Hampton branch activity tracker

Rockingham Racer wrote:If the branch goes belly-up, what's the chance the State of New Hampshire will buy it? We have history of them doing so, correct?

Isn't that pretty much automatic, with abandoned lines going into the rail bank?

The NH D.O.T. alreadys owns the southern half of the branch south of Foss Manufacturing. I talked with my brother about it again, he works at Foss....and now he is saying that the pellets no longer come in on rail because of a washout along the tracks north of Hampton, not because Foss chose trucks over rail after the company was restructured.

Hux wrote:

Rockingham Racer wrote:If the branch goes belly-up, what's the chance the State of New Hampshire will buy it? We have history of them doing so, correct?

Isn't that pretty much automatic, with abandoned lines going into the rail bank?

I'm not sure that it's automatic. I'd suppose that if any rail line were considered "strategic" in some way by a given government entity, then it would be considered for purchase by that entity.

I suspect that NH, with what SHOULD be massive Federal "assistance", will buy the trackage as far as the Mass. state line. As Rockingham Racer said about security, importance, or whatever, there will come a time when Seabrook Nuclear is decommissioned, and the track will be needed to haul out large numbers of low level contamination, debris.

Saw this done with Maine Yankee, and in fact, th only "real money" made on the Rockland Branch, was by Safe Handling Rail, who operated the line for the State from Jan. 2001 through March 2003. This was the "peak" of the demolition period, and hundreds of MHFX covered gons took the "very low level" contaminated debris to an out of state disposal area. This time period, also was WHEN the Rockland Branch was being REHABED, and Safe Handling hauled in many loads of rails, ties, plates, ballast etc, and even several CWR trains. Yup, they made "good money" as compared toMaine Coast(1990-2000) and Maine Eastern(2003-present)

So, expect NH to buy the defunct line, and rehab it prior to the demolition(I have even heard the remote possibilty of an "expansion at Seabrook", and the was the last time any real "work" was done of the "Hampton Runner, Portsmouth Branch/yard, was when Seabrook was being built.) But DON'T expect any "expansion" if the Democrats win thw White House, and keep control of Congress!

But in "fairness", Fed Govt. should pay for most of the rehab work, along with PS of NH!!

Bud

Rockingham Racer wrote:

Hux wrote:

Rockingham Racer wrote:If the branch goes belly-up, what's the chance the State of New Hampshire will buy it? We have history of them doing so, correct?

Isn't that pretty much automatic, with abandoned lines going into the rail bank?

I'm not sure that it's automatic. I'd suppose that if any rail line were considered "strategic" in some way by a given government entity, then it would be considered for purchase by that entity.

Exactly its not automatic at all in NH. The State of NH gets first right of refusal. If they elect not to purchase the line (most often purchased with federal funds) then the line goes to public offering, and then if nothing from the public offering then it officially becomes "abandoned" under RSA and thus goes back to the original land owners.

The "original land owners"; we’re talking (I'll use the Eastern Branch) about the original land owners going back to the early 1800's correct? I'm sure locating present day family is achievable but what happens if the "original land owners are not located"? Or am I missing the picture?

I would think that would mean abutters.

Hux wrote:I would think that would mean abutters.

Yes. They would have to go to the original tax maps, then refer to the current maps, issued to current abutters, and the lines redrawn, eliminating the ROW easement.

Not to discount Mr.Bolt's report of a washout, but I'm beginning to suspect that it is a story cooked up by management and fed to the good people at Foss. The track gang continues to inspect the branch via Hi-rail on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.
Does anyone know why they have been patrolling Hampton beach? The Hi-rail has been spotted down there twice last month. Usually late morning, on a weekday.

truman wrote:Does anyone know why they have been patrolling Hampton beach? The Hi-rail has been spotted down there twice last month. Usually late morning, on a weekday.

Could you clarify? Were they on the beach, or on the boulevard?

There were down at North Beach in the parking lot at the end of High St. I saw the Hi-Rail pickup there after leaving my girlfriends. Coming from Boars Head, I headed north and noticed the truck there either this morning or the morning before. Life is a blur right now. But I did see it there early AM. I was pretty surprised. I actually did a real, legitimate double-take while waiting at the light.

As far as the NH D.O.T. buying the line to the Mass. border, they already own it from just South of Foss Manufacturing to the Mass. line. The NH D.O.T. was actually a great help this past May with our volunteer clean-up of the railbed and marsh and the Rte. 1 / Rte. 101 interchange area. The Town of Hampton would not allow us to take stuff to the town transfer station this year, so the State stepped in and donated the blue trash bags, and then came and hauled off the 2 piles of stuff we had made. They already own the ROW / railbed in this area.

Truman, I am definitely not positive on the Foss thing. I try to inquire about it every so often when I am at my bro's. It would be interesting to hear what Pan Am has to say about it for sure.

Maybe they were looking for the old street car track to steal some rail
This washout business is fishy. If they continue to inspect the line, why haven't they fixed it? Foss would get as many as four cars at a time. How much revenue is that? Enough to justify needed repairs? Send a locomotive and crew on a 20 mile,and at least 3 hour round trip once a week or so? How much fuel is that? I'm beginning to think that Pan Am invented the story when Foss went to trucks just to save money in fuel and wages. " You're using trucks? Good thing because the tracks are broken. We're off the hook. Have a nice day".

truman wrote:Maybe they were looking for the old street car track to steal some rail
This washout business is fishy. If they continue to inspect the line, why haven't they fixed it? Foss would get as many as four cars at a time. How much revenue is that? Enough to justify needed repairs? Send a locomotive and crew on a 20 mile,and at least 3 hour round trip once a week or so? How much fuel is that? I'm beginning to think that Pan Am invented the story when Foss went to trucks just to save money in fuel and wages. " You're using trucks? Good thing because the tracks are broken. We're off the hook. Have a nice day".

This is almost like the same excuse they used to discontinue business on the M&L.

John

Did a train venture down to Hampton recently? I was in Hampton eating at the Old Salt yesterday (Labor Day) and the tracks looked like they had a polished shine to them?

Havent seen or heard anything. Been working at the office this week, which is on Rte. 1 in North Hampton right near the tracks (the airfield is behind the office), and I havent noticed anything while walking the dogs on break. Tracks still looked rusty and unused last time I checked.