"Up North" Gawking (District 1 sightings)

So, POWA 3005 recrewed at N. Yarmouth around 11-11:30 this morning. They tied down at Annabessacook Rd. at 19:30ish.
Yes folks, thats 1 crew, 8 hours, 45 miles, granted they did work Danville for a while, but its still a shining example of how freight should move.

KSmitty wrote:So, POWA 3005 recrewed at N. Yarmouth around 11-11:30 this morning. They tied down at Annabessacook Rd. at 19:30ish.
Yes folks, thats 1 crew, 8 hours, 45 miles, granted they did work Danville for a while, but its still a shining example of how freight should move.

There really ought to be a DJ-2. Let the DJ crews handle the traffic between Rigby and Danville and vice versa. They can even cover North Leeds if they have enough time.

I guarantee it will help the road jobs and they'll break even at the very least...

Question.. There is a big warehouse that says umaine research facility on it (I think) between the old town mill and the yard there. I noticed the tracks go into the building and saw an engine moving into it this morning. Is it used to keep engines in there? If not what is it?

Its a warehouse, mostly, and they can load box cars there. Though I dont think it was used often by OT F&F.

I believe the office space previously used by U Maine, in that building, is now vacated. Expera chose not to pursue the many research projects Old Town F&F had been working on, most pertaining to the "Fuel" part of Fuel and fiber...

Also note, you have a PM.

This morning, Thursday, a westbound pan am freight passed the Mountain Branch around 10:15am, or so. It had an inordinate number of hoppers and gons-maybe around 35 to 45. It appeared some were loaded with what looked like mulch (ground up ties?), some appeared to be empty.
I was on the phone so I couldn't count 'em.
S

hh660 wrote:This morning, Thursday, a westbound pan am freight passed the Mountain Branch around 10:15am, or so. It had an inordinate number of hoppers and gons-maybe around 35 to 45. It appeared some were loaded with what looked like mulch (ground up ties?), some appeared to be empty.
I was on the phone so I couldn't count 'em.
S

Likely, they ran to Keag last week, and brought home about that number of cars. Out of highsides at Keag they have been loading chocolate chips in MOW gons. The loads will go to Rumford on PORU, the empties will be taken to the latest mess they're cleaning up for a refill of discarded ties. Once empty the MOW gons at Rumford will likewise be sent out for more discarded ties. The highsides will go back to Keag empty, the MOW gons full, and the cycle will begin anew...

Do the mills use the chipped up ties for burning (energy) or for making into pulp for paper? I imagine creosote isn't good for paper, but I don't know if PermaTreat treats the wood to remove that stuff. Can't imagine you'd want to burn creosote, either, but I'm sure it can't be much worse than coal.

Rumford burns them with coal and chipped tires for power/steam. Make sure you wear a respirator when you visit the area

KSmitty, you are correct!
3:10 pm, Friday
PORU just went east past the Mountain Branch with 13 loaded low gons and 5 loaded high gons with the chips that passed by going westerly, yesterday.
All of the empty hoppers/gons that were on yesterdays train must be continuing west?

Lately, the trains are generally traveling quite fast on this stretch of track. I'm guessing 25 to 30 mph?

S

hh660 wrote:KSmitty, you are correct!
3:10 pm, Friday
PORU just went east past the Mountain Branch with 13 loaded low gons and 5 loaded high gons with the chips that passed by going westerly, yesterday.
All of the empty hoppers/gons that were on yesterdays train must be continuing west?

Lately, the trains are generally traveling quite fast on this stretch of track. I'm guessing 25 to 30 mph?

S

MP 197 to CPF 194 is 25 for freight on Tk 1 and the single track (and has been up to that speed for a while). Tk 2 is still down to 10, but the freights seem to use that track pretty often when a conflict with Amtrak is possible.

I heard a couple more speed upgrades on Friday. 2 or 3 locations between Leeds Jct. and Lewiston have been put up to 25, some are just a mile long, 157 to 158 for instance, or was it to 157 to 156, and some closer to Greene.

Getting close to 25 in downtown L/A again!

think they will keep that 10, because of the bridge.

The bridge was 25 a few years ago. No reason they can't run at 25 over it now since they redecked it in the last 2/3 years. It's in great shape. They just need to get the track to the east and west of it in better shape.

More to the bridge than just the deck. Just saying what I heard. 10 mph because of the bridge. What particular reason I do not know.