Ribbon Rail on the Back Road?

Though everyone knows about the ribbon rail being installed between Portland and Brunswick (via Royal Junction,) I heard mention of CWR being installed on the Back Road between Royal and Danville. I initially thought this was untrue and corrected the person who told me this (my bad, gokeefe.) However, today I saw track crews working on Depot Road and then saw ribbon rail lying on the side of the tracks yet to be installed by Mill Road in North Yarmouth. I was appalled; I think I said something along the lines of "What the ****?!"

Seeing as the $35m Downeaster expansion is its own entity, I'm wondering where this is coming from? Is this Pan Am money? Some secret federal money? Judging by the shape of the crossings in that area (don't get me started on those,) I was pretty surprised to see not just any upgrade, but a seemingly large rail upgrade occuring. What's up with this?

I know PAR is trying to get the Maine Line (haha, pun) back up to 25, as it had been restricted to 10 is some parts, but to this end, ribbon rail seems to be like cutting butter with a chainsaw.........on fire!

What I heard -- and take this with a grain of salt -- is that they're only putting ribbon rail on the curves and/or in trouble spots. Anyone else heard that?

They dropped 7 miles of CWR from CPF 185 to MP 178ish. I had herd that they were only going to do the curves too, but thats not the case as it turns out.

I was at Mill Rd in No Yarmouth recently, and ribbon rail has been laid that far. At Morse Rd, however, there
was no sign of any.

I wonder if they're going to use the stick rail on the emden quarry line. could they pick up long strings of the stick rail with the rail train and deliver it?

bar358 wrote:They dropped 7 miles of CWR from CPF 185 to MP 178ish. I had herd that they were only going to do the curves too, but thats not the case as it turns out.

Simply amazing. It really is great news. Nice to see PAR doing rail reconstruction on their own rails with their own money. Definitely a sign of continued improvement in operations and maintenance.

gokeefe wrote:Nice to see PAR doing rail reconstruction on their own rails with their own money. Definitely a sign of continued improvement in operations and maintenance.

Maybe we really are seeing the "corporate awakening" I keep hoping is real. CWR? I can't believe it.

[OT]
All of this, from the business train with beautiful new power, to the track work, and "new old" power, and the reports that customers want to ship more by rail, makes me think that maybe, just maybe the Trains Magazine article on PAR/PAS wasn't entirely fluff.
[/OT]

Spring is the season of renewal, and even I feel optimism. I hope Spring on PAR -- and PAS -- continues well past what the calendar and climate call seasons.

Drove by the Cobbs Bridge Road underpass in New Gloucester today. Decided to take a look, so I pulled off and got out. Found new signals (two-light configuration) installed (turned sideways), along with new ribbon rail installed. What else is going on with this part of the line?

Maybe this PAR? funded work has to do with the Amtrak train that was spotted in Leeds?

Ribbon rail still lays beside the track on Mill Road in North Yarmouth.

BM6569 wrote:Maybe this PAR? funded work has to do with the Amtrak train that was spotted in Leeds?

Reading between the lines on the latest edition of the Pan Am Clipper it seems more likely this work is related to the new Bluenose service between St. John, Ayer and Worcester.

My brother saw a rail train heading east late this morning and I believe it is for this Pan Am funded project.

Warren

petahgriff8316 wrote:Drove by the Cobbs Bridge Road underpass in New Gloucester today. Decided to take a look, so I pulled off and got out. Found new signals (two-light configuration) installed (turned sideways), along with new ribbon rail installed. What else is going on with this part of the line?

This is not new rail, CWR has been here for a while. The signals however, are.

gokeefe wrote:Reading between the lines on the latest edition of the Pan Am Clipper it seems more likely this work is related to the new Bluenose service between St. John, Ayer and Worcester.

This is not related to the Bluenose service but is in general track upgrades for all service.

Look for a third rail train this summer.