"Up North" Gawking (District 1 sightings)

I’ve seen a few re cent videos of 426 between rigby and Waterville with all junk mec/par power
I’m suspicious that csx may be turning the big csx power at rigby again rather than running it through to Waterville

Video from Chux on YouTube today shows fra inspection train at Leeds jct

Do you have a link to their YouTube channel? Searching YouTube for "chux" brings up nothing relevant.

CHUX Productions.

Will try to post links from my computer later this weekend
Can’t do it from my phone for some reason

NHV 669 wrote: ↑Sat Jun 10, 2023 8:44 am https://youtube.com/@chuxproductions1090

Thanks for the video. Can't stand all the crazy graffiti anymore. Trains look like moving ghetto back alleys now. Wish they would try something like anti-graffiti coatings on railcars.

I happen to agree, I think there is no pride in a freight railroad's image beyond the head end anymore (and quite often not even then). But fixing it would cost money - a LOT of money. That's why you still see cars and even locomotives with original decades old paint schemes - it's not to give train buffs a thrill, it's about money. Besides, a fresh coat of graffiti is as good to keep the rust at bay as any paid-for paint job, and all that tagging doesn't seem to faze the shippers or shareholders any. Just restencil the reporting marks and scrub off the reflective striping once in a while when the "artists" get too heavy handed, and the trains roll on.

Chux has another video today from rumford area
Line has some new ballast evident in spots but overall it still looks pretty rough to me.
Yard in rumford is grown up with grass

And it won't get anything but critical work done like that until the mainlines are addressed.

On that topic, Chux also has a new video of a cwr train at Leeds jct

And now Chux has a video from 7/18 that reveals that cwr has been dropped at Leeds jct area

Apparently I have underestimated the amount of work being done to the Hillsborough. They basically said they can't have any track like that on their system. "10 MPH for a low density branch is acceptable, but 5 MPH/Excepted is a no go."

While watching all the videos from Maine I continue to be surprised as just how horrible the existing track is
Pretty much all the track outside of passenger areas needs to be rebuilt

Yes, yearly every inch outside passenger territory needs attention of some type if not a complete rebuild. Obviously CSX did their homework but from what I heard they are stunned at the extent of the work that is going to be required to get the property up to snuff.

Unfortunately, this may not bode well for capital contribution to the PAS side for the near future.