

The state Portland to Auburn Rail Use Advisory Council has recommended that the tracks be taken up from the currrent EOT just outside Danville Jct. to Portland, apparently even including the Narrow Gauge (at least the way the report reads), and a walking and bike trail be installed.

The report notes that this is considered an interim state, since state law forbids the permanent abandonment of any state-owned rail lines.

That doesn't make sense, there's already the Eastern Promenade trail running parallel to the narrow gauge.

Indeed, and the right-of-way in that area is wide enough for four standard gauge tracks. There's absolutely no need to remove the two-foot-gauge track.

MEC407 wrote: ↑Wed Feb 01, 2023 9:16 am Indeed, and the right-of-way in that area is wide enough for four standard gauge tracks. There's absolutely no need to remove the two-foot-gauge track.

Agreed; I was just quoting what the report says. I can't force state study committees to make sense .

Hello,
Unfortunately, due to serious health issues, I have been unable to get trackside at all this year, but, hopefully, things will improve and I will be back out there again soon.

In the meantime, I was curious: Have those "new" ex-BNSF SD70MACs arrived on the SLR, and does anyone know their reporting marks and numbers? It will be interesting to see them running on the SLR/SLQ (sounds like mostly the latter to and from Southwark Yard).

I hope you all are enjoying the mild winter weather after last Friday's crazy cold and wind!
All the best,
Fritz

CN9634 wrote: ↑Thu Nov 24, 2022 12:02 pm They have 3– 4015-4017. SLR is also getting 3.

Pulled from the QGRY thread; interesting because this recent video states that two more are lettered for QGRY, 4018/9.

https://youtu.be/CDgbd5H9mV0

I haven't heard a thing about the units destined for SLR.

Hello,
Last night's SLQ eastbound 394 crossed the border at Norton at 1900 with the following:

RM-1 804
GP40-3 3804
QG GP40-2L 3014
33 tank cars
1 boxcar
7 centerbeam flats
4 covered hoppers

That's 45 cars total, all loads.

Casey, thanks for the info on the "new" QGRY units: 4015-4019 are indeed now working on the QGRY between Montreal and Quebec City.
Have a great day,
Fritz

SLR calls it their Locomotive Modernization project. There is a hostage exchange with QGRY for GP40s, SD40-2s and 70MACs. One major issue…. The 70s don’t fit inside the engine house at LJ so they are considering some work there first

Forgot about that, as any recent work on SLR's 6 axle units has had them sent up to Waterville.

Hello,
Yes, the 6-axles were being worked at the PAR shop in Waterville prior to the CSX takeover. Since then, at least the RLHH 3403 has made at least one trip to the NECR shop in St. Albans for work. I don't know if that continues to be true.

It is my understanding that the SLR "traded" the 3803-803 duo to the QGRY for the SD40 6908, but I have also heard that there were supposed to be some SD70MACs involved as well.
Best,
Fritz

Hello,
Tonight's SLQ eastbound 394 crossed the U.S./Canada border at Norton at 1910 with the following:

RM-1 806
GP40-3 3806
RLHH SD40-2 3403
11 centerbeam flats
1 bulkhead flat
2 hi-cube boxcars
3 covered hoppers
31 tank cars

That's 48 cars total, all loads.

It is my understanding that, since late January, QGRY SD40U 6904 has been out of service in Lewiston Junction in need of a new turbo.

Too many clouds tonight to see more than one planet and the crescent moon. Hopefully, tomorrow night ...
Best,
Fritz

Fritz, you're correct about the 6904- it sat outside on the west side of the shop for quite a
while. The 803 was also hanging around the shop for some time. Changing the subject, I've
been wondering if the shutdown of the mill at Jay would impact NEPW at South Paris as I had
observed one local trucker shuttling between the two points last fall. Rail traffic at the three
NEPW warehouses in the area ( South Paris, Mechanic Falls, Auburn ) has always been somewhat
cyclical with periodic surges as if someone was making large purchases of supplies when the
price was right. The past several weeks the warehouse on Rodman Road in Auburn has seen
a fair mount of rail traffic while it's been more sporadic in the past. NEPW at Mechanic Falls is
seeing only occasional cars and South Paris has been seeing mostly daily switches but the car
count is down over the past couple of weeks.

Greg,
Although I've only seen a few freights so far this year, I would say that the closing of the mill in Jay has already caused a huge drop in inbound loads of pulp. I've only seen 2 to 4 boxcars on the three trains I've seen in the past two weeks. Last fall, there were usually 10-15 boxcars per train, and this number had greatly increased after the explosion of the pulp digester at Jay. SLR also brings some chemicals directly to the mills at Jay and Rumford as well, so that traffic will also likely disappear.

Thanks also for the info about the 6904 and 803 (the 3803 is now working on the QGRY, apparently "in trade" for the 6908).

In other news, today's SLQ westbound 393 departed Island Pond at 0756 with the following:

RLHH SD40-2 3403
GP40-3 3806
RM-1 806
8 centerbeam flats
2 bulkhead flats
4 hi-cube boxcars
6 hi-sided gondolas (all loaded)
19 tank cars

That's 39 cars total, including 6 loads (the scrap gons) and 33 empties. Definitely a short train for this time of year!
Best,
Fritz

Hello,
Tonight's SLQ eastbound 394 crossed the U.S./Canada border at Norton at 1908 with the following:

RM-1 806
GP40-3 3806
RM-1 804
GP40-3 3804
11 centerbeam flats
8 hi-cube boxcars
6 covered hoppers
28 tank cars
4 hi-sided gondolas

That's 57 cars total, all loads (including loaded SSEX scrap gons going east this time).
Best,
Fritz

Hello,
Interestingly last night's 394 went no farther than Island Pond, where it was left on the siding while the locomotives returned to Richmond, and no 393 ran out of Lewiston Junction.

Tonight's SLQ eastbound 394 arrived early into Island Pond at 1834 with the following:

RM-1 806
GP40-3 3806
RM-1 804
GP40-3 3804
6 centerbeam flats
2 hi-cube boxcars
30 tank cars

That's 38 cars total, including 36 loads and 2 empties.

I suspect that they will be working the yard in Island Pond for awhile tonight (I came home as the snow is settling in), as they have 14 loads to spot at RCP Trains and the two trains to combine before heading east towards Maine.

I also learned that, like last summer, the SLQ has gone to one regularly scheduled crew (Monday and Thursday nights) for the 393/394 road trains. Other nights are being covered by the spare board. It seems like the latter means that trains often do not run on Friday nights.
Have a great weekend,
Fritz