Ribbon Rail on the Back Road?

I'm pretty sure they have a welding facility right in Waterville....didn't the Clipper say that's where they are doing it?

newpylong wrote:I'm pretty sure they have a welding facility right in Waterville....didn't the Clipper say that's where they are doing it?

newpylong,

The most recent issue of the Clipper discussed the wheel shop being in Waterville.

In an issue of the newsletter several years ago (it was still the Guilford Xpress in those days), they talked about an in-house rail welding facility... it wasn't in Maine... I think it was either Deerfield or Billerica. Probably Deerfield. No idea if it's still in operation or not.

MEC407 wrote:In an issue of the newsletter several years ago (it was still the Guilford Xpress in those days), they talked about an in-house rail welding facility... it wasn't in Maine... I think it was either Deerfield or Billerica. Probably Deerfield. No idea if it's still in operation or not.

One other thought regarding the ribbon rail for the Back Road. Wasn't the rail train reported as coming from out of state via Portland anyways?

There definitely isnt a rail welding facility in Deerfield, N. Billerica sounds more familiar...

Installation is North/East of Depot Road in Gray. Stop and protect orders were in place last night for both roads.

Mike

Just got word that Rocky Shore Lane (and presumably other camp roads) in Oakland will be closed for railroad work tomorrow from 7 til 3.

Does anyone know how much rail ST put in east of Royal Jct? Is it all installed now? Have speeds been upgraded as a result of the new rail? Will there be more rail coming next year?

15 +/- miles installed from CPF185 east. Check the latest Pan Am Clipper on www.panamrailways.com. Track speed is supposedly up to 25MPH.

They must have not have done a tie job if it's new rail and still 25...

newpylong wrote:They must have not have done a tie job if it's new rail and still 25...

Any chance they would simply leave it at 25 MPH even if it could probably be higher on the newer track?

Yup, it is Pan Am. They have a history of half assing most rebuilds.

Did PAR receive any more welded rail for the Back Road over the course of the winter? Will they begin CWR installation this early this year with the winter drifting away quickly. Will ties be added to bring up speeds where the new rail was installed? Is PAR's ultimate goal to have CWR over the entire Waterville to Royal section?

CPF363 wrote:Did PAR receive any more welded rail for the Back Road over the course of the winter? Will they begin CWR installation this early this year with the winter drifting away quickly. Will ties be added to bring up speeds where the new rail was installed? Is PAR's ultimate goal to have CWR over the entire Waterville to Royal section?

I don't know anything about the specifics but I can say that management has made it quite clear that 40 MPH is "good enough" on the main line in MA and for the most part that's just fine (if not slower) in Maine. It simply isn't in their model maintain the railroad to run any faster than that. Not saying it couldn't be done. Not saying they couldn't make money doing it. Not saying they couldn't even save money doing it. But all indications are freight operations over 40 MPH simply aren't part of the picture for them. Even on the Portland - Plaistow line I understand it that freights are still restricted to 40 MPH (Despite this line being maintained to Class IV standards).

I would think that they would do a major tie job, and surface the line after spending
all that money on CWR. It would be a waste not to. There are still signifcant stretches
of 10 MPH restrictions out there, I beleive. Especially between Royal and Leeds.